Difference B/W Basic Nursing & Community Nursing Programmes

Differences Between Basic Nursing and Community Nursing Programmes in Nigeria Nursing Institutions - Read also All you Need to Know Concerning the Basic Nursing and Community Nursing Programmes in Schools and Colleges of Nursing in Nigeria.

Due to many questions from our readers through our various contact channels regarding to the above mentioned question, we have decided to clarify all Nursing aspirants and candidates based on this popular question on the Difference between Basic Nursing and Community Nursing programmes in many Schools of Nursing and Midwifery in Nigeria.


Before we begin with the Difference Between Basic Nursing & Community Nursing Programmes we will like to briefly explain all you need to know concerning the Basic Nursing & Community Nursing Programmes ranging from their duration, eligibility, admission requirements e.t.c. Kindly continue to read the contents below to get the full information concerning the topic Difference Between Basic Nursing & Community Nursing Programmes.

A. BASIC NURSING PROGRAMME (ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW)

This is a 3 years, 6 semesters basic nursing programme, approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). It is designed to train students on practical nursing skills and gives them the knowledge and clinical experience they need to become a Registered Nurse.

Students will be trained on practical nursing skills and they will acquire the knowledge and skills and also gain the clinical experience they need to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Registered Nurse (RN) provides support, care and advice to patients with medical and surgical conditions; this care includes taking vital signs, monitoring patients, administering medications, taking patient record and providing health education etc. They also offer advice and emotional support to patient and their families as well as follow-up care.

Registered Nurses can work in any Tertiary Healthcare Institutions (e.g National Hospital, Federal Medical Centers etc), Secondary Healthcare Institutions (e.g General Hospitals) and Primary Healthcare Institutions (Primary Health Care, Comprehensive Health Care) in the world.

Admission Requirements

  • Candidates must possess at least five (5) credits at not more than two (2) sittings including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics in WAEC, NECO and/or NABTEB. Combination of WAEC/WAEC, NECO/NECO, WAEC/NECO is acceptable. NABTEB cannot be combined with WAEC or NECO or another NABTEB. If candidate will use NABTEB, he/she must have all the required 5 credits in it.
  • Qualified candidates will be required to write an Entrance Exam to be conducted by their respective Schools or College.
  • Candidates successful at the Entrance Exam will be invited for an interview to be conducted by their respective Schools or College.
  • Candidates successful at the interview will be offered provisional admission into Basic General Nursing programme at their respective Schools or Colleges.
  • Candidates admitted into the Basic Nursing Programme will undergo intensive training/lecture in Basic Sciences and Nursing Courses for six months. Thereafter an Introductory Examination will be conducted.
  • Only successful students at the introductory Exam will be Indexed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and the unsuccessful students will be withdrawn.


B. COMMUNITY NURSING PROGRAMME (ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW)

This is a 2 years, 4 semesters Community Nursing programme, approved by the Nursing and Nursing Council of Nigeria (NMCN). It is designed to train students on practical community nursing skills and gives them the knowledge and clinical experience they need to become a Licensed Community Nurses (LCN) to provide nursing care to individuals whether sick or well and to assist them in activities that would promote health at the community level where they live and work. Licensed Community Nurses (LCN) also provides support, care and advice to patients with medical and surgical conditions; this care includes taking vital signs, monitoring patients, administering medications, taking patient record and providing health education etc AT COMMUNITY LEVEL under the supervision of Registered Nurse or Registered Public Health Nurse. They also offer advice and emotional support to patient and their families as well as follow-up care.

The programme is meant to spearhead and implement nursing and health care services to the population at the grassroots, as first responders through home care (domiciliary nursing), provision of consumables, first aid care, primary case management, school health services and prompt referral to the appropriate level of care for further management.

Only male and female indigenes of a State who are resident in their community are eligible for admission. Students studying Community Nursing will be sponsored and bonded by their State Local Government Service Commission and will be required to work at their respective communities after successful graduation.

Licensed Community Nurses can only work in Primary Healthcare Institutions (Primary Health Care, Comprehensive Health Care). Licensed Community Nurses who wish to further their education to become Registered Nurses shall be admitted for a two-year programme in a School/College of Nursing provided the pre-requisite O-level papers of 5 credits in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics are met.

Admission Requirements

  • Candidates must possess at least four (4) credits at not more than two (2) sittings including English Language, Biology and two science subjects in WAEC, NECO and/or NABTEB. Combination of WAEC/WAEC, NECO/NECO, WAEC/NECO is acceptable. NABTEB cannot be combined with WAEC or NECO or another NABTEB. If candidate will use NABTEB, he/she must have all the required 4 credits in it.
  • Qualified candidates will be required to write an Entrance Exam to be conducted by the College.
  • Candidates successful at the Entrance Exam will be invited for an interview to be conducted by the College.
  • Candidates successful at the interview will be offered provisional admission into Community Nursing programme at their respective Schools or Colleges.
  • Candidates admitted into the Community Nursing Programme will undergo intensive training/lecture in Basic Sciences and Nursing Courses for six months. Thereafter an Introductory Examination for the First Semester will be conducted.
  • Only successful students at the Introductory Exam will be indexed by the Nursing and Nursing Council of Nigeria and unsuccessful students will be withdrawn.

Difference Between Basic Nursing & Community Nursing Programmes

  1. BASIC Nursing is 3 years programme while COMMUNITY nursing is 2 years programme.
  2. BASIC Nursing is for both indigenes of a State and other States in Nigeria while COMMUNITY Nursing is ONLY for indigenes of a particular State.
  3. Entry requirement for BASIC Nursing is at least 5 credits including English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics while entry requirements for COMMUNITY is at least 4 Credits including English Language, Biology and any two science subjects.
  4. Graduates of BASIC Nursing will be licensed by Nursing and Nursing Council of Nigeria as Registered Nurse (RN) while graduates of COMMUNITY Nursing will be licensed by the Nursing and Nursing Council of Nigeria as Licensed Community Nurse (LCM).
  5. A Registered Nurse can work in any Healthcare institutions (National Hospitals, Federal Medical Centers, Specialist Hospitals, General Hospitals, Primary Healthcare Centres etc) while COMMUNITY Nurses can ONLY work in Primary Healthcare Centres.
  6. Registered Nurses can gain direct entry admission into University for Bachelor of Nursing degree programme or direct entry admission into an 18-months Post Basic Midwifery programme while  Licensed COMMUNITY Nurses who wish to further their education to become registered nurses shall be admitted for a two-year programme in a School/College of Nursing provided the pre-requisite O-level papers of 5 credits in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics are met.

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