Nursing Council Cautions 56 Wellspring University Inductees Against Misconduct

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has urged 56 newly inducted nursing graduates of Wellspring University to uphold professional ethics, protect patients’ privacy and maintain high standards in their careers.

The council’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ndagi Alhasssan, gave the advice at the university’s second oath-taking and induction ceremony in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday. He was represented by his Chief of Staff, Stella Godswill.

Alhasssan said the graduates should safeguard patients’ confidentiality, respect their autonomy and advocate for their safety and dignity. He also encouraged them to bring compassion, humility and a patient-centred approach to their daily work.

He particularly warned the new nurses against sharing patients’ information on social media, saying online misconduct could damage their own reputations as well as those of their employers and the institution. He urged them to behave ethically online and avoid indecent dressing.

Wellspring University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Ajayi, described induction into the profession as a call to greater responsibility and service. He urged the graduates to carry forward the values they had learned at the university, including hard work, diligence, respect, integrity and excellence.

Ajayi also advised them to treat every patient with dignity and kindness, protect confidential information, continue learning and resist compromising professional standards for personal gain. He said their conduct should reflect the character and training they received at the institution.

Delivering a lecture titled “From Studentship to Professional Practice: Navigating the Challenges of Modern Nursing,” Dr Olaolorunpo Olorunfemi reminded the inductees that graduation was not the end of their education. He encouraged them to keep developing their knowledge and character, and cautioned them against damaging their integrity in pursuit of opportunities abroad.

Olorunfemi also advised the nurses to maintain good relationships with supervisors and senior colleagues, noting that workplace conflicts could hinder professional growth. He warned them against falsifying records.

The Dean of the Faculty of Nursing Science, Prof. Ngozi Osunde, said nursing was an evolving profession shaped by emerging diseases, technological advances and global health crises. She urged the graduates to keep abreast of changes in healthcare and to represent the university positively in their personal and professional lives.

Edo State Director of Nursing Services, Aliu Oboga, also encouraged them to apply the knowledge and values acquired during their studies.

Fifteen of the 56 graduates earned first-class honours. The ceremony also included awards for students who excelled academically.