Imagine you’re on a bus, and the conversation turns to the rudest professionals. Because you are Nigerian and in Nigeria, inevitably, someone mentions nurses. Later, you see a social media poll asking you to vote for the profession you think is the most rude, and again, nurses are listed among the options. With all these conversations and mentions, the next time you walk into a hospital, you anticipate that the nurse attending to you will be rude. This expectation starts to shape your permanent view of nurses.
This scenario is the unfortunate reality, especially in Nigeria, where nurses are often stereotyped as uncouth, rude, and disrespectful. Yet, what many don’t realize is that cultural competency is a core skill nurses are trained in, starting as early as their second year of nursing school. Their education includes rigorous training in ethics and legal responsibilities, teaching them the serious consequences—both legal and ethical—of neglecting their duties or acting outside the scope of their profession.
Cultural competency is not just a buzzword—it is a fundamental skill set that nurses are trained to develop. It involves the ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with patients across different cultures. In a country as culturally rich and diverse as Nigeria, this competency becomes even more vital. With over 250 ethnic groups, varied religious practices, and numerous languages spoken, the Nigerian nurse must navigate a complex cultural landscape every day.
From early in their education, nurses are introduced to the concept of cultural competency. Nigerian nurses are expected to be able to communicate with patients in ways that are respectful of cultural differences—whether that involves dietary restrictions, religious practices, or attitudes toward healthcare. Key courses like Sociology train and help Nigerian nurses become better at handling patients day-to-day. There might be differences in the uptake and attitude of these nurses, but the fault is not in their education. With topics and courses like Ethics and Jurisprudence, nurses are well-armed to treat the daily lives of their patients. They are trained and made aware of differences in personality, family background, social class, and countless other factors that might separate the average patient that walks through the hospital doors. Nurses are trained to handle these differences as they come. They are also trained to ensure that these situations do not negatively impact the health of our patients.
How then, did we reach a point where nurses are often perceived as rude and uncaring?
There is much to unpack in the answer to this question but fingers might be pointed first to the healthcare system of Nigeria. Nursing a patient is a holistic endeavour and can be demanding and strenuous even in the best of environments. The average Nigerian nurse has to deal with being underpaid, overworked, poor welfare and poor autonomy. All of these and many more underlying factors lead to an unhealthy amount of job dissatisfaction and Nursing, a profession considered prestigious is seen as one with angry people.
A Twitter user, when faced with the reality of the overwhelming number of patients Nigerian nurses are responsible for during each shift, remarked, “If I have to take care of 24 patients by myself during a shift, the only thing I’ll care about is keeping them alive by the time I hand over.”
This sentiment belittles and undermines the true responsibilities of nurses. Nurses aren’t just there to ensure patients survive—they are integral to the entire care process. True nursing care goes beyond keeping someone alive; it involves holistic attention to physical, emotional, and psychological well-being, ensuring patients are cared for in every aspect, not just in survival.
When a nurse is expected to care for dozens of patients on a shift with little support, frustration can seep into their interactions. It is important to recognize that while this does not excuse unprofessional behavior, it points to deeper systemic issues that need addressing. A nurse who is overwhelmed or dissatisfied is more likely to struggle with implementing the cultural competency they were taught in school. These conditions can erode the compassion and patience that nurses are trained to demonstrate, leading to perceptions of rudeness.
However, the core principle of nursing remains: one must remain professional at all times. It is in our best interest to remain strong in the face of all these challenges.
Conclusively, the perception of Nigerian nurses as rude professionals stems from a complex interplay of systemic challenges, societal stereotypes, and the realities of an under-resourced healthcare system. While the burden of maintaining professionalism ultimately rests on each nurse, it is crucial for society to address the root causes of these issues. By improving working conditions, addressing the welfare of healthcare professionals, and fostering a greater understanding of their training and responsibilities, we can begin to shift this narrative. Nurses are not just caretakers—they are advocates, educators, and healers, striving to provide holistic care despite the odds. It is time we viewed and supported them as such.
Akinremi Naomi