Nigeria: the land, its people, and health care

The unique health care needs in developing countries and the responsibilities of the nursing profession in such countries place a heavy responsibility on schools of nursing involved in the education of foreign nursing students. The students in this study indicated that it was frustrating to repeat course content that was already familiar to them knowing that there are many courses that would better meet their needs. In developing countries, like Nigeria, it has been suggested that there is a need to prepare a "comprehensive nurse"--a combination bedside nurse, public health nurse, and midwife who can provide preventive and curative services in multiple settings. Such a task is awesome and illustrates the need for schools of nursing to provide an academic counselor who has some knowledge of the culture and health needs of the students' native land. When asked: "How could the school of nursing have helped you cope with your academic problems?" 43% of the students suggested a foreign student advisor or counselor. "To have a foreign student advisor who has been overseas and who will relate to the student at their level," replied one student. Only when education is relevant to the specific needs of a given country, will there be an improvement in the health of the people of that country. To educate registered nurses abroad is very costly for countries with low G.N.P. If we accept students from developing countries into our nursing programs, we have a responsibility to prepare them to be effective practitioners when they return to their homeland. The special needs of nursing students and the health care needs of the community for which they are trained must therefore be integrated into their training.