Internship for Nurses in Nigeria: Requirements, Salary and Tips to…

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A lot of university graduate nurses want to know about internship for nurses in Nigeria, what it is about as well as nursing internship salary in Nigeria.

Internship in Nursing was approved in 2016, and this was a call for joy for all nurses in Nigeria. Before only the medical doctors, pharmacy and other health professionals were allowed to do internship, after various struggle by the Nursing bodies, nurses were given a go ahead in 2016.

The Nursing internship is a paid one year work-in-training programme. It was put together to give university gradate nurses the opportunity to improve their theoretical and practical knowledge in the nursing profession.

You may be asking, what is the benefit of doing internship in Nursing.

Benefits of doing internship in Nursing

Below are not all but some of the benefits of doing internship in Nursing.

  1. It provide nurse interns with the chance to use thorough clinical judgement and critical thinking skills throughout the care of their patient.
  2. It gives interns the opportunity to implement learned knowledge and behaviours into real-world scenarios as well as improve the knowledge of the nurse intern
  3. To collaborate in care services across multiple healthcare departments.
  4. It gives interns the opportunity for self development through improvement of communication skills, building confidence and gaining new perspectives.
  5. It provides opportunities to partake in quality care initiatives.
  6. It helps interns develop delegation and time management abilities
  7. Nursing internship provides an insight of what the future jobs entail.
  8. Nursing internship enhance leadership skills in management of conflict resolution and ethical issues.
  9. It gives the intern nurse the opportunity to explore a specialty in the field of nursing
  10. It gives nurse interns the opportunity to build a professional network with other professionals

The benefits of internship in nursing can not be overemphasized. Before you can become a nurse intern, there are some requirements that are needed.

What are the requirements for Nursing Internship in Nigeria

The requirements needed for nursing internship in Nigeria include:

  1. Primary /First school leaving certificate/testimonial
  2. O’Level result/certificate
  3. Local Government Area (L.G.A) certificate
  4. Induction certificate
  5. Temporary license
  6. Application letter/form (depending on the hospital you are applying to)
  7. CV/Resume
  8. Birth certificate
  9. Passports
  10. Statement of result/Degree certificate/Notification of results
  11. RN notification of registration/RN certificate
  12. 3 Recommendation letters

Once you have these documents then you are qualified to apply as a Nurse intern to an hospital of your choice. Now let us take a look at Nursing internship salary in Nigeria.

A lot of people will be wondering about the nursing internship salary or the pay of nurse interns. Let’s delve into it so that your mind will be at rest (smiles).

Also check out: The different career opportunities in Nursing profession

Nursing Internship Salary in Nigeria

The salary of a Nurse intern in Nigeria is dependent on which hospital you apply to. If you apply to a State-owned hospital or any of the H.M.Bs (Hospital Management Boards) be expecting a salary between N80,000 to N95,000. If you apply to Federal teaching hospitals, be expecting a salary between N95,000 to N110,000. However, if you apply to Federal Medical Centers (F.M.Cs) be expecting a salary between N97,000 to N120,000.

The salary of a nurse intern in Nigeria is somewhat different from the salary of a registered nurse in Nigeria.

Now that you have seen the salary range of nurse interns in Nigeria, let me tell you where you can do your Nursing internship.

Places you can apply for Internship in Nursing

As a graduate nurse, you can apply for nursing internship in any of the places below;

  1. Federal teaching hospitals
  2. Federal medical centers
  3. State hospitals or H.M.Bs
  4. Military hospitals
  5. Industrial hospitals
  6. And some selected Private hospitals

Let me give you some tips on how to find internship in Nursing. There are some basic truth I will be revealing to you. Internship for Nursing students in Nigeria is not easy especially when you decide to apply to some places like FMC, Industrial hospitals, federal teaching hospitals and some Private hospitals.

A lot of applicants are submitting internship application forms but only few will be chosen out of the hundreds of applicants, follow the steps below if you want to be part of the chosen ones.

Tips on how to get internship placements

Below are the following tips to get internship placements in Nigeria as soon as possible;

  • Get the required documents as stated above in this post
  • Have a strong connection (or what the lame man use to call “Long leg”) in the hospital you wish to apply to. In fact, with a strong connection you don’t need to have all the documents before you can get internship placement to that hospital of your choice.
  • Apply early. if you don’t have a strong connect, it is better for you to apply as early as possible but ensure all your documents are complete.

There is a lot of competition (as I have said earlier) when it comes to internship placements. If you are someone like me that doesn’t have a strong connect, it is better to have all your documents and apply as early as possible.

Let me reveal a secret to you.

There are some hospitals that do not release application notice that nurse interns are needed, such hospitals are for those who has a very good connect.

Frequently Asked Questions on Internship For Nurses in Nigeria

What is Nurse intern salary?

The salary of a nurse intern is N90,000 per month. However, nurse intern salary is dependent on where you decide to work. The salary of a nurse intern varies in each hospital (either State or Federal hospitals). If you check above, I have simplified the salary of a nurse intern.

What is salary of intern nurses at Federal Teaching Hospitals?

The average salary of an intern nurse at federal teaching hospitals is N105,000. Intern nurses are paid using CONHESS 8 salary scale.

What is salary of intern nurses at Federal Medical Centers (FMCs)?

The salary of an intern nurse at Federal Medical Centers (FMCs) is N120,000. FMCs pays nurse intern the highest even though the workload is much compared to others.

What is salary of intern nurses at State Hospital Management Boards (HMBs)?

The average salary of an intern nurse at State Hospital Management Boards (HMBs) is N95,000. The salary for HMBs depend on which state you decide to do your internship.

What does Nurse intern do?

A Nurse intern perform clinical procedures and provides care for patients under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse.

Do Nurse interns get paid?

Yes, nurse interns do receive monthly payments. However, some hospitals may decide to start paying their nurse interns after the first-three months of their duty resumption.

Can school of Nursing graduates do internship in Nursing?

No, internship is only meant for students who did nursing in the university, i.e, nursing internship is only meant for university graduate nurses.

Where can internship be done in Nigeria?

Internship can be done in any of approved hospitals. you can apply for internship placement in any of the federal teaching hospitals, H.M.Bs or F.M.Cs.

What is the duration of Nursing internship in Nigeria?

The duration of Nursing internship in Nigeria is one year. And it should be done in any of the NMCN approved hospitals for internship program.

Conclusion on Internship For Nursing Students

Internship in nursing still has a long way to go. University nurse graduates are left frustrated when it comes to getting internship placement. In this article, we have covered all you need to know about internship for Nursing students which include; the requirements for Nursing internship in Nigeria, Nursing internship salary in Nigeria and the duration of Nursing internship in Nigeria. I also reveal to you the benefits of Nursing internship, places you can apply for Nursing internship, as well as tips on how to get internship placements.

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Emmanuel David

I am the fountainhead of Deluxepreneur. With 7 years of experience, I love to write informative articles on careers, celebrity net worths and also step-by-step guides to our readers. Feel free to contact me if you have any inquiries.


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