Nurses at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, have called on the Federal Government and hospital authorities to improve their welfare, working environment and access to resources to enhance patient care.
The call was made during the 2026 Nurses’ Week celebration organised by the hospital’s Department of Nursing in collaboration with the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, FPH Yaba.
The event, themed “Our Nurses, Our Future: Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” featured discussions on the role of nurses in mental healthcare and the need for greater investment in the profession.
Delivering the keynote address, the Dean, Faculty of Nursing, University of Lagos, Prof. Adeshina Badru, described nurses as the “heartbeat of the healthcare system,” noting that they often serve as the first point of contact for patients and remain involved throughout the care process.
Badru said psychiatric nurses faced particularly demanding responsibilities, including detecting early signs of relapse, managing patients experiencing acute psychosis, counselling families and caring for people with severe mental health conditions.
He also highlighted their role in suicide prevention, saying nurses often remain with vulnerable patients during critical periods.
“We sit with suicidal patients at 3 am, 4 am, 5 am and make the difference between a night of safety and a tragedy,” he said.
The university don said psychiatric nursing required strong clinical knowledge, effective communication, familiarity with prescribed treatments and the ability to identify and respond to medication side effects.
He urged nurses to continually update their skills through professional training, stressing that competence could have a direct impact on patients’ recovery and safety.
Badru, however, warned that nurses could not provide quality therapeutic care where hospitals were overcrowded or unsafe.
“We cannot do therapeutic work in overcrowded, unsafe work environment,” he stressed.
He called for increased funding for healthcare facilities, recruitment of more psychiatric nurses and provision of modern equipment and technology, including telehealth services.
Badru further encouraged nursing organisations to intensify advocacy against stigma surrounding mental illness, establish specialty certification programmes, support research into nurse-led interventions and develop mentorship opportunities for psychiatric nurses.
He also urged nurses to advocate for vulnerable patients, maintain their professional identity and prioritise their own wellbeing.
“When you empower a psychiatry nurse with knowledge, with truth, with respect, and with the words, you do not just treat an illness, you restore dignity, you prevent suicide, you save lives,” he said.
The Head of Nursing Services at the hospital, Mrs Alonge Kehinde, said nurses remained central to the delivery of safe, compassionate and continuous healthcare.
She noted that the demands were even greater in psychiatric care, where nurses attend to patients experiencing mental, neurological and behavioural conditions, many of whom also face stigma and discrimination.
Kehinde said nurses should be empowered not only through training but also through leadership opportunities, supportive workplaces, adequate resources, modern equipment and greater involvement in institutional decision-making.
“When nurses are empowered, patients are safer. Healthcare is stronger. Communities are healthier. Ultimately, lives are saved,” she said.
She acknowledged the pressures associated with nursing, including prolonged working hours, night shifts, emergencies and emotionally demanding clinical situations.
“Nurses, you are noticed. Even though your contributions sometimes may be felt as unnoticed, you are doing a great job,” Kehinde told the nurses.
She encouraged younger nurses to pursue continuous learning, uphold professional standards and take on leadership responsibilities, while urging experienced practitioners to mentor their younger colleagues.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the 2026 Nurses’ Week, Nurse Olawale Adegoke Taiwo, also appealed for increased support for nurses from government, non-governmental organisations and the wider public.
Adegoke, a mental health nurse, said the specialised nature of psychiatric care required nurses to receive appropriate training and resources to manage patients with mental health conditions, substance use disorders and other complex needs.
He called for greater adoption of technology in nursing practice, particularly as artificial intelligence, telemedicine and other digital tools become increasingly relevant to healthcare delivery.
“When you empower the core of the hospital, it transcends to all other parts of the medical team. We need that empowerment,” he said.
Adegoke also raised concerns about the migration of Nigerian nurses, urging stakeholders to improve working conditions and restore confidence in the profession.
“We want our nurses here to be well-defined, to be able to work and have that dignity of labour,” he added.
The Nurses’ Week celebration included lectures, drama, community outreach, awards and other activities aimed at strengthening professional development and highlighting the contribution of nurses to healthcare delivery.
