About Us
The University Graduates of Nursing Science Association (UGONSA) is a professional association for Nurses with at least a first degree in Nursing. UGONSA is also colloquially referred to as GNAN which stands for Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria, a name the association bore prior to 16th May 2014 when it was officially incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the Companies and Allied Matters Act., NO.1, 1990 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Association provides a forum for Professional Nurses to assemble and exchange useful and progressive ideas on the profession of nursing as it affects healthcare delivery in Nigeria particularly and the world in general.
The association encourages members to demonstrate habitual discipline in line with ethics of the profession. The association equally favours continuous professional development of Nurses within the field of nursing to add meaningful value to nursing services, enhance qualitative client care and promote the image, professional status and respectability of the nursing profession through critical, creative independent thinking attainable from such development.
Philosophy
UGONSA believes that Nursing is a unique, autonomous and full-fledged profession having its foundation in knowledge and understanding of the nature of man.
The Association also believes that Nursing is a process of interaction which aims at assisting healthy people to promote and maintain health through health-promotional and illness prevention activities as well as help the sick re-establish an optimal state of health, through holistic care.
The Association strongly believes that education is a life-long process in relation to personal, intellectual and professional growth and that nursing education for intellectual activity is based upon development and articulation of theory directed toward improvement of practice.
UGONSA believes in the continuous evaluation, growth and development of nursing education and practice through research.
AIM/OBJECTIVES
To promote leadership and professional advancement in nursing.
To raise and maintain professional standard in nursing education, research and practice.
To advance intellectual growth of all nurses through continuing professional education and research.
To eliminate quackery in nursing.
To promote and ensure professional, holistic and qualitative care.
VISION/MISSION
To make the first degree in Nursing the foundation of Nursing practice, in Nigeria, in the foreseeable future
To achieve a Unified Scheme of Service for Nurses through a Unified universal and compulsory University education in Nursing and Midwifery for all Nurses and Midwives.
To make all Nursing training institutions, in Nigeria, degree-awarding in the foreseeable future through upgrading of or affiliating existing schools of nursing to degree-awarding institutions or Universities.
To upgrade all post-basic nursing programmes to post-graduate status.
To create a formidable platform for launching nursing onto its rightful pole position in the healthcare delivery system of Nigeria and nurses onto noble positions in the Nigerian society.
To make hard work and holistic and qualitative patient/client care the watchword of every nurse
GOALS
To promote and maintain qualitative client care through well-educated and highly skilled nurses.
To position Nigerian Nurses among the global leaders and innovators in nursing education, research and practice.
To achieve a holistic and resounding professionalism in nursing.
To serve as a professional association for nurses in Nigeria.
MEMBERSHIP
Full Membership: Members must possess at least a first degree in Nursing from a recognized and approved institution by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, NMCN, and the National University Commission, NUC, and must pay the approved registration fee in addition to tendering the University Certificate and evidence of registration with the NMCN.
Associate Membership: Graduate nurses from another country on visit to
Nigeria and undergraduates of Nursing Science in NMCM and NUC accredited
degree-awarding institutions. Associate Members are not qualified to vote or
be voted for during meetings and elections.
Must take the association’s objectives personal.
To upgrade all post-basic nursing programmes to post-graduate status.
Must be self-disciplined.
Must write at least one article every month on health-related topics.
MEETINGS
Units: at least once in a month preferably before the monthly state meeting. Venue, Date and Time-to be fixed by unit EXCOS.
States: at least once in a month in a designated centre (e.g. Schools, Hospital, Hotels, etc.).Time as fixed by the State EXCOS.
National: National Professional Conference & Scientific Update, Stakeholders meeting (mini and expanded)-Venue, Date and Time-PRN (as fixed by National EXCOS). National Professional Conference, Annually. Venue-to be fixed by the CONGRESS. Date and Time-to be fixed by National EXCOS.
CAREER SUPPORT PROGRAMME & SCIENTIFIC SESSION (CSPSS)
There shall be a CSPSS of at least 30 minutes during each state monthly meeting where members discuss any chosen health topic under the moderation of a pre-selected speaker. CSPSS is also used to mold intern nurses into creative and highly competent nurses with good critical thinking ability and clinical judgment skills.
SOURCE OF FUND
- Registration fee of two thousand naira (N2,000) per member.
- Annual dues of six thousand naira (N6, 000) per member amounting to monthly dues of five hundred naira (N500), 500 x 12 = N6,000.
- Annual welfare dues not exceeding six thousand naira (N6, 000) and not below two thousand four hundred naira (N2, 400) amounting to monthly welfare dues not exceeding five hundred naira (N500) and not below two hundred naira (N200). Each State is at liberty to fix what its welfare dues shall be within the set range.
- Annual Professional development dues of twelve thousand naira (N12,000) for Nurse Interns amounting to one thousand naira per month for the 12 months duration of internship training.
- Special levy as may be deemed necessary.
- Fines.
- Donations
- Royalties from publications, assets, etc.
PROJECTS
- Bi-Monthly Newsletter, Quarterly Magazines and Annual Scientific Journal.
- Community outreach projects.
- Projects to assist indigent clients, prisoners, motherless babies ,etc
- Public awareness campaigns and sensitization on health promotion and illness prevention.
- Any other unanimously agreed project PRN.