The Elegant Nurses Forum has accused several Nigerian hospital managements of coercing nurses to perform cleaning and other menial tasks, raising concerns over professional ethics, patient safety, and workplace integrity.

In a press statement signed by Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, the forum said it had received multiple complaints indicating that some Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) were exploiting the ongoing hospital cleaners’ strike under JOHESU to pressure nurses into performing sanitation duties.

Reports came from hospitals including the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi, Benue State, and Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Ogun State, as well as other tertiary and secondary facilities nationwide.

The forum expressed particular concern over the conduct of the OOUTH CMD, alleging a pattern of intimidation and harassment, with nurses reportedly threatened with job loss while the CMD allegedly leveraged political connections to enforce compliance.

“The practice of forcing nurses to abandon their professional duties to perform cleaning tasks is unethical, unlawful, and professionally degrading. It undermines patient care and demeans the nursing profession,” the forum said.

The statement emphasized that nurses’ core responsibilities include patient care, disease prevention, health promotion, and clinical management, not sanitation work.

The forum called for:

• Immediate cessation of intimidation or coercion of nurses into performing non-nursing duties
• Directives from Federal and State Ministries of Health prohibiting assignment of non-nursing tasks to nurses
• Investigation and disciplinary action against erring CMDs and hospital administrators
• Restoration of professional boundaries and ethical standards
• Transparent, merit-based appointments to hospital leadership positions free from political influence

The Elegant Nurses Forum warned that it would not remain silent while nurses are treated as expendable, stressing that hospital leadership should prioritize service, competence, and accountability, not intimidation or abuse of power.