A 2-year certificate programme dedicated to producing skilled, community-focused health practitioners who deliver primary healthcare to underserved populations across Nigeria's rural and peri-urban communities.
The Community Nursing programme at SCNS is a 2-year certificate course that equips graduates to deliver primary healthcare services at the community, ward, and village level. It addresses one of Nigeria's most critical healthcare gaps: the shortage of skilled health workers in rural and underserved areas where hospital-based nurses rarely reach.
Graduates of this programme are trained as Community Health Officers (CHOs) or Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs), eligible to practise in Primary Health Centres (PHCs), rural clinics, NGO health camps, and community outreach programmes. The curriculum blends essential clinical training with public health principles, disease prevention, maternal and child care, and health education.
Over 50% of Nigerians live in rural areas with little or no access to hospital-based nursing care. Community nurses are the front line of healthcare in these communities.
Community nurses deliver antenatal counselling, immunisation, and birth-preparedness education — directly reducing Nigeria's high maternal and infant mortality rates.
From malaria management to TB detection and vaccination campaigns, community nurses are central to Nigeria's disease prevention and control infrastructure.
Community nurses live and work within the communities they serve, building the trust and cultural sensitivity essential for effective health behaviour change.
Community Nursing is open to both school-leavers and healthcare auxiliaries seeking a formal qualification
2 years of practical, community-focused nursing education
| Grade | Score Range | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| A | 70 – 100% | Distinction |
| B | 60 – 69% | Upper Credit |
| C | 50 – 59% | Lower Credit |
| D | 40 – 49% | Pass |
| F | 0 – 39% | Fail |
Upon completing the Community Nursing programme, graduates receive an SCNS Certificate and are eligible for registration and practice as Community Health Officers (CHOs) under the relevant regulatory frameworks for primary healthcare in Nigeria.
Community Health Officers operate under the Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN) and the Federal Ministry of Health's PHC framework.
Successfully complete all coursework, community placements, and clinical modules across both years.
Conduct, present, and defend a community health assessment project in a real community setting.
Pass a final practical skills assessment covering core community health procedures and competencies.
Pass all final written examinations across the programme modules.
Graduate with your SCNS Community Nursing Certificate and proceed to CHPRBN registration for practice rights.
Community Nursing graduates are deployed across Nigeria's primary healthcare infrastructure
Government PHCs at ward and LGA level, providing frontline outpatient care, immunisations, and maternal health services.
Mobile health camps, rural outreach programmes, and village health promotion conducted by NGOs and government agencies.
Adolescent health programmes, school medical services, and children's vaccination campaigns in educational institutions.
UNICEF, WHO, MSF, and Nigerian health NGOs implementing community health programmes across underserved regions.
Conduct health assessments and triage at community level
Administer vaccines and manage cold-chain protocols
Deliver antenatal, postnatal, and child health services
Conduct community health talks and behaviour change sessions
Monitor disease patterns and report to health authorities
Safely administer basic medications at PHC level
Assess and address environmental determinants of community health
Maintain accurate PHC registers and patient health records
SCNS offers a full range of nursing and midwifery pathways — from community health to hospital specialisation.
"The most impactful healthcare happens not in hospitals, but in communities — and community nurses make it possible."
The 2026/2027 intake for Community Nursing is open. Join SCNS and train to deliver healthcare where it is needed most — in the heart of Nigeria's communities.