Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization with a sustainable and local model of supporting surgery and other forms of comprehensive cleft care organized a week long training for nurses.

The programme which held at the nurses house of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) began with an opening speech, by the Head of Department, Plastic & Reconstructive Department, who is also the Coordinator of the Smile Train Program in UPTH, Dr. Ijeoma Onwuagha.

Welcoming all participants to the program, Dr. Onwuagha said the program is aimed at looking at Cleft Lips and Palate in both children and adults and the duties of nurses in cleft treatment.

Dr. Onwuagha says there are various
types of cleft treatments, for the different types of clefts, noting that, in the course of the training, different facilitators and instructors will address critical aspects of treatment on cleft lips and palates as it bothers on nurses care for cleft patients.

She, however, spoke on the Psychological Care on cleft patients as they most times suffer stigmatization, especially for children of school age. She also condemned the belief that children born with clefts are evil spirits or are cursed.

Speaking on the topic “Nursing Assessment, Wilson Eberechukwu, stated that Nursing care is far beyond, just checking the vital signs of patients, it also entails looking, listening, touching and asking the patients certain questions to know how they are faring. Nursing assessment involves assessing respiratory function, cardiovascular function, responsiveness and pain.

Other speakers touched on issues related to the importance of nursing documentation as it comes in handy during reference purposes and legal battles.

Highlights of the opening ceremony was the presentation of gift to the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) Prof. Datonye Alasia by the Smile Train Helpline Officer, Paul Lobi.