The year 2021 has been a challenging one for everyone including the health care workers (HCWs), especially with the different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and its wading effect all over the world. Hence, as a final article for the year, we would be appraising top best healthcare/medical facilities to work in as a healthcare
The year 2021 has been a challenging one for everyone including the health care workers (HCWs), especially with the different waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and its wading effect all over the world. Hence, as a final article for the year, we would be appraising top best healthcare/medical facilities to work in as a healthcare practitioner. This is because, we often focus and give recognitions to hospitals for giving the best care to patients while largely leaving out the HCWs point of view.
In no particular order, these are reviews from present and past workers in the facilities. Enjoy! And you can also contribute, drop your opinions or add to the list by commenting below.
It’s a great place to learn standard practice of Medicine here in Nigeria. Things actually work, and you get to see and manage cases like you would almost anywhere in the world. Our specialties are mainly internal medicine, cardiac surgery, and some general surgery. For payment of workers, the net Pay for a start is in hundreds of thousand per month for medical officers (increment comes with promotion). Also, there are other benefits, like health insurance, pension, annual leave with a leave allowance, 13th Month Bonus, and on-call accommodation for workers. For me, I would recommend this place, to anyone willing to learn because the MD (Dr. Adeyemi Johnson) also supports and ensures regular assessment and continuous education for his workers. Although, work can be very busy, but it gets easier, as more people are employed, and they are willing to employ more to ease the workload. – Dr. O. O. (Medical Officer)
Although it is not a hospital but a clinical research organization. However, as a HCW (doctor) working at Xcene, you are either working in the capacity of a clinical project manger, a clinical project specialist or a medical monitor (which is my role)… and so far, it has been fun. Any time a new person joins the team, the person is celebrated and made to feel like a part of the family and remuneration is very competitive. Realistically, above competitive when compared with your colleagues in the hospital. We create time for leisure to enhance team bonding. Xcene Research also always try to groom and polish you (as a worker) up to international standards by always training you. Since I joined Xcene, I have completed over 76 courses. We also got great welfare goodies this December – a bag of good rice and a helpful bonus! The welfare of the team and work–life balance are off the charts! My role is hybrid, with more online work from home (WFH) days, than days spent physically present in the office, I find myself even missing my colleagues! We prioritize staff welfare so much, we are constantly being asked if we’re okay, and encouraged to discuss any issues and we are helped to adjust.
These are the kind of places doctors should be looking out for, as there is great opportunity for promotion, and a worthy and rewarding career. Unfortunately, most of us are not aware of other kinds of jobs or opportunities available to us as doctors outside the hospital and residency training. I’m sending this out, so we realize these kinds of jobs are available and delicious when you find them. Here you are valued, you feel appreciated, your ideas, thoughts and experiences are valid. You are encouraged to bring out your best. You are family and can walk into the boss’s office to discuss with her whatever it is hampering your job. Our HR is also one of the best I’ve ever met! You get a lot of support to do whatever it is you need to do. I feel blessed to be part of the A-team. So yeah, Xcene Research is definitely a fantastic place to work. – Dr. Folashade Olugbemi-Paul (Medical Monitor)
This facility is a private COVID centre located on Waziri Ibrahim Crescent, VI Lagos. I was a former employee and my stay there was bliss. They’re chilled with an awesome MD and Practice manager, also their welfare package is awesome. We were always given lunch and dinner as long as you were on duty. Work Schedule was comfortable enough. Birthdays and send-forths were celebrated. The remuneration was okay (since it was a COVID centre, the pay was obviously more than normal but could have been better ????). And their workers’ health wasn’t joked with. I used to excuse myself to attend personal clinics without any issues. – Dr. Imeh Michael (Quality Assurance Medical Officer)
FMC Ebutemeta is a very patient centered facility, which is nice. However we have an “Association of Resident Doctors (ARD)” that is extremely functional and very approachable which makes working there not bad for doctors. As a HCW (doctor), I’ve been exposed to the other federal tertiary hospital environment and FMC was different. In terms of welfare, they have very good call rooms with working AC, fridge, TV with subscription, microwaves, clean toilets you could actually seat on and were entitled to call foods (breakfast, lunch and dinner) which were reasonably ok in comparison to their counterpart. They also listen to the complaint of staff and patients proactively, I’m not sure if this was due to the new administration under Dr. Dada (the MD), but he was very attentive to complaints and suggestions. Every time people started complaining about anything, something was done immediately in that regards. Hence, there is always an improvement… and the Head of Clinical Services (HCS) with the MD were always available to address issues. Also, the call system and roasters were a lot better. We were not overworked because the call system made sure there was enough medical staff on ground per call. The facility also wasn’t so populated because it’s not as big as other tertiary institutions except in cases of an outbreak usually seen with influx of patients. Especially into the paediatric department where like 10 babies can be rushed into the emergency with diarrhoea at the same time. For professional development, they just started residency in some departments, so the majority of “development” is based on individual’s interest. For learning, we always had grand rounds and departmental presentations and during this, there is no form of antagonistic attitude or negative feedback to put colleagues down. However, the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department is the best in terms of professionalism.
Generally, they don’t owe salaries, except the problem is from “above” and their remuneration is one of the highest for young doctors. The workers are friendly and cordial with the management, everybody is approachable, and it was easier to relate with senior colleagues (with little issues on hierarchical basis). When compared to their counterparts here in Lagos and other tertiary institutions, FMC Ebutemeta is a good place to work. – Dr. I. K., Dr. O. O., Dr. A. J. (Medical House Officers)
My clinic was actually really really nice to workers, even though they were still just starting up when I was working there. They have chilled air-conditioned workspace, free and fast Wi-Fi, parking space (the places some other clinics have made me park my car ehn), and a communicative boss. Also, they give good food about once or twice a week (I am a sucker for good food) and I’m sure by now they would have even gotten better. – Dr. Sowole (Dental Officer)
I worked at this facility until I had to leave few weeks ago for an important program. Its however a cardiology clinic and not a hospital where we take inpatient admissions (the clinic policy covers cardiology and general outpatient). I was the GP (general practitioner) seeing the general outpatient and the MD sees the cardiology patients. The workload wasn’t so much, as I worked from 9am to 3pm and comparing the pay with the workload, it was pretty decent. One thing I liked about the place is the MD’s heart for her staff and the working structure there. When I got there, I found they had HR, admin staff, rules and regulations that dictates how things are done well. Also, another thing I liked was that the MD honours and respects you as a doctor in your own right (there are places you go to and the MDs treat you like you don’t know anything, always asking “what do you know?”). Even if you are not sure what to do, you can always ask and she would give you advise. There was no show of hierarchy in a “condescending” manner; she just allows you be yourself and I enjoyed working there based on that. There are also bonuses – she gave bonuses when she finds out that the month was really hectic.
Also, depending on how long you’ve worked there, you are entitled to 20 days paid leave and every quarter, you are entitled to free healthcare services (including tests, drugs and treatments) within a certain amount. The staff strength of the clinic is not as much, so working there was nice with little quarrels or issues. The working atmosphere was good that if there was a problem, you could always speak with the MD, she was very approachable. They also give Christmas bonus to the staff and during birthdays, the hospital buys a birthday cake for the celebrant and staff. Sometimes, if the clinic had a good turn over in the month, she would buy pizza and drink for everyone. For me, it felt like a family and I enjoyed working there. However, sometimes If there is a really low turnover, there might be a delay in payment but the longest delay I ever experienced even in a “very bad” month was a 6-days delay. Asides from this, everything there is pretty cool. – Dr I. N. (General practitioner)
Paelon is one of the best places to work as a young doctor because they are in support of your clinical advancement which is the ultimate goal. Also, we have good remuneration as doctors, and in addition to our salaries, we get bonuses from the hospital every quarter. Work schedule is relatively very friendly as we work based on rota and we don’t have to be at work every day. Our health is also paramount to the MD, as we are all on insurance as long as you are full staff. The hospital also helps develop our skills. For example, BLS and ACLS courses were fully paid for by the hospital for the staff and we get to prepare audits too. In addition, there are other training we get to enhance our skills. We also do some other presentations like morbidity reviews, mortality reviews, presenting at grand rounds, and in order to ensure all is going well in the facility, we do what is called “root cause analysis”. This helps us to check loopholes and improve clinical skills. Hence, I feel it’s a good place to work, learn and develop yourself as a health worker. – Dr. Hassan E. (Medical Officer)
As a medical microbiologist in training, I did my 3months IT (compulsory SIWES) at the laboratory there and it was an awesome experience for me. There is this togetherness the staff had that made everyone feel like family. However, you have to be disciplined, hardworking and ready to learn. I think when some people come in and hear about these criteria, they get disinterested, but I learnt the most there – compared to where I did my first IT. Doing my SIWES there helped me during my final year project because while writing my proposal, the doctors there were ready to assist me and they did help to perfect my proposal before submission.
Also, a nurse currently working in the facility (Akindele Jumoke) described her experience there has been “wonderful and exciting” with no challenges whatsoever. The Medical staff runs a 3-shift schedule (Morning: 8am – 2pm, Afternoon: 2pm – 8pm, Night 8pm – 8am) while administrative staff work 8am – 5pm on workdays only, with end of the year bonuses and payment for overtime. She also mentioned that the administrative staff have been doing their best for the non-administrative staff of the hospital and would surely recommend Faramed clinics to any person interested in working in a private hospital setting. – Akinremi Bukola (Medical Microbiologist)
Editor’s note:
What is common to all these facilities reviewed by healthcare workers is the welfare and remuneration package. Then the opportunities for professional development and career advancement. However, they might not be the best overall but are definitely doing well by treating their workers right and we hope that other facilities learn from these for a better outcome.
Published by the IMJC team — telling the medical stories that mainstream media miss, without bias, prejudice or favour.
