BY ABBAS MUHAMMAD USMAN, MARCH 28, 2026 | 5:00PM

Amina Lawan Shatima*, who almost gave up her job because of family pressure and bullying at the hospital, started working three years after her marriage.

She got married while she was in her final year as a nursing student. At the beginning, when she started working, there was not much pressure from her husband.

But after finishing her studies and internship and starting full-time work, the real problem began.

'If you cannot be doing the job only in the morning and come back before evening, I think you should choose between your marriage and work.

I cannot hold it anymore. We no longer have your time,' Amina said, recalling her husband’s words.

When Amina was studying nursing, there were fewer complaints from her husband, possibly because she was a final-year student with less engagement.

Her husband was, in fact, very supportive, especially during her internship and service year, according to her.

But immediately after she started working, he began complaining about shift duties and the nature of her work. This marked the beginning of the pressure.

Amina lives and works in Maiduguri, Borno State, with her husband and her mother-in-law in the same house. She also has a nursery school-aged child.

'Sometimes it is not only him who pressures me, but also his mother, even though we had a good understanding before our marriage,: she added.

When asked what initially caused the problem, she responded: 'It all started after I gave birth.

'When I resumed from maternity leave, he told me to stop doing night duty to take care of our child and the house.

But our work depends on shifts, which he may not accept.'

Dr. Nicholas Umaru gave insight into duty shifts, explaining that nurses typically work a three-shift, 24-hour rotating system: morning, afternoon, and night, often with five working days and two days off.

He added that while nurses can sometimes negotiate shifts among themselves, such arrangements must be approved by ward managers and senior officials.

Amina knows it is not possible to work only morning shifts unless colleagues agree to swap duties informally.

'My husband once told me that if I cannot be doing only morning duty, I must leave the job,' she said.

There was a time Amina negotiated with a colleague to cover his evening duty in exchange for her night duty, without proper approval from management.

Initially, it worked, but later the colleague failed to keep his part, leading to her being marked absent.

'I was called by our Head of the ward. He scolded me for my absences during night duties for several days.

'I tried to explain, but he insisted that if I am not willing to do my duties, I should resign,' she recalled.

She added 'He complained about many thingscoming to the hospital with my baby, patients complaining about me, and issues with colleagues.

'He mentioned things I did not even know about.'

At one point, Amina had a dispute with a patient’s caregiver, which escalated.

'He called my attention when the fluid infusion of his brother was about to finish during my evening duty.

'I told him to wait a few minutes because I was administering an injection to another patient.

He started yelling, but I kept quiet. When I later approached him, he became aggressive.

We exchanged words, and he slapped me. I never expected that,' she said.

After reporting the incident, she said management advised her to let it go instead of pursuing legal action.

Barrister Bukar Abba explained that a worker has the right to seek legal redress independently.

'A worker can file a petition, report to the police, and initiate legal action against anyone who harasses or assaults them while on duty,' he said.

Amina said balancing both home and work has not been easy.

'It got to a point that I did not even want to come to the hospital. I feel labelled as impatient and difficult to work with, even though others have similar issues,' she said.

Attempts to reach the Head of Nursing Department at the hospital where Amina works were unsuccessful.

RN Aisha Umar Abba*, with over 20 years of experience at the same hospital, said female health workers often face pressure from both home and work.

'The nature of our work is demanding, and for women, there are many limitations.

'Even with understanding at the beginning, it becomes difficult over time,” she said.

She added that interactions with patients can also be challenging, particularly for female staff.

Aisha noted that women often face difficulties from patients, family expectations, and hospital management, while male counterparts are sometimes more respected.

Babagana Ibrahim*, a male nurse, described a different experience.

'I have less pressure at work. I prefer night duty because it allows me to have time during the day. My wife does not interfere with my work,' he said.

He added that he rarely experiences serious conflicts with patients or colleagues.

'I have never been insulted by colleagues or leaders throughout my service,' he said.

Senior Chief Nurse Madu Ibrahim*, a former Head of Department, also shared his perspective.

'Many female health workers face restrictions from their families, especially regarding night duties and further education,' he said.

He added that most of the pressure comes from husbands rather than parents.

'Sometimes we try to counsel families, but often we advise them to resolve it at home,' he said.

He also noted that disputes with patients are more common among younger or less experienced staff, particularly women.

Women continue to face gender-related challenges in healthcare settings, where the nature of hospital work can make these pressures more complex.

Amina is one of many women facing pressure both at work and at home, where support is often expected.

'I am beginning to feel that an academic path may be more suitable for me than hospital practice,' she said.

*Names and places have been changed or removed to protect identities.

This story was sponsored by humAngle's 2025 SCOJA Fellowship