“Nurse Eliza” is a colloquialism that originated in Nigeria, particularly amongst the Igbo people. The term is derived from Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Nigeria in 1956.
During the Queen’s visit, a group of individuals, mostly young women, were hastily recruited and given basic training in nursing care to provide first aid services in case of accidents.
These makeshift nurses were tasked with managing the large crowds eager to catch a glimpse of the Queen.
After the visit, these ad-hoc recruits continued to offer nursing services, despite lacking proper training.
They became known for wearing sky-blue aprons and carrying multiple pens (red, blue, and black) in their breast pockets, which they rarely used for writing.
The term “Nurse Eliza” is often used to refer to these untrained nurses, and it is considered derogatory by professionally trained nurses.
Some people take offence to being called “Nurse Eliza” due to its implication of inadequate training and competence.
This phenomenon highlights the challenges faced by the Nigerian healthcare system, particularly in rural areas where access to qualified medical professionals is limited.
In some regions, junior or poorly trained police personnel are also referred to as “Police Eliza”, likely due to similarities with the “Nurse Eliza” phenomenon, implying inadequate training or competence.
