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“Need to provide better opportunities and career progression for nurses in India”
New Delhi, May 12, 2018:
The Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) wishes all those in the nursing profession a very happy International Nurses Day. May 12th is celebrated as International Nurses Day every year on the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale – one of the world’s most famous nurses. The theme for this year is Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Health is a Human Right.
Several aspects of medical care require trained individuals such as nurses. But, despite being a noble profession, nursing seems to be dying in India. This is perhaps due to a perceived lack of career advancement in the profession. As a result, the country currently faces a shortage of nearly 4 million nurses.
Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr K K Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “The theme this year is apt as Florence Nightingale was a leader in the profession and is regarded as the founder of modern nursing. Through her committed and compassionate approach she exemplified patient care for nurses. Not just on one day, but it is important to celebrate and recognize the hard work and contribution nurses make to health sectors all around the world. Nurses are often the first healthcare professional to come into contact with patients. They play a significant role in increasing life expectancy and reducing child and maternal mortality in both urban as well as rural India. The complexity of medical and healthcare practices today demands that nurses are fully involved in the planning, implementation, research and evaluation that goes into the successful delivery of patient care.”
As per the MCI code of ethics, physicians should recognize and promote the practice of nursing as a profession and work in tandem with nurses whenever there is a need.
Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Vice President of CMAAO, said, “The National Health Policy, 2017 envisages innovation in nursing and other similar professions. With Indian nurses taking on greater local, national and international roles, there is also a need to ensure that they are able to get adequate professional development opportunities. Human resource policies in our country also need to be modified accordingly with increased involvement of nurses in policy development.”
HCFI Facts about nursing
- The 1st nursing school was established in India in 250 B.C.
- Nursing has been consistently named as one of the most trusting professions.
- There are over 100 nursing specialties to choose from such as Advanced Practice nursing, Clinical nursing, Community health nursing, Surgical nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner, Geriatric nursing and Maternal-Child nursing.
- General nursing practices are universal all over the world.
- Nurses walk 4 miles (6.5 km) a day on an average.
- Nursing students make up more than half of all health profession students.
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