Isn't it time we break our silence. Shouldn't we open our eyes to the genuine needs of our colleagues? Nurses in private hospitals have been struggling for their sustenance for years. They raise their voice periodically and then go silent. But now when they cry for help, isn't it better to find a solution and settle the issue rather than making everyone's life miserable. And when nurses, the souls of the hospital, weeps, the pain of the system gets worse. It is a known fact that our state is indebted to the nurses from 1950s;
1. In improving our financial status : Majority of the central Travancore NRI’s have a nurse as a source of their entry to Middle East, Europe and US
2. Better health care: Though the number of doctors is less in Kerala compared to bigger states, our health status is much better. When political parties and literacy rate take all credits, we conveniently forget the role of nurses in the achievement.
The solution
Three simple steps can make a drastic change in the current burning issue. The burden should not be on private hospital managements and government alone. Together we can help build a better work atmosphere and living standards to the ‘angels’ who help us in agony
A. We all know that there is a big disparity in salary between doctors and nurses in private hospitals. If every doctor, including the juniors who cover duty for a day or two, decides to give 1 per cent of their income per month for the welfare of nurses it amounts to a huge sum, which will lighten the burden on management.
B. If government permits, all OP patients may be charged 1 per cent of their OP ticket rate for welfare of nurses, which would help in bringing another good amount of money. IP patients may be charged 1 percent of their nursing care charges a day for the Nurses' welfare. It’s assured that a large section of the people will be more than willing to part with one percent for the welfare of nurses. When my father was admitted under a certain doctor, renowned as one the best cardiologist in Kerala, unhappy as I was, I was able to sleep comfortably at night, because I knew, a nurse was always on vigil.
C. Another known fact is that majority of nurses trained from several colleges, especially from other states, have no clinical experience at all. Till 2010 they used to come to private hospitals in Kerala for training, after paying a huge sum as fee. Now the government has stopped this programme fearing labour rules. The quantum of nurses coming out every year is so high that majority change the field of practice once they realise what they dreamed as nurses were just dreams.
If the government permits to accommodate these candidates who request training in big hospitals, again the burden is lightened, for the management, for the staff and especially for the doctors. To avoid exploitation government can insist that no institution should take more than 10% of the nurses as trainees without salary and fee at a time and no staff should be appointed more than once as a trainee in the state.
We are concerned about the brain drain of doctors, engineers and scientists. Why don't we talk about nurses? The best among all the nurses, unless they have compulsions to stay back, would fly to foreign countries. They spend lakhs on IELTS training and some of them get exploited at the end of it. Fresh graduates, after staying for a year or two in state, fly abroad, not because it is heaven on the other side, but to pay back the debts they have incurred and to support the family. (Majority of nurses comes from middle or low income fa milies and they have huge burden on their shoulders from the day they pass out.)
In my 20 years of experience as a junior doctor, physician and now as a cardiology resident, I have never seen a better ally in medicine than a sincere nurse. And how many of the public know that a nurse on duty takes her breakfast at 3 pm, lunch at 7 pm and dinner at 4 am (mostly spoiled, because it would have been made 10 to 12 hours before they eat) Doctors please remember your reputation is partly because of the commitment of your good nurses. Nurses should remember that their mission is much praiseworthy than any religious or social work. Hence keep your spirits high. We as a society are with you. You don't have to fight for your rights but demand them especially when they are genuine. Do not compare yourself with your friend in a government sector or abroad. Make small adjustments when you negotiate with minister and authorities which will not belittle your dignity. Dear brothers and sisters, as a team member of health system, I promise my support to your dreams to live with dignity.
Students roped in to face strike
In the wake of the Indian Nursing Association's (INA) indefinite strike starting on Monday in Kannur and Kasargod districts, the Kannur district administration has geared up to face the challenge. In an order, the Kannur district Collector, Mir Mohammad Ali has directed the nursing colleges to depute their students to assist in the nine hospitals in the district for five days from Monday. “All the students, except first year students, should assist the nursing faculty at nine major hospitals which include three government hospitals. The hospital concerned has to provide Rs 150 to a student daily,” said the collector.
Besides, the police has been asked to be present at the hospital premises to prevent any obstruction to nursing students from carrying out work. Police will also provide protection to the transport of the students. The students will have to face action if absent for ward duty. Mr Ali said that hospitals in Kannur were already stretched by high patient intake due to the fever epidemic and a strike would cripple the emergency health care to the patients. As many as 22 hospitals are expected to be affected by the strike call by INA in Kannur and Kasargod districts. Meanwhile, the United Nurses Faculty Association had dismissed the collector's order as illegal.
(The author is a Senior Resident, Cardiology, Kasturba Medical College)
