Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Train nurses in super-specialties: Kalam

CHENNAI: The nursing profession should be given education and training in super-specialties, so that nurses are equipped to manage primary healthcare centres independently, former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam said on Tuesday.

In his first lecture since accepting the post of ‘Visiting Professor of Eminence in Medical Technology’ offered by Sri Ramachandra University (SRU), he said nurses in the 21st century had to become knowledge workers who were fully and continually aligned with rapid advances in healthcare technologies. “With the rapid advancement in healthcare system and creation of specialities and super-specialties in medicine, there is definitely a need to look at the super-specialties needed in nursing to complement the doctors.”

Pointing to the example of Filipino nurses whose credentials were highly rated across the world, Dr. Kalam said the University of Philippines ran a Ph.D. programme in nursing that equipped nurses to practise medicine in rural primary healthcare centres. It was also a practice for nursing students to join MBBS candidates in the common classes in anatomy, physiology and psychology. He suggested that the Medical Council of India and the Nursing Council work out a similar initiative.

Dr. Kalam also urged institutions such as SRU to develop in-house training facilities for nurses in remotely located hospitals in Tamil Nadu. Nurses needed continuing education programmes to upgrade skills and knowledge.

Dr. Kalam said a recent survey by the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. that found that an estimated 95,000 deaths occurred every year owing to judgment errors had highlighted the imperative to train doctors, nurses, paramedics and technicians in improving the safety and quality of patient care. He also stressed the importance of teamwork and brainstorming among doctors, nurses and other sectors to meet the challenges to improve patient care and safety in the complex functioning of a modern hospital.

During the question-and-answer session that followed, Dr. Kalam said he will raise the issue of improving the nurse-patient ratio in Tamil Nadu when he meets Health Minister M.R.K. Paneerselvam at a function scheduled for October 15 in Puduchery.

Dr. Kalam said it was the responsibility of hospital managements to uphold the prestige of the nursing profession. On the demand for nursing professionals, he said India alone was expected to require 2 million nurses over the next five years.

Dr. Kalam later administered a six-point oath to nurses.

Earlier, SRU Chancellor V. R. Venkataachalam felicitated Dr. Kalam.

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