Date:12/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/12/stories/2008101253890600.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

More PG colleges for nursing in the offing

Special Correspondent

14 colleges apply for evaluation

VISAKHAPATNAM: About 14 post-graduate nursing colleges are likely to be started during this academic year in Andhra Pradesh with an expected in take of 30 students each.

At present there are 198 nursing colleges and about 300 nursing schools in the State while only three institutions are offering PG courses.

The first institution to start PG course in nursing was Osmania University, in 1985 admitting six students every year. This situation continued till 2007-08 before the Sri Venkateswara University and the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Hyderabad) started the PG course with an intake of 20 students each.

With the Government allowing more institutions to start PG courses, 14 colleges applied for the course and the evaluation of facilities and infrastructure by the Nursing Council of India was in the process, chairman of Manisha nursing institutions V. Vijay Kumar Raju said at a press conference here on Saturday. His institution is expected to receive the green signal to start PG course this year.

SNDT University, NIMHANS (Bangalore), Christian Medical College and the Manipal Medical College along with a consortium formed by the Nursing Council and the Rajiv Gandhi Health University of Karnataka are offering doctorate programmes in nursing.

TNAI’s programmes

The Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI) is an internationally recognised body and was working for the welfare of nurses of all categories and for their professional improvement, said president of State branch of the organisation A. Gnanalaxmi.

The State unit which is celebrating the centenary of the TNAI and its own centenary was providing scholarships to all categories of nurses, helping in their research work, helping them to improve the quality of their service, running a care centre for elderly nurses in Delhi and was organising biennial conferences for student nurses and professional nurses.

It would also recommend nurses for the National Florence Nightingale award for best nurses being awarded every year by the Government.

Minister for Commercial Taxes Konathala Ramakrishna would inaugurate the centenary celebrations of TNAI on Sunday while Additional Director of Medical Sciences T. Raviraju would be the chief guest of the valedictory function on Monday.