Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Nursing school students cry foul

HYDERABAD: The future of over 150 past and present students of Nightingale Nursing School, is hanging in the balance. The students are facing a lot of difficulties on various fronts and their future is uncertain, thanks to the nursing school management and health authorities.

The nursing school has been in the news for all the wrong reasons since the past few months and the students have also been knocking the doors of the authorities, including the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), with their problems.

“The school has not issued course completion certificates. Our Inter and Class X certificates are with the nursing school. We can’t apply for jobs because we don’t have certificates. They had forced us to sign one year bond and work in hospitals like Mediciti and Image Hospitals without pay,” said the 50 outgoing students.

Vexed with inaction, over 150 students from the school on Friday staged a protest in front of the office of the Director of Medical Education (DME), Koti, demanding immediate annulment of recognition to the nursing school, accorded by DME. On November 10, 2008, the SHRC held a hearing on the case and asked the DME to take action against the school management.

The SHRC also asked the DME to find out whether the school was following the norms of Indian Nursing Council (INC).

The inquiry report of the commission set up by DME was damning.

The report said that there was no faculty in the school, the building was not habitable and 135 students were crammed in just four rooms.

The report suggested returning the certificates and students wishing to leave the school could be readmitted in other nursing schools on humanitarian grounds. “So far, only 90 students have been readmitted while 50 are yet to get admissions. DME should cancel the school’s recognition and get our certificates,” the students demanded.

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