Initiatives to reduce MMR, IMR & upgrade nursing education

Indian Nursing Council plans a slew of initiatives

Falaknaaz Syed - Mumbai

In a bid to boost the nursing sector, the Indian Nursing Council (INC), the parent body of the nursing councils in the country, has rolled out a series of initiatives, many of which are in the early implementation stage, while the rest have been forwarded by INC for approval to the Union Health ministry.

Prime among them is the introduction of independent nurse practitioners trained in midwifery to bring down the high Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in rural areas, development of a quality assurance model for healthcare institutes facing a resource crunch and formation of a national consortium for PhD nursing to upgrade the standard of nursing education.

Aimed to ease the impact of the shortage of gynaecologists in community health centres, INC performed a pilot study for the ‘Independent Nurse Practitioner Project’ in West Bengal at SSKM Hospital’s female medical and surgical wards. The project provides an 18 months training in midwifery, besides an additional training in emergency obstetric care to candidates who have completed their BSc in nursing and have two to three years of clinical experience in ob-gyn wards to take care of ANMS in rural sector. These nurses are called independent nurse practitioners as they are trained to prescribe medicines following approved protocols and take decisions independently in absence of gynaecologists.

The results of the pilot study has been submitted to health ministry and the government of India is currently examining the proposal to extend this project all over India. INC is finalising a curriculum with senior obstetrics and gynaecologists for the training of independent nurse practitioner module.

Explains T Dileep Kumar, president, INC, “In rural areas, though a community health centre should be manned by physician, surgeon, paediatrician and gynaecologist, the community health centre is usually found facing a shortage of gynaecologists. It’s in such a scenario, that the role of independent nurse practitioner gains importance, here, Auxiliary midwives are trained. Independent nurse practitioners should be regarded as a part of solution for improving quality, access and cost of care and continuing education.”

Quality Assurance Model (QAM)

QAM project aims to help hospitals facing a shortage of nurses, perform well without compromising on quality patient care.

Explains Kumar, “Normally administration is found complaining of the shortage of nurses and its impact on quality patient care. In this model, all nurses and supervisor were trained at PGI Chandigarh and at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi. The training focused on education, communication, counselling, decision making, inculcating leadership qualities, hygiene besides various important aspects of nursing. The Quality Assurance Model (QAM) was formulated and implemented at select wards at the two hospitals.”

“Wards which implemented QAM, showed improved results. The implementation of the model allowed hospitals to provide quality patient care even with the existing resources and proper supervision. INC will extend Pilot study for QAM to other private hospitals,” he added.

National Consortium for PhD in nursing

A first of its kind initiative in the country, with technical assistance from the World Health Organisation, the Indian Nursing Council has formed a national consortium linking six nursing colleges across the country. The aim of the Indian Nursing Council through this consortium is to upgrade the quality of nursing education. The six colleges namely LT college of Nursing i.e. SNDT Women’s University in Mumbai, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Christian Medical College Ludhiana, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, Delhi, College of Nursing, Hyderabad, are the learning centres, while NIMHANS Bangalore is the nodal centre for the entire country.

INC has entered into an MoU with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science wherein the degree for the PhD will be awarded by Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science, Karnataka, while the rules, regulations, norms, syllabus, examination requirements and academic matters etc will be decided by the consortium members.

Explaining the working process of the consortium, Kumar, said, “The work for the programme started in 2002. RAK College of nursing will relay the lectures through video conferencing to the six learning centres, which will be equipped with video conferencing facilities. INC centre will have total facilities and will monitor and direct the total programme. Students depending on the region, will come to a learning centre.”

Adds A Joykutty, principal, LT College of Nursing, the nodal centre for the country’s western zone, “After making a research proposal, students depending on their region will apply for PhD through the study centre. The application is then forwarded to the nodal centre. The proposals are scrutinised by the members of the consortium in the meeting to decide if the research applied for by the candidate should be accepted as it is or be changed. Based on the type of research etc, guidelines are allocated. Students, whose proposals are selected for registration in PhD, can choose their guides. Each guide can get a maximum of six candidates at a time.”

As most of the candidates are working, the PhD nursing programme through the consortium will be a five years, part time programme. Candidates with minimum 60 per cent in MSc nursing are eligible for the course.

Around 50 candidates have been shortlisted for the PhD nursing programme and 21 Guides have been selected from all over India. The PhD consortium programme will begin in two months from now, informed Kumar.

Facts on nursing
Nurse Population Ratio
Europe	1: 100-150
Africa	1.013888889
SriLanka	0.805555556
Thailand	0.631944444
India	1.604166667
Nurse Physician Ratio
International Norm	2-3:1
India	1.4:1
America	2:01
Europe	2:01

falak@expresshealthcaremgmt.com