Medical ethics, simulation find place in revamped nursing syllabus

Medical ethics, simulation find place in revamped nursing syllabus

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 18:08 IST

Experts welcome major overhaul of B.Sc. Nursing curriculum, aimed at standardisation

India’s B.Sc (nursing programme) has undergone its first major overhaul after 1947, making it a competency-based nursing curriculum. To be implemented from January 2022, the revised curriculum has been standardised, updated and aimed at bringing in uniformity in nursing education across India.

Medical ethics has been introduced for the first time.

The new system now adopts a credit-based, semester pattern with more emphasis on acquiring competency in each area of study. Also, forensic nursing and nursing informatics have been introduced in the syllabus.

Dr. Satendra Singh who teaches in a medical college and is a guest faculty at Florence Nightingale Nursing School at GTB Hospital, said the Indian Nursing Council (INC) has revised, and developed the syllabus under Section 16 of the Indian Nursing Council (INC) Act, to ensure uniform standard of nursing education in the country.

“The revised syllabus, which is the first major overhaul after 1947, has the word “dignity’ in at least six places which is a welcome addition and the introduction of ethics is also an enhanced addition,” said Dr. Singh.

Disability ignored

He added that unfortunately the revised curriculum does not include disability rights as well as disability competencies.

“It still includes the pejorative expressions ‘handicapped’, ‘mentally challenged’ and physically challenged. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act mandates inclusion of disability rights in the higher education. Curriculum also excludes gender expression and identity components which Transgender Persons Act mandates be included,” he said.

Member of the INC and Professor (Dr.) Roy K. George said the changes will add quality and standardisation to the programme.

He said that based on the new curriculum, simulation based training is given specific importance in practical (10% of the practical are in the simulation lab).

Only Science students

“So students will go to the clinical area after the compulsory training in the simulation laboratories. Also the gazette does not permit the admission for non-science background students for B.Sc. Nursing program and minimum qualifying marks for entrance test shall be 50%. In the university theory paper pattern (For 75 marks), multiple choice questions have been added,” said Dr. George.

He added that internal assessment guidelines will now see continuous assessment based on attendance, written assignments, seminars, microteaching, individual presentation and group project, work and reports.

“The new system has also brought in mandatory modules for each specialisation and the student has to pass in all mandatory modules placed within courses and the pass mark for each module is 50%,” he said.

As per the new norms, colleges of nursing should mandatorily have 100 bedded parent or own hospitals. The trustee/ member/ director of the trust or society or company would not allow the hospital to be treated parent/ affiliated hospital to any other nursing institution and will be for a minimum 30 years. The beds of parent hospital shall be in one Unitary Hospital i.e. in the same building/same campus.

The revised rules also state that no institution or university will modify the syllabi prescribed by the Council for a course or program. However they can add units or subjects if required.

“It is mandatory that an institution shall have its own building within two years of its establishment,” the revised rule states.

Maharashtra to set up more medical colleges like TN

Maharashtra to set up more medical colleges like TN

On Tuesday, the team will visit visit Government Omandurar Hospital, a peripheral hospital and a primary health centre.

Published: 14th September 2021 05:31 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Maharashtra will follow the footsteps of Tamil Nadu and establish more medical colleges, said Health Minister Rajesh Ankushrao Tope, who along with a team is on a two-day visit to Chennai.Tope along with Mary Neelima Kerketta, Principal Secretary Public Health Department, Vijayakumar Lahane, Joint Secretary Health, Maharashtra and other officials held a discussion with Health Minister Ma Subramanian, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and other senior officials at the DMS campus on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Rajesh said that he was delighted to find out from the officials that every year 10,000 doctors pass out in Tamil Nadu, adding he was impressed by the fact that almost every district has a medical college and people have access to tertiary care. “So we will follow Tamil Nadu and open more medical colleges. In the last one year Maharashtra government gas sanctioned four to five medical colleges and more will be sanctioned soon,” Rajesh said.

Tope added that Tamil Nadu was always keen on investing more in healthcare. It spends six per cent of its budget on healthcare, whereas in Maharashtra it is only three per cent. The team also visited the National Health Mission office and Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC).

Lauding the TNMSC, Rajesh said it adopts streamlined methods for procurement of drugs and equipment and for its storage.On Tuesday, the team will visit visit Government Omandurar Hospital, a peripheral hospital and a primary health centre.

NEET ban: Board exam scores to be normalised

NEET ban: Board exam scores to be normalised

An appropriate authority would prepare the rank lists for admission of students to government seats and allot students through centralised counselling.

Published: 14th September 2021 05:35 AM 

Security personnel checking the documents of a medical aspirant outside a NEET Examination centre in Coimbatore. (Photo| U Rakesh Kumar, EPS)

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Bill regarding NEET passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday says medical admissions will be conducted based on the Class 12 board exams, and a normalisation method will be followed for medical admissions. This is to ensure a fair and equitable system for students who pass from different higher secondary board exams.

Under the method, the highest marks obtained by students of various boards in each subject will be equated. The relative marks obtained by other students will be determined accordingly. For instance, if the highest mark secured by a student of the State Board in Physics is 100 and the highest mark secured by the student of another board in the same subject is 96, both the highest marks will be considered to be equal to 100. With this base, the marks of other students will be computed.

According to the Bill, after normalisation, the qualified students of different Boards will be merged into a common merit list. An appropriate authority would prepare the rank lists for admission of students to government seats and allot students through centralised counselling.

The Bill pointed out that before 2017, TN had among the most medical and dental educational institutions and the standard of professionals graduating from them was high. Merely because admission is based on a qualifying examination in this State, it would in no way lower the standard of education since the higher secondary syllabus is of a scientific standard.

Armed with Bill, TN gets ready for NEET war

Armed with Bill, TN gets ready for NEET war

Dravidian parties join hands; Legal experts divided on efficacy of Bill as no other State supports TN’s demand

Published: 14th September 2021 05:42 AM 

By T Muruganandham And KV Navya

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu on Monday started a fresh bout of legal war against the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) again. The ruling DMK kept its poll promise of passing a Bill to exempt the State from the exam. However, apprehensions around its ultimate success in getting the Union government’s nod remain the same as was the case five years ago when the previous AIADMK regime passed a similar Bill. Despite being an ally of the AIADMK in the State, the BJP-led Union government did not budge and returned the Bill, then.

This time, however, the new Bill is backed by the report of a special committee, led by Justice AK Rajan, that studied NEET’s impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. “The reason for the President to return the Bill then was not because there was a lack of data. It was on the Constitutional propriety of the State trying to get an exemption from a Central law,” said Justice K Chandru, a retired Madras High Court judge. NEET was enabled by a law passed in the Parliament, and at best, the State Assembly can pass a resolution showing its disapproval, he said, adding that there was no support from other States, too.

A few other legal experts have a different opinion. Justice Hari Paranthaman, also a retired Madras HC judge, said there have been earlier instances of such exemptions from the Central law for a single State. “For instance, the Hindu Marriages Act, where only TN was given an exemption.”Much of the course ahead will depend on how the Union government will treat the new Bill that will be sent for a presidential nod. As much as legal, there are also other factors, including political considerations. The BJP-led government also seems determined on having a uniform education policy.

However, the Bill on its part, puts forth its reasons in strong words. Quoting the report of the panel, the Bill said NEET festers inequality, as it favours the rich and more privileged class of society who can afford special coaching, apart from pursuing Class XII. “It virtually barricades the underprivileged social groups from medical and dental education. This is against the very object of the equality clause enshrined in the Constitution, and infringes the right to education of children from underprivileged classes of society,” it said.

The Bill, introduced by Chief Minister MK Stalin, said medical admissions will be based on marks scored in Class 12 board examinations. Barring the BJP, an Opposition ally, all parties in the House supported the Bill, and it was passed by a voice vote. Under this, government school students will have a 7.5 per cent reservation for medical and dental admissions in the State. Incidentally, the passing of the Bill comes a day after Dhanush, a NEET aspirant, committed suicide in Mettur. Although the AIADMK staged a walkout blaming the ruling DMK for the aspirant’s death, Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami extended his party’s full support to the Bill during the discussion and the Chief Minister thanked him for the same.

All parties, except BJP, extend support to Bill

When the Bill was introduced by Chief Minister MK Stalin, barring the BJP, an Opposition ally, all parties supported it, and it was passed by a voice vote

‘Infringes right to education...’

The Bill stated, ”It virtually barricades the underprivileged social groups from medical and dental education. This is against the very object of the equality clause enshrined in the Constitution, and it also infringes the right to education of children from these underprivileged classes of society.”

With Covid on decline, Kerala govt offices on Saturdays too, dine-in decision on Tuesday

With Covid on decline, Kerala govt offices on Saturdays too, dine-in decision on Tuesday

Punching system back for govt employees; 50% capacity in restaurants likely; museums to start letting in visitors

Published: 14th September 2021 06:40 AM 

By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Covid showing signs of further decline, the state government has announced more relaxations. All state government offices will be back to six-day week working pattern from this week. Since the imposition of lockdown in the first week of May, the government offices have remained shut on Saturdays and Sundays. A decision on allowing dining in at restaurants will be taken on Tuesday.

The punching system for government employees to ensure seven-hour work a day has also been brought back. Punching will resume by swiping of ID cards while biometric punching will remain suspended.

The museum and zoo department announced the opening of museums in the state for visitors from Tuesday. A decision on opening zoos will be taken after Tuesday’s Covid review meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Morning and evening walkers will be allowed on the museum and zoo campus in Thiruvananthapuram from Tuesday.

The long-pending demand of hoteliers to allow dining in at restaurants may also be permitted soon as it is learnt to have been placed on the agenda of Tuesday’s review meeting. The proposal is to allow 50% occupancy at a time. Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association leaders had requested the CM to allow dine-in facility and he promised them a positive decision. Proposals to allow functions in auditorium and increasing the number of guests for weddings from 20 to 50 or 100 are also under the consideration of the government.

MORE RELAXATIONS LIKELY

WIPR scale for lockdown in panchayats and urban wards is likely to be revised to 10 soon as the cases are declining

Cinema halls shall wait

Though there is huge pressure on the state government to open cinema theatres, a source said they will have to wait

Andhra Governor encourages regular convocations at varsities to protect students’ future

Andhra Governor encourages regular convocations at varsities to protect students’ future

The Governor also directed the V-Cs that Covid protocols should be compulsorily followed while organising the convocations.

Published: 13th September 2021 08:29 AM 

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan (File Photo |EPS)

By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan has expressed concern over non-holding of convocations by some State universities as doing so on a regular basis will “jeopardise the career of students”. “Before the Covid pandemic, convocations were being organised once in every three-four years. I’ve made it clear to the vice-chancellors during a conference with them at the Raj Bhavan that convocations should be held on a regular basis, and degrees should be awarded to the students in a timely manner to protect their future,’’ the Governor said.

According to a statement from the Raj Bhavan here, the Governor has also brought the issue to the notice of Professor K Hemachandra Reddy, chairman of AP State Council of Higher Education, asking the latter to ensure its implementation.“After the Covid situation, some of the State universities held their convocations recently, but many are yet to hold the event,’’ the statement said and added that the Governor instructed the V-Cs to hold annual convocations as per the schedule so that the career of students is not affected.

The Governor also directed the V-Cs that Covid protocols should be compulsorily followed while organising the convocations. He was of the opinion that the events should be organised virtually if the Covid situation does not permit physical meetings. Andhra University last organised its convocation on January 1, 2019, and Adikavi Nannaya University in Rajamahendravaram organised the event in 2019.

Meanwhile, Krishna University, Machilipatnam has not organised its convocation for the past four years. Earlier this year, the university issued a notification three months ago for conducting its convocation in October or November. Already, a letter has been written to Governor Harichandan, and the varsity has recently received permission for organising the event, sources said.

This year, major varsities in Tirupati—Sri Venkateswara Agriculture University, SV Veterinary University and Sri Padmavati Mahila Visva Vidyalayam (SPMVV)—organised their convocations on August 10, 28 and 25, respectively.

Nurses hired for Covid-19 duty angry over being denied food, lodging

Nurses hired for Covid-19 duty angry over being denied food, lodging

The staff nurses alleged 198 staff nurses were posted on Covid-19 duty at the KMCH during the peak of the pandemic.

Published: 14th September 2021 06:53 AM 

Nurses recruited for Covid-19 duty at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital protest on the Directorate of Medical Education campus on Monday | R Satish Babu

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Over 100 staff nurses who were recruited for Covid-19 duty on a six-month contract and posted at the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital protested at the Directorate of Medical Education campus on Monday after allegedly being denied accommodation and food by the hospital management.

The staff nurses alleged 198 staff nurses were posted on Covid-19 duty at the KMCH during the peak of the pandemic. They were provided accommodation and food in a hotel. But the management suddenly asked them to vacate the hotel from Monday.

They assembled in front of the matron office and demanded that they be provided accommodation and food as they have nowhere to go since the instructions were given suddenly and they hail from other districts. Later, they moved to the DME campus and demanded that the higher officials intervene.

Speaking to TNIE, S Rajesh, State General Secretary, MRB Covid-19 Nurses Association, alleged that the hospital has been doing this repeatedly. “All other hospitals are giving accommodation and food. Since the number of Covid-19 cases came down, the nurses are being treated as unwanted.” Rajesh also said the government should give them job security.

They are repeatedly given six-month extensions, and are not sure when this will be stopped. A senior doctor at the hospital said, “We can give accommodation only to staff nurses on Covid-19 duty. Now, only 25 per cent of the staff are utilised and the rest should arrange their own accommodation and food. We are acting on instructions from higher officials.”The nurses dispersed after officials at the DME promised them accommodation and food for now.