The main challenge in nursing is the skill gap: Dr Manju Chhugani

Dr Manju Chhugani, Principal, Rufaida College of Nursing Jamia Humdard, New Delhi, talks to ETHealthworld about the challenges and issues that exist in nursing. Edited excerpts

Where does India stand in the global map of qualified nurses?

Every year India produces 2,97,000 nurses from 8207 institutions as per Indian Nursing Council Data 2012. Many nurses are coming out from these institutions every year but most of them are going abroad because every country is facing a shortage of skilled manpower specifically in nursing.

The problem is that rich countries can afford to fill this gap by giving good perks, salary, facilities and attract people from other countries. But in India there is still a gap, more than 8 lakh nurses are still required though we are having a good number of nurses coming out from more than 8000 institutions, still we have a gap and if we look at the ratio there are only 0.75 nurses per 1000 population whereas it should be 12.12 nurses per 1000 population which is way beyond our imagination at present.

There is also a huge gap when it comes to doctors. On the global map India is doing very well but the quality of manpower which we are producing is also migrating to other countries for salaries or other attractions which are provided to them.



What are the challenges that you see in this healthcare segment?

In India the main challenge in nursing is the skill gap and the learning opportunities which the students must get during their period of learning. If there is a medical college and a nursing college in one hospital, the first preference would be given to doctors to get the learning opportunities.

We are also not able to get hands-on experience and simulation centres. Now the government has started with the skill lab in different centres, institutions and districts. We are trying that students get the opportunity to practise on the mannequins if not on patients. The other challenge is the lack of leadership in nursing, they are not involved in decision making..As an educator I would say that one of the challenges in nursing is that the syllabus and curriculum which we have is theory loaded.


Your suggestions for the betterment of the scenario?

If you want to improve any profession you need to improve the education, regulation and also the association these are three important pillars of any profession in India or abroad. If you simultaneously improve these three pillars a profession can be strong.