EMN
Dimapur, April 20
The Unemployed Trained Nurses Association of Nagaland (UTNAN) has urged the state government to revoke the re-amendment of Nursing Service Rules of Nagaland 2014 and for post creation, promotions and upgradation of nursing cadre in district hospitals/CHCs/PHCs and other health units. The UTNAN in a memorandum to the state minister of health & family welfare, has given a 15-day time for government to respond to their plea, failing which it said, the association will go for legal course of action.
The association appealed to the government to examine its proposals for creation of more posts for staff nurse as required in all the district hospitals/CHCs/PHCs by implementing the norms of nurse.
(Patient/Bed ratio / Nurse : Population ratio as prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council. The actual Nurse-Patient Ratio as per the norms of TNAI and INC (The INC 1985) should be: i) Hospital : 1 Nurse : 3 bedded in Teaching Hospital. 1 Nurse : 5 bedded in Non-Teaching Hospital + 30% leave reservation. ii) C.H.Cs : Atleast 7 regular Staff Nurse. iii) P.H.Cs : Atleast 1 regular Staff Nurse + 2 additional on contractual basis.)
Citing the survey conducted by UTNA on the staffing system/position of the staff nurses in the Govt. Health Care Systems/Institute/Hospital in Nagaland, the memorandum stated, posts of staff nurse have been found lying vacant - i) 11 district hospitals : 150 posts of staff nurse with 1000-bedded (approx.) are lying vacant. ii) 21 C.H.Cs : 96 posts of staff nurse are lying vacant (approx.) iii) 127 P.H.Cs : 192 staff nurse posts are lying vacant (approx.)
The association also demanded to immediately fill up the higher post and subsequent posts of nursing cadre against promotion so as to prevent stagnation in the lower cadre.
It also demanded upgradation of he posts of nursing superintendents/assistant nursing superintendents and district public health nursing officers at Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Phek, Peren, Wokha and Zunheboto.
The recent re-amendment of nursing service rules on 12th Nov 2014, states 50 % of service entry from open competition, conducted by NPSC, and 50% by direct appointment batch-wise.
The association said this re-amendment is not suited and that it stands by Nursing Service Rules 1988 wherein 100% recruitment is done on seniority-wise.
The assocaition also said that inspite of the upgradations and increase in number of the health facilities, there is hardly any change in the staffing pattern. It has been observed that there are disparities/shortages of nurses existing in all the district hospitals / CHCs / PHCs in regard to nurse : patient ratio / nurse : population ratio. In some health centres the posts of staff nurses do not even exist.
