The Indian Nursing Council (INC) has urged the Kannur Collector to withdraw a directive to deploy nursing students in private hospitals where nurses are on strike.
Any small mistake in nursing procedures might lead to disastrous consequences for patients, leaving the families and the student concerned to face the consequences.
In an age where consumer rights are paramount, it is surprising that students are being forced into work that could lead them to face legal consequences bordering on civil and criminal proceedings, said a letter by INC Secretary Ranjeet Kaur.
Order issued on July 16
The letter was in response to a communication sent by State president of the Trained Nurses Association of India Roy K. George concerning the Kannur District Magistrate’s orders issued on July 16.
Ms. Kaur’s letter said the powers vested with the District Magistrate to use in case of any kind of calamity or mass public injury should not be used for extraneous purposes to harass nursing students.
They should not be unnecessarily pressurised to take up onerous responsibility when they are not equipped to do so.
The Indian Nursing Council is seized of the matter that the decision taken was an effort to ensure continuous running of hospitals in and around the district for the aid of suffering patents.
Academic schedules
However, it should not be at the cost of threat to the life of patients and also disturbing the students’ academic schedules, the letter said.
The council’s syllabuses for different nursing courses are tailored on a pattern of hourly studies.
Once this system is broken, the students in Kannur nursing colleges will suffer, it said.