IKON
Mother Teresa
Trading the traditional nun’s habit for a simple white sari, she organized a dedicated force of nun nurses to provide healthcare for the slums of Calcutta. Her most famous patients were the “untouchable” lepers that no one else dared to approach. Though working under the auspices of the Catholic Church, the care she provided was distinctly non-sectarian, with the nuns reading from the Quran for suffering Muslims, and delivering water from the Sacred Ganges to dying Hindus. Currently 4,500 nuns work in 133 nations providing compassionate, non-denominational care to those the rest of the world would ignore. She was recently declared a Saint will now be known as Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
What is the job all about?
Nursing, essentially is Professional care of the sick. It requires compassion, patience, stamina, professional competence good communication skills, and ability to work at all hours of the day or night. The duties involve, besides assistance to Doctors during surgery, delivery of babies and post surgical care. It also includes ensuring that medical prescriptions are given on time and in the correct dosage.
There are five levels of Nursing, plus another if you want to work overseas:
- Home Nursing
- Auxiliary Nurse, Midwifery or Multi-purpose Health Worker
- Health Care Person
- General Nursing Nurse
- Lecturer/Professor
- Working overseas
Can you go for it?
Each level of nursing requires unique competencies.
Home Nursing: This program is designed essentially for Senior Citizens in their respective homes. Due to old age – old people cannot stay in Hospitals too long and they do not all like to stay in Old Age Homes either. They, therefore, prefer medical care at home.
Auxiliary Nurse & Midwifery Nurse: Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife Nurse is trained to look after pregnant Mothers, to assist them at deliveries and after-care of both Mother & Child.
Health Care Person: This program is taught as part of Goa Board’s Vocational Program after Std. X. Persons so qualified are expected to help in Community Health Centres as also in Nursing and Maternity Hospitals.
General Nursing Nurse: These are trained Professional Nurses and are recruited in Hospitals to assist Doctors in the Operation Theatre and give patients the post-operative care and assistance.
Lecturer: You could do your Masters in Nursing and thereafter even your PhD.
Overseas: There is a tremendous shortage of trained Nurses in the US / Europe, and so, if you can qualify to their standards you could get a very lucrative posting there.
Where to Begin:
In Goa:
Home Nursing Training at St. Bridget’s Home, Aldona. Caritas-Goa conducts a Certificate Course in Home Nursing of 1 year duration. They train people, who are prepared to be assigned to homes / hospitals where senior citizens need care. This course is approved by the Human Resource Development Foundation. There are limited seats. (20 students).
The Institute of Nursing, Bambolim, also conducts a similar program as above. Minimum qualification required is Std. X.
Auxiliary Nurses: Institute of Nursing, Bambolim, Goa, conducts this course for those who have completed Std. XII.
Health Care Person: Here, invariably you would have to do your Health Care Program in a Vocational Stream after your Std. X.
B. Sc. Nursing: This is a 4-year program after Std. XII in PCB (Physics, Chemistry and Biology). The Institute of Nursing, Bambolim, offers 30 seats annually. Recently, Victor Apollo Hospital in Margao has also begun a Degree program in Nursing, recognised by the Maharashtra Government and also Goa University.
Teaching: If you wish to teach Nursing, you would have to continue with your Masters / PhD program in Nursing.
Overseas Job: Please go through this website for full details: http://www.cgfns.org/
Outside Goa:
KLE University Belgaum offers Bsc / Msc / Phd programs in Nursing
B.Y.L.Nair Hospital, Dr. Nair Road, Mumbai Central, Mumbai
K. E. M. Hospital, Parel, Mumbai
L. T. M. G. Hospital, Sion, Mumbai
Dr. R. N. Cooper Hospital, Vile Parle, Mumbai
H. B. M. G. Hospital, Borivali, Mumbai
KDA Nursing College –Andheri Mumbai
Tilak Maharastra University, Pune
Bangalore City College, Bangalore
Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal
Employment Avenues
In all fields indicated above, there are many employment avenues. There is no dearth for jobs, for those wishing to show compassion and work hard.
Money
Initially trained Nurses are offered around Rs.10,000/-p.m. But after some experience they can get as much as Rs. 25,000/- to Rs. 45,000/- p.m.
Home Nursing jobs offer around Rs. 7500/- p.m. then can go to Rs. 10,000/- p.m.
Please do not be satisfied with just acquiring a Degree/Diploma – try and enhance your CV by doing online learning programs (with a certificate) of programs relevant to your choice of career. Your chances of employment will be much better than just a plain degree/diploma.
Please check this website under other details for places you can learn online. Also try and develop your confidence by doing a public speaking training program with people like Toast Masters International.
For government jobs: please check : http://www.employment-newspaper.com/