My Nursing education always remains as my boon during Maoist
insurgency, Jan Andolan II (people war 2006), devastating earthquake 2015,
Terai blockade 2015 though I enrolled it accidently when my dad’s brain washed
by foresters who were briefing that I couldn’t negotiate with masculine
characters including men folks, claiming mountains, fighting with wild animals
and wood smugglers. Today, it is already 21 years of my graduation of my first nurse school and life following in anti-current or anti river direction. In my dictionary, I don’t have word of impossible and later due to leading emergencies as an Anaesthetic Nurse for 24/7 hours for 4 years with my six senses or no machines at all. Consequently, I took role of pilot for kicking of blood transfusion and C-Section in Jumla, first time in Karnali region. No matter how much credentials I gained from other faculties or in what position I served, my knowledge and skills from Nursing is always principal. More importantly, I never ever regret my single moment, it is my pride and power always and will be so grateful towards the lady with lamp Florence Nightingale’ and my four nieces are following same path today.
The nursing profession is choice of profession in USA, UK
and Australia where many Nepalese nurses are doing great in aboard. Thus, many
parents like to send their daughters to Nursing school by selling their
ancestral property or taking loans from cooperatives etc. Nursing profession is
considered as secure profession for work and marriage in Nepali context which
was as hated profession just 25 years back. There are many changes includes
increasing specialization in various themes, PhD education in Nepal, networking
and collaboration at international level, privatization of nursing education
and so many competitive scholars. Sadly, the nursing profession is flowing
downwards as I have been observing since childhood. Recently, I have visited
few hospitals and interviewed with nurses from Kathmandu, Bharatpur, Janakpur, Dharan
and aboard etc. as a patient, visitor and an activist. My heart is shrinking day
by day while seeing the quality of nursing profession.
The quality is compromised in many ways; i) Production
flaws: the nursing colleges are mushrooming and considered as a business than
education for humanitarian work. There is no any basis of demands within and
outside of the country and also not seriously consider the mandates for
operating nursing school. Many students are depriving from exposure of
patients, procedures due to overflow of students as well as mismatch at
clinical setting, ii) Demand flaws; the government is not putting nursing
profession as priority. The patient nurse ratio is 1:30 even today at referral
level hospitals e.g. Bir Hospital where as WHO recommends 1:4. There is very
irregular and irrational way of placement of nurses in to the government
process through Public Service Commission. The government closed its eyes to
create avenues for nurses for placement e.g. educational and private
institutions as occupational nurse, iii) employability: there is merely hopeless
scenario for employability as a result of incompatibility between demand and
supply. Except handful nurses, are neither applying their acquired knowledge
and skills nor getting decent pay. Many nurses are unemployed, underemployed
and many working voluntarily. More importantly and sadly, many nurses are
working under severe exploitation, iv) Politicization: though nursing
profession is for regardless of class, caste, greed, politics or anything as
its ethics but it is heavily influenced by the politics. There is known
political panels during each election of NAN (Nursing Association in Nepal) and
heavily divided in any agenda. So the campaigns for professional enhancement
abort during conception phase, and v) Passive role of NAN and Nursing Council:
The NAN is in existence since 1962. In a 54 years span, there are 17 presidency
is running but there is no significant results for the professional
improvement. It says that non-political institution but everything is based on
party cadre. Nurse leaders are pleasing two types of people; political leaders
and Doctors who are the primary decision makers at hospital as Dr or
administrator. The nurse leaders hurriedly visited to the ministers, prime
ministers for congratulate them if they represent their political party but
they never speak when a women die at Mugu due to retained placenta or dying
people in Darchula or Taplejung. Even the devastating earthquake, many nurses
who hold the positions in NAN and council joined the political parties with
their logo. There is no single voice or agenda for NAN for advocating yet. It
is like open secret that everyone knows the ground reality but they don’t like
to speak because they worried for their personal privileges.
The Forbes, Harvard Business school, nursing leadership
schools claimed that female leaders are the best leaders even for the top
management level after 1982 AD. They are efficient, bravery, risk takers and so
on. The feminine attributes are assets for bringing collaborative approach and
societal transformation. In contrast, these all theories are failed in Nepalese
context specially nursing profession. Since 1962, the NAN has occupied by
nurses who are female except few men. The Nursing Council is also started to
work since 1996. NAN and Council members involve while providing the approval
for nursing colleges and its requirement. The nurses who are playing key role
either in government or private hospital or NAN or council, they are playing
dual role which is perfect example of corruption and crime. They are compromise
the quality while serving to two institutions at once, they closed their eyes
while giving approval and remain silence while the children (students)
exploited at hospitals as volunteers. No
matter where nurses are working, they just follow their male folks as doctor,
as administrator, as political leaders and enjoying personal benefit rather
benefit of group or nursing profession.
If the nurses are really like to stand on their profession,
they have to stand on the pledge and philosophy of Florence Nightingale. The
nursing profession doesn’t care how many times NAN organize the blood donation
program or meeting with Prime minister. But it does care whether NAN able to
unite the nurses and their concerns regarding quality, safety and policy at
community and hospital with specialized care in 21rst century.
Thank you very much for felicitated me and extend my sincere
thanks and congratulate all nurses across globe.
