The nursing students of Government Rajaji Hospital called off their protest on Monday night after the State government accepted the government nursing college students’ demand to give priority to them in government service.
During talks held between the representatives of government nursing college students and health department officials in Chennai, the officials had promised to make amendments to the G.O. passed on January 18, 2012.
The government had agreed to give preference to government nursing college students on the basis of seniority and practical experience, said Paval, a representative of Student Federation of India, which spearheaded the protests for a week.
The students would get back to work from Monday night itself, he said.
Earlier in the day, around 300 nursing students staged a sit-in protest wearing black badges and blindfolds.
Meanwhile, the students of Ultra College of Nursing on Monday launched a signature campaign against the government nursing college students’ strike.
The students and the faculty of the college termed the ongoing strike of the government nursing students ‘unethical.’
“Our students are in no way inferior to government college students. Both government and private nursing institutions come under the ambit of the same university. By employing private college students, the quality of healthcare is likely to improve,” said C. Nalini, Principal, Ultra College.
Reacting to the claim of the government nursing students about practical experience, the college staff said the government nursing students were being exploited by the staff nurses.
Otherwise, the students of private colleges were imparted the same amount of practical training as their counterparts in government colleges, they added.
“I don’t understand why the government nursing students are apprehensive about taking up the examinations. After 30 years, the State government has come to the rescue of the private nursing college students and it is a welcome move,” the Principal also said.
Without any delay, the government should implement the G.O. and conduct the examinations, she said.
Nearly 300 students signed the banner put up on the college premises.
