Nurses at the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, on Monday staged a demonstration in front of the college against shortage of nurses for night duty. They also highlighted how extra night duties ate into their “duty off” they are entitled to after night shift.
Ensuring that the hospital functions were not hit, the nurses held a sit-in for an hour and a half. The nurses said that even though many of the problems related to work remain unresolved, they are not shirking their responsibilities.
While struggling to discharge their duties, there are a few privileged ones who are spared of night duty, the protesters said. The government had exempted them from night duty in its letter though the letter does not say for how long. The nurses submitted a memorandum to the Principal, demanding their night offs.
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The protesters wondered if the government took similar stand in other medical colleges too.
The strength of nurses (137 including permanent, contract and daily wagers) is much below the required number of nurses at a 500-bed hospital.
Since the medical college was taken over by the government in December 2013, the number of patients has also gone up.
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On an average, the Out Patient department gets 700 to 800 patients, and there are around 350 in-patients on an average, touching 400-plus at times.
Letters sought
Medical College Principal Dr. Sreekala told The Hindu that she had asked the “privileged” nurses to bring letters from the government on the time period for exemption from night shift.
She said the nurses were given exemption on humanitarian considerations.
Besides the inadequacies in nursing staff, the Principal said she had also conveyed to the Director, Medical Education, the shortage of faculty members and other staff in several departments of the medical college.