VIJAYAWADA: One nurse attends to at least 40 patients at both the old and new government general hospitals (GGH) in Vijayawada. No wonder, the acute shortage of staff is causing severe inconvenience to patients and not to forget, raising the stress levels among the working nurses.
Almost 60 per cent of the nursing posts are vacant in Vijayawada hospitals as well as in Krishna district.
As per the norms of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Medical Council of India (MCI), the ratio of nurses and patients is 1:5. The hospital officials have sent a request to the principal secretary of the State Health and Medical Department to ensure that the ratio comes down to at least 1:4.
“We have sent a letter months ago to the State Medical and Health Department explaining the problem of nursing staff shortage. We are awaiting a response,” Superintendent for Government General Hospital, Ch Jagan Mohan Rao, said.
The old and new government hospitals in the city, together, have a capacity of 1,600 beds with around 200 nursing staff of whom 80 were recently appointed on contract basis. “In Krishna district, every year almost 600 to 800 nursing students are successfully completing their course in all the nursing colleges. Earlier, the nurses had to do internship at government hospitals. But, now the students are mostly preferring private hospitals as they are paid good salaries,” said a professor of nursing department at the NTR Health University.
“There is a huge demand for nurses even abroad,” the professor added, pointing at the reasons why nurses are staying away from government hospitals.
The hospitals are also experiencing shortage of head nurses and ward staff. The available nurses are being used to handle clerical works by doctors and the administration. “The Intensive Care Units (ICU), Acute Medical Care Units (AMCU) and a few other units require experienced staff and junior nurses in big number. We are going through high stress levels and pressure while working as we have less man power. We are also lacking in delivering our services efficiently,” said B Vijaya Kumari, a head nurse of GGH.
“There are proposals for more wards and enhancement of facilities. Then, there will be more crisis to be assured. Most of the nursing students are reluctant to deliver their students to government hospitals. This problem has to be addressed in a proper way,” Ch Jagan Mohan Rao said.