Valley nurse Rehana Kousar at forefront of patient care

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 6

Rehana Kousar (47), known as ‘Red Rose of Sopore’, held her nerves during the 2014 floods. She used a tailor’s desk as a surgical table to help around 60 women deliver babies.

Working as a nurse at the Valley’s tertiary care hospital, the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, for the last 25 years, Rehana was conferred the National Florence Nightingale Award for her hard work and meritorious services in the field of nursing by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015.

“I never took my job just as a career. I have always been sincere with my work. The job of a nurse is looked down upon in our society but I want to tell everyone that this is respectable work where you can heal people. What is more important than that,” asks Rehana, who has also volunteered with NGOs apart from her regular job.

Hailing from Malganipora in Baramulla district, Rehana has done BA from the University of Kashmir and an A-grade diploma in general nursing and midwifery. After joining SKIMS in 1994, she attended conferences and seminars in the country and abroad, including the UAE, Sri Lanka and the US, and has written several international research papers.

“There are 32 departments in the hospital and in my 25 years, I have worked in every department. I have worked in the gynaecological department for seven years. I have counselled women and helped them come out of stress,” says Rehana.

“I once contracted a communicable disease while providing oxygen to a newborn. Everyone told me not to be irresponsible but I was on night duty and I had to save a life. I fell ill for a month but that was my job,” she says.

In the devastating floods in 2014, Kousar set up hundreds of medical camps with the help of some volunteers and helped people with medical needs and maternity problems.

“I turned a desk of a tailor into a surgical table because the main maternity hospital was under water and helped more than 60 women deliver. My own house was under water in the HMT locality but I felt it was more important to help in an emergency situation,” says Rehana who did not lag behind in helping the injured during the 2016 unrest.

“I sometimes used to walk to the hospital in the unrest because there was an emergency-like situation,” says Rehana who has two sons and a daughter.

In 2003, Rehana’s husband, who has been her support, had to undergo a spinal surgery and has not been able to move much since then.

“I have to manage my house, take care of my husband and do my job.I believe women are strong and they never leave anything undone. I am thankful to God for everything,” she adds.

Rehana, during her research survey through SKIMS, has been to all 675 cardiac catheterisation laboratories in the country and has written about it.

At the hospital, she continues to inspire the young nurses.