Nursing students put on duty at Rohtak PGI

600 of 2,099 beds went unoccupied, 17 patients died, while 6 left the hospital against medical adviceSunit Dhawan Tribune News Service Rohtak, August 10 Students pursuing BSc (Nursing) from private colleges have been deployed to take care of patients at the PGIMS here in view of the ongoing indefinite strike of nurses at the institute. The medical fraternity has expressed its concern over the deployment of inexperienced students in place of nurses, maintaining that the health of the patients should not be put at stake. “The nursing students can be deployed only as a stop-gap arrangement. Priority should be accorded to resolving the issue of nurses’ strike by getting their concerns addressed,” said Dr RS Dahiya, a former professor of surgery at the PGIMS, who is presently associated with Jan Swasthay Abhiyan. Pt Bhagwat Dayal Sharma University of Health Sciences (UHS), Rohtak, Vice-Chancellor Anita Saxena asserted that only the final-year students had been deployed under supervision of regular nurses and those of MSc (Nursing) courses, who were also qualified nurses. Some nurses who are not participating in the strike are discharging their duties, she said, adding that they were supervising the nursing and pharmacy students deployed in place of the striking nurses. “Efforts are being made to get the issue resolved through talks. We are holding discussions with the representatives of the nurses’ association at our level and daily reports on the prevailing situation are being sent to the state authorities concerned,” the VC said. Nevertheless, the elective operation theatres and indoor wards at the PGIMS remained deserted due to the ongoing strike. As per the official data received, 600 of the 2,099 beds at the PGIMS remained unoccupied on Friday, with 113 patients being discharged and 69 being admitted. While 17 patients died at the institute, six left the hospital against medical advice. Meanwhile, Nurses’ Association president Vikas Phogat said they were called for talks by the UHS and PGIMS authorities today, but the discussion remained inconclusive and the strike would continue. The nursing officers and senior nursing officers working at the PGIMS have been on an indefinite strike for three days to press for hiking their allowance from Rs 1,200 to Rs 7,200 on the pattern of AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh.