Career in Nursing – A Gateway to Bright Future

Introduction

“Nursing” directly means curing. Nursing is one of the most soughted careers for women in India. Nursing is very challenging, hardworking, popular, respectful and merciful occupation. It very much suits to women.

As per the WHO, almost the two fifths of India’s medically qualified nurses are from the state of Kerala.

The English nurse “Florence Nightingale” was the founder of the modern nursing.

Nursing is an essential part of our medical system. Nursing is a practice of taking care of sick people with the help of health care science.

Beside this, a nurse dispenses the medicine, keeps the patient records and operates medical equipments along with the routine duties.

“Nursing is a medical profession for administration and taking care of patient with the help of health care science”.

Nursing is one of the civilized jobs in the world. It is the field of women’s first choice. In the past, the work of nursing was done by male nurses. After the modernisation in this field and with the popularity of Florence Nightingale, the field is sought by the women.

The profession of nursing started in India for the first time under the rule of ‘Samrat Ashoka’. The first female nurse came from London on the request of the East India Company in Madras. The first school for nursing education was started in Madras in 1890s.

Courses & Duration

Nursing is a good career option for those candidates who have the zeal and interest to serve the mankind. A person who believe in curing medically ill people and can work in hard condition for long hours can choose nursing as a career option for himself/ herself.

The INC (Indian Nursing Council) is the accreditation and recognition body for nursing education in India. Various domains like diploma courses, UG degree courses, PG degree courses and the Philosophy and doctoral courses are available in the field of nursing. Some of the private health centres and hospitals offer the certificate courses for the duration of 6 months to 1 year.

The courses in the field of nursing are as the following:

Diploma courses

• ANM (Auxiliary Nursing & Midwife) – 18 months
• GNM (General Nursing & Midwife) – 3.5 yrs

UG Degree courses

• B. Sc – Basic (Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Basic) – 4 yrs
• B. Sc – Post Basic (Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Post Basic) – 2 yrs
• B. Sc – Distance (Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Distance) – 3 yrs

PG Degree courses

• M. Sc (Master of Science in Nursing) – 2 yrs

Doctoral courses

• M. Phil (Master of Science in Nursing) – 1 yr (Full time)
• M. Phil (Master of Science in Nursing) – 2 yr (part time)
• Ph D (Doctor in Philosophy) – 3 to 5 yrs

Admission

The ANM is a diploma course for the duration of one and half year. For admission to this course, the candidate must be 10^th class passed with 45% and comply the age between 17 – 35 years. Also, NEET scores are now compulsory for admission into various nursing courses in various institutions. Some of the institutions which are conducting the ANM courses have been disclosed the minimum qualification as 10+2 with 45% marks in science subjects.

The GNM is an advanced diploma in nursing with the duration of 3 and half years. For admission to this course, the candidate must be atleast 12th class passed with 45% and comply the age between 17 – 35 years. There is a provision of entrance test for this course conducted by the nursing entrance board.

B.Sc nursing is a very common, popular and required degree for the full-fledge nurse. It has two levels, one is basic and another is post basic for the duration of 4 yrs and 2 yrs subsequently. For admission in bachelor courses, the candidates need to have the 12^th pass certificate with science subjects with minimum 45% marks. You may have to go through the entrance exam conducted by the university.

Some institutions offer admission in nursing courses through entrance examination which are mentioned below:

• AIIMS Nursing 2024
• AFMC Nursing 2024
• Uttarakhand Nursing 2024
• NEET 2024

The specializations in the field of nursing are as the following:

• Ophthalmic Nursing
• Leprosy Nursing
• TB Nursing
• Psychiatric Nursing
• Neurological Nursing
• Neurosurgical Nursing
• Community Health Nursing
• Cancer Nursing
• Orthopedic Nursing
• Oncological Nursing
• Cardio logical Nursing
• Nephrological Nursing
• Paediatric Nursing
• Critical Care Nursing
• Cardio Thoracic Nursing
• Operation Room Nursing
• Neonatal Nursing
• Rehabilitation Nursing
• Nursing Education and Administration
• Practitioner in Midwifery
• Emergency and Disaster Nursing

Also Check:

Medical Courses

Jobs & Career

The one and the best part of this field is that nurses never remain unemployed. They easily get the job in health care organizations and hospital. This is the field where you may get the government job easily.

At present, the nursing homes and private hospitals are mushrooming across the country. By the growing numbers of health care centres the nursing professional are not sufficient in numbers. Every year the government hires 22000 nurses in India and even after that we are lacking with 4 lakh nurses.

After the completion of this course, you may get the respectful position and good platform to boost career in nursing care.

The top job profiles in the field of nursing are as the following:

• Staff Nurse
• Assistant Nursing Superintendent
• Department Supervisor
• Deputy Nursing Superintendent
• Nursing Supervisor or Ward Sister
• Director of Nursing
• Nursing Superintendent
• Teacher of Nursing
• Community Health Nurse (CHN)
• Military Nurse
• Industrial Nurse
• Nursing Service Administrators
• Nursing Service overseas

Employment Area

The employment areas where nurses can work are as the following:

• Government run hospitals
• Super speciality hospital
• Nursing homes
• Orphanages
• Old age homes
• Industries
• Sanatoriums
• Armed forces
• Indian Red Cross Society
• Indian Nursing Council
• State Nursing Council
• Educational institutions

Nursing is a noble profession as it involves helping people to recover their health. It also makes a person multitasking & also allows flexibility in their work profile.

Salary

The nurses, who has just completed the course and are fresher may get the job with around 7000 to 15000 per month salary. With 2-3 years experience they may get the 20000 to 30000 per month. The well experienced and mature nurses may get the salary more than 50000 per month.

There is an opportunity to get the job in abroad. The nurses can get the handsome salary package in abroad like UK and US. Several nurses who are working in abroad are from our country and Kerala state.

Books & Study Materials

Here we are providing some popular & most preferred books to study Nursing:

Nursing Care Plans: Diagnoses, Interventions, and Outcomes, 7th edition by Meg Gulanick and Judith L. Meyers

The Everything New Nurse Book by Kathy Quan

Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: A Guide to Planning Care by Betty J. Ackley and Gail B. Ladwig

Intensive Care: The Story of a Nurse by Echo Heron

Cardiac Surgery Essentials for Critical Care Nursing by Sonya R. Hardin

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