The mushrooming growth of unauthenticated private nursing schools in the metropolis has raised questions over the performance of health authorities besides exposing their lethargy, Daily Times has learnt. These nursing schools, which claim to impart professional education, generally offering certificate courses and one-year diplomas, are not even registered with the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC).
The PNC is an autonomous regulatory body formed under the Pakistan Nursing Council Act (1952, 1973) and is empowered to regulate nursing education and register (license) nurses, midwives, lady health visitors (LHVs) and nursing auxiliaries to practice in Pakistan. However, the students, who take admission in these schools, are being befooled by the management who claim that their schools are recognised and authorised. Sources said that rapid growth of one or two-room private nursing schools has led to imposing serious concerns in health circles.
diploma fraud
They noted that more than 1,000 students were studying in various unrecognised nursing schools in the city. These schools have been set up in Manzoor Colony, Frontier Colony, Korangi Lyari and other areas.
The nurses serving in various hospitals are not well trained, said health experts while talking to the Daily Times. They stressed the need for imparting training to nurses as per the guidelines of World Health Organisation. They further apprised that the international standards suggest that eight nurses should assist one doctor however, in Pakistan the situation is totally opposite where a lone nurse is available for 15 attending doctors.
A poor service structure and sub-standard teaching and training institutions are responsible for the situation that needs to be looked into immediately. haris hanif
Source : dailytimes
