Nursing Profession: an inside story

GLIMPSES ON THE LIFE OF A NURSE AT MOKOKCHUNG 

By Odisola Ozukum.

The General Nursing Medicine (GNM) School attached to the District Hospital Mokokchung has a capacity to train 20 new students per year. The required minimum education qualification is 12+ and above. Though the seat is limited to 20 seats per year, in an average, 29 to 39 new students are selected for the training each year at the School of Nursing at Mokokchung. The successful candidates are then lodged at the GNM hostel, and attached to the District Hospital for their practical for a period of 3 years plus another 6 months internship period before they can finally pass out from the institute. Approximately, the students attend 4 classes per day over and above which, they work at the Hospital averaging 5 to 12 hours per day.

For a hostel which could hardly accommodate 80 students, currently 141 nursing students are packed in 10 dormitories and 3 cabins. The hostel comprises of 9 toilets and 6 bathrooms without adequate water supply. To fetch a gallon of water from the well for personal toiletries, the students spends 20 minutes to even up to 3 hours during dry seasons since they have to wait in long queues at the well.

Cozy GNM Hostel

GNM Hostel Dormitories

 

Competition for Storage Space



 

It's My Sleeping Space!

A RingWell that supplies Water only during Rainy Seasons

 

Parking Space for Water Gallons

  

   

After all the hardships a nurse have to go through during the 3 years training because of the extensive curriculum and also due to lack of facilities, Life is not so different even after passing out from the GNM School.  Only a nun with complete selfless dedication would hardly be able to meet all of the things that the public expects from a nurse. She is expected to be tender, loving, soft spoken, good looking; always having a smile on her face no matter what, and her services are expected to be available round the clock. In fact, the personal life of a nurse and her husband, children and family becomes secondary because of unavoidable obligations to her duties.

Nurse, Please Make me Comfortable

She is the first person that a patient meets while coming to the hospital seeking treatment and for most people; she may be the last person to see before going to the nether world. A doctor prescribes, but it is the nurse who actually cares for the patient 24 hours a day.

Panic and Chaos at the Casualty Ward

OPD Duty: May I Have your Attention Please?

Tea Break at Last!

 

Prisoners of the Profession

Unlike in other countries, our society does not give the due recognition and respect to the nursing profession.  Many a times, for no fault of theirs, they often become the punching bag for all the grievances and malcontents to the institution.

               After all the sacrifices and devotion from the nurses to the public, is it not time for the society to finally recognize the values of the nursing profession and give due credit and appreciations instead of always complaining and pointing fingers at the shortcomings that may happen as a human being?

We are all Human Beings requiring Compassion and Understanding