Nursing

We remember Florence Nightingale when we talk of nursing. She is known as the founder of modern nursing and the dedication she showed during the wartime to nurse the wounded soldiers is unparallel and then onwards she is known as “lady with the lamp”.

Nursing gives a sense of satisfaction and it is also a rewarding career. Nurses play an important role in the health sector taking care of the sick and helping doctors in several ways. It is said that if the doctor is considered as the head, nurses act like hands. They are so important to the field. Nurses administer medicines to the patients and manage the everyday routine of the patients. Patients can recover fast with the help of a skillful nurse.

Nowadays even men show interest in becoming male nurses. There are several institutes in Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Kerala that give admission to men as well.

The demand for nurses in private and public hospitals is increasing. Several institutes are being set up to cater to the growing needs of this profession.

But you need to remember that you should have a strong urge to serve humanity. Then only you will be able to do justice to the profession. You may have to take care of critically ill patients, work in odd situations and many times work for long hours too. You should be adaptable to situations and work with various doctors under their guidance.

Nursing is offered in India at diploma, graduate, and also postgraduate levels. Most of the colleges offer quality education and are successful in producing nurses who are skilled and trained.

For getting admitted into a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, the student must have cleared a 10+2 stream from a recognized board or university. They should have studied chemistry, physics, and biology at their 10+2 level. The duration of the nursing course is usually three to four years.

Master’s degree in nursing is of two years and the candidate must have completed a bachelor's degree in nursing.

For a diploma course, the student must have completed standard tenth or its equivalent from a recognized board or university. The diploma is usually one or two years courses.

Job prospects are excellent in the nursing field. The demand for skilled and qualified nurses is always on the rise and the ratio of patients to nurses is very low as of now.

Nurses can opt to work in government, private hospitals, old age homes, nursing homes, defense, Indian Red Cross Society, Indian Nursing Council, and other state nursing councils.

The pay package at the entry-level is around Rs8000-Rs 15000. With experience, it can increase up to Rs70,000 for senior category nurses.

Students who are interested in doing specialization can opt for various areas like Neonatal nursing, Neuro nursing, Critical care nursing, Emergency, and Disaster Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Cardio-Thoracic nursing, Oncology nursing, and several other related fields.

Ultimately you have to decide whether you are suitable for the nursing profession as there are set qualities that will help nurses to excel in this field.