Boosting Nursing education; empowering nurses for a resilient healthcare future

With healthcare facilities increasingly assuming a more corporatised set-up, such positions are becoming more common.

Written by Guest

May 27, 2023 11:00 IST

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By Deepak Sharma

Although doctors remain at the centre stage of any healthcare delivery system, the role of nurses and nursing attendants has been no less significant. After all, expert attention in the form of diagnosis and treatment of the patient’s condition must be accompanied by critical supporting tasks and chores that need to be performed for optimal and comprehensive patient care and outcome. In a country such as India with a high disease burden as well as poor doctor-patient and nurse-patient ratios, not only is there a need for more new nurses, but also for upskilling and improving the competencies of nurses already engaged at the hospitals, healthcare facilities, or even homes.

And as digital and other technologies increasingly reshape the healthcare landscape coupled with the rise and proliferation of edtech platforms, the sky is the limit for nursing education in the country.

Nursing has many sub-disciplines and specialties

Contrary to the popular perception that nursing is a fairly easy job that essentially involves assisting a doctor in treating his patient and helping the latter through the treatment and recovery process without any formal training, it has evolved as a full-fledged career option today. There are many courses available today that an aspiring student can take up and become a nursing professional. Some of the programs include certificate and diploma courses in general nurse and midwifery, auxiliary nurse midwifery, BSC (Basic), BSC (Post-Basic) apart from Post-Basic diplomas in a range of disciplines such as OT Nursing, Cardio-thoracic Nursing, Neurology Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing etc. In fact, with these courses and relevant experience, a general staff nurse can advance to the levels of Nursing Supervisor, Nursing Manager, Nursing Superintendent and Nursing Director. With healthcare facilities increasingly assuming a more corporatized set-up, such positions are becoming more common.

Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) important for nurses too

Just as Continuous Medical Education (CME) is important for upgrading and upskilling doctors from time to time on a regular basis, continuing nursing education is equally significant for nursing professionals. As new best nursing practices continue to evolve, drawn on new research, insights and most of all, new technology-driven devices and equipment, periodic upskilling becomes very crucial for nursing professionals. Telehealth and related technologies along with products and devices such as smart beds, portable monitors, wearable devices, automated IV pumps and EHRs have made it imperative that nurses learn to use them effectively and adapt their caregiving practices. The in-service training not only updates their knowledge, learning and skills but also enhances their motivation and attitude thereby positively impacting their self-esteem and raising performance levels.

New-age tech-based platforms and content for nursing education

Today, nursing education providers and platforms make available advanced simulation-based learning and training programs for both students and working nursing professionals. Using some of the most advanced educational and digital technologies, these platforms do away with the need for an instructor thereby providing instructorless training. At the same time, they reduce both cost and time for the learners. In fact, taking individualised and flexible learning to hyper levels, they allow the students to not only learn at their own pace and convenience but also prioritise the parts of a subject that they would prefer to learn first and therefore decide the entire sequence or course of their learning. With in-built multi-sensory, precise and instant feedback systems, the students can make instant corrections and sharpen their skills and insights. With the increasing integration of AI with traditional pedagogical structures, the learning content can be tailored to a student’s interests, aptitude and motivation levels. The personalised bite-sized audio and video content and learning material, digitised textbook guides, smart notes, personalised worksheets, digital flashcards etc are offerings that make learning for nursing students truly hyper-personalised. All that a student has to do is to access the learning management systems. Most importantly, these platforms allow the delivery of world-class content designed and curated by the best nursing institutions and universities in the world to the remotest and most inaccessible locations which is important for India.