44 nursing schools in Punjab upgraded to colleges

LAHORE: Punjab finally upgraded all 44 nursing schools to nursing colleges here on Tuesday by the personal efforts of Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid. Now all the nurses shall be awarded degrees instead of diplomas.

The Pakistan Nursing Council has also granted approval for the transformation of these 44 nursing schools into nursing colleges. Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said that now nurses shall be able to complete Masters and PhDs. She said that no previous government ever took such a step for the welfare of the nurses.

The minister said that the up-gradation to nursing colleges has been announced as per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar. She said, “For the first time in history, 500 male nurses have been recruited by the government. The Shahdra Nursing College has been reserved for the training of male nurses. In the next two years, another five nursing colleges will be set up. Nurses were ignored in the past.

The stipend of nurses has been increased from 20,000 to 31,000. The transformation of nursing schools into nursing colleges is a revolutionary step. All the students shall be given BSc degrees. This step has been taken to improve the level of nursing profession. Now every year, 2,350 nurses will be given admissions instead of 1600. The BSc Nursing degree shall be acknowledged the world over.

Dr Yasmin Rashid said, “Two midwifery schools will be upgraded to midwifery colleges in Lahore and Chakwal. The improvement in nursing and midwifery cadres was need of the hour. For the first time, our government has hired 5,000 nurses including male nurses. We have sent a requisition to the Punjab Public Service Commission for hiring of another 1,700 new nurses including 10 per cent quota of male nurses. The Punjab government is taking all historical steps for improvement in nursing. In hospital settings the role of nurses is of critical importance among staff. Our department was working for this improvement of nursing schools into nursing colleges for two years. We have 70 master and 700 nursing faculty members. Another 70 nurses are completing their masters. Along with Nursing, we are also focusing on improving the capacity of the faculty.”

The minister added that Pakistan Nursing Council has approved nursing colleges on availability of adequate nursing faculty and facilities. She said efforts were under way to facilitate master students to proceed for PhDs at Agha Khan University. The government shall provide scholarships to students of nursing, she added.