Govt. Nurses in India Held a Nationwide Strike!

On September 2, 2016, all the Government Nurses under the aegis of ‘All India Government Nurses Federation’ went on a nationwide strike to express their agitation and dissatisfaction toward their pending demands.

The AIGNF (All India Govt. Nurses Federation) was unable to reach any concrete decision. This was due to the absence of movement either by the Health Ministry or by the Finance Ministry. The nurses had demanded that the nurses’ entry pay should be increased to Rs 5400/- from the current Rs 4600/- per month.

After the strike began, the Delhi government declared the strike illegal under the Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA). New Delhi, the National Capital seemed to have been hit the hardest by this indefinite nurses’ strike, especially due to an upsurge in Dengue and Chikunguniya cases. Due to the strike, hospitals had to call off many routine operations, scheduled surgeries had been postponed, OPD timings were curtailed, and more.

Meanwhile, the Centre had constituted a committee headed by the Finance Secretary to look into the nurse’s demands, seeking remediation of issues related to salary and allowances. To find a way out of this crisis, it was announced that the Commission, headed by the finance secretary, would meet with the representatives of nurses’ unions on September 12.

As per the decision, of the nurses’ nine demands, seven demands have been met. Although, seven of the nurses’ demands have been resolved, the strike still leaves many cities affected included Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra. It had also affected the working of PGI Chandigarh, though AIIMS wasn’t affected by the strike. 

(News source: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/nurses-call-off-strike-as-centre-agrees-to-look-into-demands-1454203)

Nurses - 5 Ways to Stay Energized Throughout Your Nursing Shift

Nurses are indispensable to the Medical World, but working a 12-hour shift is definitely a challenge for most nurses. Nurses deal with emotional and physical stressors on a regular basis, and it greatly depletes their energy.  
Here are some of the factors that determine how demanding a nurse’s shift is: 

• Personal health status
• Shift schedule
• Documentation
• Patient load
• Acuity levels
• Handling patient assistance devices

With so many factors at play, getting through the day becomes challenging for nurses. Here are five ways to stay energized as suggested by a panel of clinical health and wellness experts.  

1. Control what you can control - As a nurse, you don’t have any control over patient load or acuity. However, to lighten the load, you can make use of any assistance device available to you. You may not enjoy the liberty of choosing your work shifts, but you can maintain a regular routine. You can also control some aspects of the environment that you work in. For instance, you don’t have a say in choosing the flooring at your facility, but you can invest in a good pair of running shoes. The idea is to use your energy only on the things you can control. 
2. Limit caffeinated drinks - Caffeinated drinks are beneficial when consumed in limited amounts. When limited, caffeine can lift your mood, energy level, and concentration. On the other hand, consuming too many caffeine drinks boosts your caffeine level and leads to undetermined effects. Therefore, nurses should focus on staying hydrated through their shift. They must drink a minimum average of 10-12 glasses of water. 
3. Focus on eating and movement - To keep energy levels high throughout the day, nurses should pay attention to their eating habits and movement. Besides regular meals, nurses should eat energy boosting snacks between meals such as fresh fruits, juices, nuts, and cheese. To boost energy levels, you can also take a short break and perform some physical exercises that de-stress your body. You can do some yoga poses at your workstation; some stretching exercises while seated on the chair, or while strolling in the garden.
4. Make breaks count – A nurse’s work shift is often 12 hours long. In addition, their ideal break schedule is approximately every three hours throughout their shift. To keep themselves energetic during breaks, they should remove themselves from the work environment. It is good to move outside the break room and into an open space. When you step outside the enclosed environment, it gives you a mental break. To keep yourself rejuvenated throughout the shift, taking small breaks is necessary.
5. Reinforce your team – A good understanding between co-workers is important for the success of a shift. When one nurse has downtime, another should help the other team members and later, these efforts should be reciprocated. This team spirit strengthens the flow, despite highs and lows throughout the shift.

To excel in your nursing career, you can opt for specialization courses offered in countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. INSCOL provides top nursing study programs for internationally educated nurses, that give them the opportunity to study and work abroad.

Benefits of a Master’s Degree in the Nursing Profession

When it comes to their career, some people prefer stability, while others prefer looking for better opportunities. This fact is especially relevant to nurses. Some nurses want stability in their career, because they love what they are doing, while others dream of taking their career to the next level.

Those who want to move forward must realize that they will have to put in extra effort. For starters, they will have to pursue a master’s degree. Once they have completed it, they can make much better career choices based on their specialization.

With a master’s degree in hand, they can avail better job opportunities. They can also perform certain tasks in their current job such as accessing patient conditions, researching (if required), overseeing patient records, developing treatment plans, educating patients, and managing low-level nurses.

A nurse with a master’s degree can choose from these advanced nursing career opportunities:

• Nurse Practitioner: A nurse practitioner has the authority to treat certain medical ailments without the supervision of a doctor. These nurses are specifically trained to promote health and maintenance by treating acute illnesses and chronic conditions. They can also prescribe medications, order and perform diagnostic tests, educate patients, and examine the patient’s previous medical history. This makes it a highly-revered career with great opportunities.

• Certified Nurse Midwife: The core responsibility of a certified nurse midwife is to offer proper care to women during their pregnancy and postpartum period. Other roles of a nurse midwife involve tracking fetal development, providing primary health care for women, and referring patients to specialists. These nurses act as a support for women before and after pregnancy.

• Clinical Nurse Specialist: As a nurse specialist, you can provide expert advice related to specific conditions or pathways. Other responsibilities include implementing nursing care, teaching skills to patients and families, and implementing new ideas and changes in patient care.

• Certified Nurse Anesthetist: A nurse anesthetist is specialized in the administration of anesthesia. A certified nurse anesthetist is one of the most-highly paid nursing professions, making it an excellent career choice in the field of health care.

Apart from the aforementioned career opportunities, there are other reasons nurses can benefit by earning a master’s degree:

• Nurses Can Expect Better Working Hours Than Before: Although nursing is a highly-respected career, working hours are not usually suitable. This can make for a hectic and exhausting day. If the nurse earns a master’s degree, they will be eligible for management positions which come with more desirable working hours.

• Nurses Can Get Higher Perks: Nurses can expect much higher rewards with a master’s degree in hand due to specialization in a particular area of expertise.

• Nurses Can Also Serve As Educator: With a master’s degree, nurses can serve as an educator quite conveniently to prepare new nurses, and develop current health professionals.

In addition to these benefits, a nurse with a master’s degree will always be a source of great inspiration to others. If you are a nurse and are thinking about pursuing higher education through specialized nursing programs, explore your options at INSCOL.

Government Takes Steps to Curb Attacks on Doctors and Nurses in Government Hospitals

Yes, you read it right. Soon, all the government hospitals in India will have boards to avoid attacks on doctors, nurses and any other medical staff on duty. These boards will also be able to handle the matter with necessary charges and suitable action against the offender. 

We often hear about incidents where patients and their family members attack nurses and doctors, blaming the healthcare professionals for the deaths of patients. They also put allegations of wrong treatment as well as delay in treatment. Such instances have become quite common in government hospitals across the country. Politicians, public representatives and even small time bullies find the medical staff as the easiest target to show their influence or vent their anger. 

In fact, the Nashik Civil Hospital and Bytco Hospital in Nashik Road city has witnessed several attacks on doctors and the nurses in the past. As a result, many doctors and nurses refuse to perform duties at some of the hospitals of the district. Senior officials also reported many cases where the medical staff refused to report for the duty due to the past attacks on other staff members at the hospital. Clearly, such illegal incidents discourage the medical staff from fulfilling the job responsibilities they're expected to fulfill in the hospitals. 

However, now instructions in this regard have been clearly communicated to the Nashik Civil Surgeon by the State Health Department.As per the Civil Surgeon of the Nashik Civil Hospital, Suresh Jagdale, the boards that will be put up on the premises of the hospital will give out the message of the consequences of attacking the nurses, doctors or any medical staffers. To empower the boards, there will be a new section of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under which the offenders can be arrested by the police and summoned in the court. All these steps would set an example and possibly help in deterring such attacks on nurses and doctors. 

Along with the live data register for nurses and many other positive steps taken by the government for the benefit of the nurses and healthcare professionals, a nursing you can have a safe environment and expect to progress in the profession. 

Do you want to become a global nurse? Check out the best nursing programs in Canada, UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand offered by INSCOL. A plethora of opportunities await you. It's your time to shine!

You Think of Him Only as A Poet. He's is on the List of the Most Famous Nurses Too

Born in 1819, Walter “Walt” Whitman was a famous American poet. You may have heard of him as an essayist, journalist and even a humanist too.

Integrating both views – transcend dentalism and realism – Whitman was a part of the transition as a true humanist. Often at times called the father of free verse – Walt Whitman can be considered as one of the most influential poets in the American canon. Moreover, you might have already heard about his controversial poetry collection – Leaves of Grass.

So, you may know him as a journalist, a teacher, a government clerk and barely, you'll know him as a nurse. Yes, he not only published his poetry, he was also a volunteer nurse in the American Civil War, that too for three long years.

Listed among the top ten most famous nurses in the history, Walt Whitman was a part of the era when extraordinary women and men approved of a change. They aimed to make the nurses take over the path from the bedpan to a bachelor's degree – and that's exactly how the seeds of modern nursing were born.

Served for three years in the American Civil War as a volunteer nurse, Whitman did not have any formal nursing education. But in 1862, after his brother, George, was wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg while he was serving with the Union Army, Whitman felt motivated to visit the wounded soldiers in the military hospitals in the area of Washington, D.C.

600 hospital visits, and approximately more than 100,000 wounded soldiers, Whitman once described in a letter back home for his mother about how he brought ice cream to the wounded soldiers in the hospital's 18 wards.

He helped both their body and soul – listened to the soldiers' stories, and sent those words to their families on their behalf. He raised their spirits and also sat by them while they died – a true nurse's spirit.

As a nurse-journalist, Whitman got inspired by the war and the wounds. Being a humanist, he published 'Drum-Taps' – a book of poems about America during the Civil War. Out of which, 'When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd' and 'O Captain! My Captain!' are the most celebrated poems of the collection.

Of course, the modern era of the nursing profession has begin, for nurses like him have pioneered the revolutionary change. Are you looking for the best nursing programs overseas so that you can serve the humanity? Check out the best nursing programs at INSCOL.com and shine on!

Until next time

Night Shift Nurses - Here Are Some Survival Tips for You

How do I stay awake on my night shift? Do you often ask this question? Well the body isn’t meant to be up during those hours at night and as per the research there are some serious physiological and psychological forces working against you, in simpler words human body releases chemicals at night that induces sleep. So, if you find yourself struggling to stay awake at night here are some survival tips for you.

Get adequate amount of sleep - Working at night interrupts with normal sleeping pattern so to cope up with that it is vital for night shift nurses to get adequate sleep during daytime. Human body clock finds it difficult to adjust to sleeping during daytime, so create a sleep favorable environment by using darker color curtains in the room and eliminate any kind of noises or disturbance like doorbell or mobile phones. You can also make use of earplugs and eye masks to ensure sound sleep without any interruption. Gradually, your body will get accustomed to long periods of sleep during day and you will not find it less challenging to be up during night.

Intake of Caffeine - Intake of beverages that contain caffeine like coffee or tea is a good method to keep your body alert. Besides, caffeine is also known as an effective method to get away with fatigue. In addition, drinking plenty of water increases your oxygenation of your blood level and keeps you awake easily during long hours of night shift.

Keep your mind stimulated - Due to brain inactivity; night shifts often have periods of downtime making it difficult to stay awake during night. So, it is highly recommended to keep your brain engaged in something like organizing medical room, chalking out plans to improvise workflow in the unit. Reading an interesting book, work puzzles and teasers also keeps the mind engaged and reduces the risk of dozing off.

Trying to achieve a perfect work/life balance while working in a night shift is not an easy task however, by following above-mentioned tips and sticking to almost similar schedule even during weekends helps your body clock adjust better. Moreover, you need to prioritize your daily needs like sound sleep, nutritious food, exercise, family time to attain a healthy work-life balance.

Thus, working in a night shift is difficult but not impossible with proper focus and tips you can make it not even bearable rather enjoyable. Do you want to pursue a successful and bright nursing career abroad? Have a look at the top nursing study programs offered by INSCOL and let the transformation from an Indian Nurse to a Global Nurse begin!

DIY Ways for Nurses to Stay Stress-free All Through the Day

Here we are to help the nurses with these DIY ways of stress buster to stay stress-free during the job despite of their busy schedules. Let's take a look at the ways -

Do not sit & stand for long. We know your legs hurt at the end of the day.

Lift those legs while you sit. As a nursing professional, you rarely may get a lot of time to sit but in case you have to sit even for a short while you can utilize it to exercise by doing leg lifts. All you have to do is sit in the chair properly in a good posture and slowly lift one leg, holding it up there for 15 seconds and then slowly lowering it down. Repeat the same with other leg alternatively. Doing it even for 5-6 times will make you feel the pull on your backside, your quads and even your abdominal muscles.

Walk with the Stairs

It’s all about staying fit and maximizing your time. Shun the elevator, of course only if there is no emergency at the moment. You can also utilize your lunchtime to meet up the stairs. For the sake of your health, shape and peace you definitely can avoid surfing the Internet and opt to go up and down a few sets and if you do not find it healthy and challenging enough you can take two steps at a time. Being a nurse, you probably know very well how to talk the talk, though this way you’ll be a pro in walking the walk too!

Befriend with the Water Bottles

Yet again, you might have not even thought of using those water bottles for your exercise well-being. Water bottles do work as weights for you to exercise your arms. Carry full water bottle in each hand and start with raising your arms in front of you until they reach your shoulder height. Holding them there for few seconds, and then slowly lowering them down for 10 to 15 times would be a beneficial enough exercise for you. 

Nurses, if you want to pursue a successful and bright career in abroad, take a look at the top nursing study programs for international nurses offered by INSCOL at and let the transformation from an Indian Nurse to a Global Nurse begin!