Nurses upset about DMER’s order to report to JJ Hospital dean

Mumbai: The decision of the directorate of medical education and research (DMER) to end the autonomy of the Institute of Nursing Education (INE) has irked all those who run and work in the institution

Mumbai: The decision of the directorate of medical education and research (DMER) to end the autonomy of the Institute of Nursing Education (INE) has irked all those who run and work in the institution.

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INE, one of the oldest nursing institutions in the country, runs diploma, degree and post-grad courses. Established in 1955, it has 200 nursing students, of which 50 are pursuing post-graduation studies. Though it stands on the JJ Hospital campus, it has always been reporting directly to DMER, but with the latter’s new decision, the principal of the institution will have to report to the dean of JJ Hospital.

“Why should we report to the dean when we are qualified enough to manage the institution?” demanded Dr Nilima Sonawane, principal, INE. “The dean’s post and the principal’s post are equal. To date, our institution has been running without any problems. We do not understand why DMER took this decision.”

Dr Sonawane said that one of the reasons given by DMER was that the other nursing colleges in the state were under the respective deans of the medical college. “The reason for them being under the dean is they are diploma colleges and have been under the dean since their inception,” she said. “Ours is the only degree college and we have always been autonomous.” Dr Sonawane added that other nursing colleges too have written to DMER, expressing their unhappiness about working under the dean.

Dr Sonawane said that nurses today were highly qualified and could run the administration well. “Ten percent of all nurses in the state are PhD holders,” she said. “We have been running this institution with one clerk against the required five with no complaints. The hostel doesn’t have a warden since 2016, for which I have been writing to DMER every month. They should just focus on filling up vacant posts.”

The nurses sent the letter expressing their concerns to the chief minister and deputy chief minister last week and said they would wait for the response before they decided on their next move. “We are taking up the issue on social media,” said Sonwane. “Our representatives are meeting the authorities. If the decision does not change by next week, we will decide our next move.”

A DMER official said the decision was only to streamline the reporting process in the state. “Nothing will change except reporting,” he said. “We do not know why nurses are protesting.”