| | 8 December 2019HIGHERReviewIN MY VIEWNurses are the linchpin of the internation-al health sector since the time immemorial. But what is the linchpin? It is a pin that passes through up to the end of an axle to keep the wheel in position and running. That is the crucial and vital role of nurses too, in hospitals, and they tirelessly work to ensure delivery of comprehensive health care to patients irrespective of their economic and social status. Nurses' duty commenc-es from the very moment, the patient is wheeled into the hospital premises and ends only when the final discharge slip is handed over. Nurses provide the bulk of daily care, serve as liaisons between patients and physicians and, in some cases, even fill the role of doctors.India, because of its trained manpower of nurses, is acclaimed across the globe for having a rich repository of care providers. But, a robust ecosystem to ensure con-stant deployment of nurses in the health sector is yet to be established at desired and required levels, so as to meet the burgeoning demand of trained nursing hands.We will also have to mobilize more strong political will to invest in building effective evidence-based nursing and midwifery workforce development in the country. Nurses' responsibilities vary by specialization or unit but most share more similarities than differences. To meet this uphill task of having well-trained hands, we need more nursing colleges with sound training pro-grams in a time-bound fashion. Over the years, resolutions on nursing and midwifery adopted by the WHO and World Health Assembly have helped to provide a strong foundation for strengthening nursing and midwifery services. We must also develop and regularly strengthen strat-egies such as: the capacity of nursing and midwifery workforce through the provision of support to healthcare providers on having the optimum number of nurses, ac-tion plans for reorientation courses and cohesive working among interdisciplinary health teams at the facilities.As we are inching towards, the universal health pro-grams, we have to ensure that India produces an ade-quate number of nurses every year. We have to ensure an educated, competent and motivated nursing and midwifery workforce within effective and responsive health systems at all levels and in different settings; ad-vanced training through intra and inter-professional collaborative partnerships, education and continuing professional development.In India, we want more nursing colleges as our nurses are the best. There is a huge demand for nurses interna-tionally and well-trained hands are preferred everywhere. NURSES ARE THE LINCHPIN OF HEALTH SECTOR INTERNATIONALLY AND ROBUST ECOSYSTEM MUST BE DEVELOPED FOR INFLOW OF TRAINED HANDSUpasana Arora, Chief Executive Officer, Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals
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