NSNA reacts to state govt.’s statement

Reacting to the state government’s proposed amendment Nagaland Staff Nurse Association (NSNA) said the Nagaland Nursing Service Rules (NSR) which came into force from 21-05-1988, was not a cause for discontentment among the serving nurses. NSNA president Catherine in a press release, pointed out that the discontentment arose because the department was promoting only BSC/Diploma Staff Nurses from time to time in gross violation of the existing 1988 Service Rules. 

NSNA pointed out that candidates holding B.Sc. Nursing/Nursing Tutor/Diploma Nursing Education would be given two advance increments. 1. Staff Nurse (a. Matriculate desirable P.U.C. Passed. b. Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife. or B.Sc. Nursing); Nursing Tutor (1. Registered Nurse and Registered Mid-Wife. 2. Diploma in Nursing Education and Administration/B.Sc. or Post Basic in Nursing.); 3. Experienced as Staff Nurse for 3 (three) years only 2 years for B.Sc. Nursing holders. 3. Public Health Nurse Tutor (a. Registered Nurse and Registered Mid-wife. b. Diploma in Nursing Education and Administration. B.Sc. Nursing or Post-basic B.Sc. in Nursing). c. Experienced as Staff Nurse for 3 (three) years and only 2 years for B.Sc. Nursing degree holders.) 4. O.T. Sister/Diet Sister (a. Registered Nurse and Registered Mid-Wife. b. Must have passed/trained in operation theatre and Dietary course respectively of not less than 6 months duration. c. Experienced as Staff Nurse for 3(three) years.) 5. Nursing Sister/Linen Sister (a. Registered Nurse and Registered Mid-Wife. b. Experienced as Staff Nurse/Public Health Nurse for 3 years. c. Passed Ward sister course of not less than 3 month duration.) 6. Public Health Nurse (a. Registered Nurse and Registered Mid-Wife. b. Diploma in Public Health Nurse/B.Sc. or post-basic, B.Sc. Nursing.) 7. Asstt. Matron (Gazetted), (Redesignated as Asstt. Supdt. Nursing).– a. Passed Diploma in Nursing Administration Nursing Education and Public Health Nurse course. b. Experienced as Nursing Sister/Nursing Tutor or Public Health Nurse Tutor for 5 (five) years. 8. Matron/Principal Tutor (Gazetted), (Redesignated as Asstt.Supdt. Nursing) a. Masters Degree in Nursing or B.Sc or post-basic degree in Nursing. b. Diploma in Nursing Education and Administration. c. Experienced as Asstt. Matron for 5(five) years. 9. Nursing Supdt. (Gazetted), (Redesignated as Jt.Director Nursing) a. Diploma in Nursing Education and administration/B.Sc. or Post-degree in Nursing. b. 3 (three) years experience as Asstt.Nursing Supdt. or if equivalent. c. 5 (five) years experience as Matron.

NSNA made it clear that a Staff Nurse was not required to fulfil all the criteria in serials shown against each post, but it is either of the criteria in serials shown against each post.

It said there was equal promotional avenues for all staff nurses as per the 1998 Service Rules while the draft Service Rules of 2014 prepared by a committee was aimed at regularising irregularities in gross violation of the 1998 Service Rules and that was why NSNA has rejected the draft Service Rules 2014. If the government could appoint excess 70,000 employees, NSNA said the H&FW department could persuade the government to create 41 Gazetted posts, 72 more Nursing sisters and equivalent posts, 52 more Staff Nurse posts, which would be an extra-ordinary achievement of the Department.