SOCIETY

Kerala male nurses storm traditional female bastion

     Kochi (Kerala): Kerala has acquired the reputation of being known as the nursery of the country's nursing profession. But the profession is undergoing a change of sorts with male nurses storming what has largely been seen as a female bastion till now. The trickle of male nurses in the last few decades now seems to have become a deluge. Lucrative nursing options in countries like the United States, Britain and the Gulf have convinced males to take up training in professional nursing colleges in the state. For instance, in Kochi, which is said to be among the main centres for recruitment and training of nurses, an entry-level doctor-graduate earns less than 9,000 rupees (206 dollars) a month as compared to 6000 rupees (138 dollars) by a qualified nurse. The same nurse earns over 35,000 rupees (804 dollars) in Gulf countries. In Britain, the nurses earn as much as 1,500 rupees (35 dollars) per hour. The money is besides other perquisites such as health insurance etc.

     According to Dr. Chandrakanti Amma, the principal of one of the main training institutes for nurses in Kochi, the number of males entering the nursing profession is growing at nearly by 10 percent each year. "Even boys with high marks in physics, chemistry and biology, even those who secured over 90 percent marks are giving the first preference to BSc (Bachelor of Science) Nursing. There are more job opportunities for nurses now, especially for boys in the US, UK and other countries," Amma said. While female nurses from India have always been admired for their diligence at work and their compassionate nature towards patients, the huge amount of physical labour involved in various tasks at hospitals is among the reasons being ascribed to the growing demand for male nurses as well. Male nurses are being called upon to handle the more physically demanding activities such as the lifting of patients on and off the stretcher, helping incapacitated patients, or in the movement of heavy medical equipment. "Earlier, nursing was essentially a female-dominated profession. But now in places such as the casualty or the emergency room, male nurses are also definitely in demand. It is no longer a field run by female nurses alone," The shortage of over 300,000 nurses worldwide is expected to grow to over 800,000 in the next 15-20 years. And although nursing needs in all developing countries are up, it is the US demand that is most awesome. The fact that usually most male patients demand a male nurse has generated enough scope for their quick employment.

      Nursing as a career for Boys is a challenge and of course more interesting than other fields. Its about being bold, courageous, intelligent and also empathetic. There are greener pastures for male nurses in India and abroad According to Erica Ikon, a Los Angeles-based writer, the first nursing school started in India around 250 B.C., when only men were considered "pure" enough to become nurses. The Indian Army has a long history of male nurses, as do other branches of the armed services. It should not come as a surprise that 25-30 percent of the military nursing population is male. There are more men in nursing than ever before. They account for six percent of the nursing population and this figure grows yearly. According to the National Survey of Registered Nurses, 13 percent of the students in nursing schools are men. Men are attracted to the profession for the same reason women are. Nursing is consistently ranked as one of the most respected and trusted professions in the nation. It is a high-demand career that offers a lot of flexibility. Nurses feel rewarded when they are saving lives and helping people According to Usha Albuquerque, a career consultant, healthcare will soon join the ranks of hotspot careers as more and more corporates set up hospitals and clinics across the country. With the Indian Government in no position to spend more on medical care, the Rs 60,000-crore healthcare services market is being taken over by the private sector.

    A recent CII McKinsey study sees the healthcare sector growing at 13 per cent per annum. No wonder, large companies like Apollo, Wockhardt, Max, Fortis, Tata and Duncans are setting up state-of- the-art hospitals and clinics across the country. All this action translates into growing opportunities for healthcare professionals  not just doctors, nurses and technicians, but managers and administrators as well. Moreover, as people become more health conscious the money they are willing to spend on healthcare has shot up. Medical tourism is a buzzword now, with foreigners coming to India for cost-effective medical treatment. Indian nurses are in great demand today in countries like the USA, UK, Germany, Japan, the Philipinnes, Norway and Sweden. In fact, 20 per cent of nurses passing out of nursing schools in India go abroad. Male nurses too are in demand in physiotherapy units, trauma care centres, intensive care and coronary care units, she says.
-Aug 23, 2005

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