Nursing students’ hostel faces unending problems

Nursing students’ hostel faces unending problems

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Oct 15, 2016: A visit to ladies hostel of School of Nursing in Wenlock hospital premies presents a dismal picture of broken doors, broken window rods and lack of security among other aspects. The hostel has neither a security personnel nor a warden.

Students from poor families, who are pursuing four-year nursing programme from across the state, reside in the hostel. The backdoor of the hostel is in a dilapidated condition and might collapse at any moment. Though the door is locked for safety of the inmates, the lock appears to have been fixed for ‘namesake’ as the door is very weak.

The grills of  the windows have broken and miscreants can have an easy access inside the building. This has raised a question on the safety of girl students who reside here. Hundreds of people daily come inside the premises of Wenlock Hospital. People walk on the hospital premises even at night. Even during day time, people sleep near the door of the hostel.

On the one hand, there is no security to guard the safety of students and on the other hand, there is lack of staff in the hostel. The 134 students of the School of Nursing along with 53 ANMs of the hospital have their food at the hostel. Unfortunately, there are only two cooks to prepare food in shifts.

The trainees are likely to get admitted to the hostel from November. With this, the number of inmates in the hostel will increase, thus increasing the burden of the cooks as well. Fish curry is prepared for the afternoon meals, except Fridays and Wednesdays. As one cook finds it difficult to prepare food for 187 persons, the nursing students lend a helping hand in cooking.

Scholarship issue
The students from Davangere, Kalburagi, Shivamogga and other districts pursue their studies in the School of Nursing. The students are given a monthly scholarship of Rs 1,000. In addition, the state government has increased the scholarship amount to Rs 1,500 from the month of October. But the scholarship amount is not yet released to the students here for the last nine months.

Though there are 134 students, there are only five teaching staff, including the principal in the School of Nursing. According to the guidelines of Indian Nursing Council, there should be one teaching staff for every 10 students. Going by the guidelines, the School of Nursing should have minimum of 15 teaching staff.

In the past, two rooms of the Wenlock Hospital OPD were used for conducting classes. However, from last February, classes have been shifted to a renovated building near the hostel in the hospital premises.

“We look into the safety of the students during day time. As our houses are located in different parts of Mangaluru city, we cannot stay back at the hostel during night time,” a teaching staff told DH.

“We have been writing to the state government through the district surgeon to appoint security personnel, a warden and improve other facilities in the hostel. But no measures
have been initiated so far,” the staff said.

The hostel has only two workers for cleaning and sweeping, hired on contract basis. Some rooms adjacent to kitchen on the ground floor of the hostel are also in ruins.