International Nurses Day: Over 50k nursing staff trained annually in Gujarat

At least 50,000 nursing professionals are trained every year in Gujarat, including around 1,000 in Surat, as healthcare institutions across the state marked International Nurses Day on May 12 under the theme ‘Our Nurses, Our Future: Nurses Save Lives’.

Healthcare experts and hospital authorities highlighted the crucial role played by nursing staff in patient care, describing them as the backbone of hospital services alongside doctors.

At New Civil Hospital, nursing staff continue to handle heavy workloads while working in high-pressure environments ranging from emergency wards to operation theatres and outpatient departments.

The nursing superintendent of the New Civil Hospital, Neerjaben Patel, said that around 810 nursing staff members at the hospital were currently caring for nearly 950 admitted patients across various wards.

According to Patel, nearly 100 nurses are deployed in different operation theatres, while others are assigned to outpatient departments, dialysis units and emergency services.

Healthcare workers noted that nurses routinely perform duties alongside doctors without concern for personal risk, especially during emergencies and disease outbreaks.

Iqbal Kadiwala, who has served during major disasters including plague outbreaks, floods, cyclones, earthquakes and the Covid-19 pandemic, said nursing professionals were guided by compassion and a strong sense of duty towards patients.

He added that nursing colleges across Gujarat, both government-run and private, collectively produce around 50,000 trained nursing professionals every year.

Meanwhile, Amritaben Ahir, who has been working in the emergency department (ER) for over two years, said nursing staff in the ER often face highly stressful situations, particularly when anxious relatives demand immediate treatment for patients.

She said nurses frequently play a key role in calming distressed family members and maintaining order while ensuring patients receive timely medical attention.

“The objective of the nursing staff is that every patient receives timely and proper treatment and returns home healthy,” Ahir said.

International Nurses Day is observed each year globally to recognise the contribution of nurses to healthcare systems and public health services.