There is a need to improve the working conditions and status of nurses in India

Shanti Teresa Lakra, G.B. Pant Hospital-Port Blair (India), who has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2023 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award has been working with Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands of India, and is deeply committed to ensuring that adverse health conditions should not lead to their extinction. On International Nurses Day 2023, in interaction with Kalyani Sharma, emphasises that the evolution of the nursing workforce as an independent professional body and in building a quality workforce of nursing professionals requires a combination of education and training, professional recognition, and career advancement opportunities

Congratulations on your selection as a finalist for the 2023 Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award. Please tell us about your work so far in the healthcare sector and your areas of interest.

I am working as a grass-root level worker, an auxiliary nurse midwife in the Health Department of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration for the last two decades. Currently, I am posted in the Tribal Section of the G B Pant Hospital, Port Blair, exclusively for the welfare of PVTGs, which are Jarwa, Onge, Shompen, Andamanese and Sentinels. During this time, I have gained extensive experience in various fields of nursing. In this section, I attend to the referral of PVTGs from different parts of the Islands, from their admission to discharge and after following up to their habitat, doing outreach field visits to their habitat of PVTGs for providing treatment to the tribes, conducting Tribal health camps, multi-specialty health camps, Disease burden surveys, health & Nutrition surveys, all from time to time, along with the ICMR Team and Andaman & Nicobar Tribal Research Institution.

Tribal Women are usually very shy in nature and not able to describe their health problems. I developed trust and became close to them so that it becomes easy for them to share their health problems and receive better treatment. I have worked in some of the most challenging and demanding healthcare environments, including isolated remote islands with no basic facilities, the natural disasters of 2004, and the COVID-19 pandemic, where I had to demonstrate courage, skills, and dedication.

I have a patient-centered approach to nursing where I believe in providing the best quality of care to the patients to ensure that their needs are met, and they feel comfortable and supported during their most vulnerable moments. My area of interest includes improving access to healthcare for the PVTGs population and enhancing the role of nursing in disaster management and emergency response.

You are working with Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Andaman & Nicobar Islands of India. What are the major challenges faced by tribal communities in India? Can you share your experience with them?

Tribal communities in India face various challenges, including social, economic, political, and healthcare-related issues. As the population grows and modernisation increases, there is a risk of indigenous tribes losing their traditional ways of life and culture. Due to the lack of access to food, water, and livelihood, many tribal communities are moving to towns/cities, leaving their ancestral land. Health issues in isolated remote islands are one of the major problems faced by them due to limited healthcare facilities, lack of sensitisation, and language barriers. Many tribal communities suffer from health conditions like communicable diseases and other lifestyle diseases, hypertension, and diabetes. Lack of education makes them less exposed to job opportunities and better employment.

As a nurse working with PVTGs of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, I experience several challenges like cultural differences, language barriers, and drastic weather conditions.

India is battling a shortage of nurses and midwives. What is the need of the hour in this direction? Where are the gaps and how can we fill them?

A. Shortage of nurses and midwives is a major challenge in the healthcare sector of India. Firstly, nursing schools and colleges have to be increased, especially in remote and backward areas of states and cities. This will require investment in infrastructure, faculty, and curriculum development. Public awareness about the role of nurses and midwives in the healthcare sector has to be increased.

There is a need to improve the working conditions and status of nurses in India by providing better salaries, benefits, opportunities for career advancement, and recognition. Many nurses are doing their best in nursing care with full dedication, but they are not appreciated.

What can help in the evolution of the nursing workforce as an independent professional body and in building a quality workforce of nurse professionals?

Professional associations like the Trained Nurses Association of India and regulatory bodies like Indian Nursing Council can help in the evolution of the nursing workforce by providing a platform for collaboration, networking, and knowledge sharing. These bodies play a key role in promoting the nursing profession as a whole.

The evolution of the nursing workforce as an independent professional body and in building a quality workforce of nursing professionals requires a combination of education and training, professional recognition, and career advancement opportunities. By investing in these areas, we can ensure that nursing professionals are equipped to provide high-quality care in the healthcare system.

Can you share some tips on achieving a work-life balance as a nursing professional dealing with a huge workload and multiple shifts?

Achieving a work-life balance as a nursing professional requires giving first priority to self-care to maintain physical and mental well-being, as the phrase ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’ suggests. A nurse should develop a schedule that allows for perfect timing with patients as well as at home, with no stress or tension. She should practice yoga and meditation for stress management, take regular breaks during shifts, and seek support from colleagues to manage stress and improve overall well-being. In community centres or health and wellness centres where nurses are required to attend to patients 24/7 with a huge workload of making reports and records, managing time effectively by planning and prioritising tasks, and using technology to help manage time can be helpful.