All nursing schools in K'taka to be upgraded to colleges

Bellary, Karnataka, July 8 (UNI) The Karnataka Government is contemplating to upgrade all nursing schools in the State to nursing colleges by 2010, Medical Education Minister V S Acharya said today.

At a review meeting held at the Vijayanagara Institute of Medical Science (VIMS) College here, he said strict guidelines have been framed for the nursing schools to maintain quality and service.

Dr Acharya said the problems of the teaching faculty, including promotions and increments, would be discussed in detail after August 31, when the admission process for medical colleges would be completed. Medical Education and Health Department Principal Secretary Usha Ganesh would convene a meeting and the problems would be sorted out, within the guidelines of the Medical Council of India (MCI). He also assured to consider fresh recruitments.

The Minister said a full-fledged nursing and dental college on VIMS campus were on the anvil as there was no dental college for around 150 km in the region.

About private nursing school students crowding hospitals for practical knowledge, he said strict instructions would be given to all existing private nursing institutes in the State to set up their own hospital with a minimum of 100 beds.

UNI XR GD TS1658