Kalam wants India to follow Philippines model in nursing

Chennai, Sep 30 (UNI) Former President A P J Abdul Kalam today called upon India to follow the Philippines model of nursing and allow Indian nurses to practice Medicine in rural primary healthcare centres.

Dr Kalam also asked the Indian Nursing Council to review nursing courses continuously to bring them on par with the rapid advancements in healthcare system and suggested combined classes for nursing and medical students.

''There is definitely a need to look at the super specialities needed in nursing to compliment the doctors,'' Dr Kalam said and called for common classes in physiology, psychology and anatomy for graduate and postgraduate nurses along with MBBS students.

Dr Kalam was interacting with nurses and nursing students here as part of his teaching programme as a Professor of Eminence of Sri Ramachandra University.

''In India, we should conduct number of Post Graduate nursing degree courses for our working nurses through distance education system, so that we can give them career growth potential,'' he said.

He said the Nursing College of University of Philippines was indeed unique with a PhD programme in Nursing.

Qualified nurses could practice medicine in the rural primary health centres, he added.

(Eds: here pick up suitably from earlier series) UNI WS GM AE KP2009