New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi Nurses Union has brought attention to a critical issue plaguing the institute, highlighting a shortage of trained hospital and sanitary attendants responsible for patient care in intensive care units (ICUs) and operation theatres (OTs).
In a letter, addressed to hospital director Dr M Srinivas, the union urged immediate action to bolster clinical area support services by recruiting more staff.
The Union has requested the director to initiate the recruitment and retention of both male and female staff in all clinical areas. According to the union, the dearth of attendants has led to operational disruptions, resulting in delays in delivering essential patient care services. A senior doctor emphasized the indispensable role of hospital and sanitary attendants in allowing doctors and nurses to concentrate on clinical and technical aspects of healthcare, reports
The Indian Express.
These attendants undertake various tasks, including assisting patients with personal hygiene, delivering meals, monitoring vital signs, and maintaining records.
A sanitary attendant also plays a crucial cleaning, maintaining, operating, or emptying equipment, and ensuring the hygiene of patients. Dr Nirupam Madan, Medical Superintendent at AIIMS Delhi, stated that the hospital's current support staff allocation adheres to established norms. However, the union's concerns are under thorough examination. The scarcity of female attendants is particularly worrisome, as their presence is crucial for ensuring patient comfort, privacy, and dignity, especially in critical care settings like ICUs and OTs. Nursing staff members expressed distress over the prolonged absence of recruitment efforts, which has directly impacted patient care quality, reports The Daily.
The AIIMS Nurses Union has urged the hospital director to prioritize recruitment and retention initiatives for both male and female staff across all clinical areas, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this pressing staffing issue.
Last year, after the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) Chandigarh had refused to employ nursing students from its institute, nearly 450 nursing students, including students from Nursing students of National Institute of Nursing Education (NINE), staged a protest in front of the institute demanding revocation of the order and recruit students who have completed their course as per the bond.
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