Indira Gandhi National Open University offers bridge course for nurses, RNRMs

Visakhapatnam: Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare offering new bridge course in Community Health and Nursing being offered from August 10.

The IGNOU has developed the course with an objective to improve knowledge, skills and competencies of nurses, Registered Nurse Registered Midwife (RNRM) and Ayurveda practitioners to enable them to serve as Mid-level Providers (MLPs) for strengthening the Primary Health Care Services across the country.

This is a programme of six months duration and offered to the working nurses and RNRMs. The beneficiaries have been sponsored by the state government with the support of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi.

As a part of the course, the IGNOU Visakhapatnam Regional Centre has established five Programme Study Centres (PSC) at all five districts in its jurisdiction. 

The Directorate of Public Health and Family Welfare, Andhra Pradesh, has already selected candidates and allotted to the respective Programme Study Centres and the classes will begin from August 10, said Dr S Raja Rao, Regional Director of Visakhapatnam.

The students would be provided intensive practical training during the programme by posting them at district hospital, Community Health Centre, Primary Health Centre, Sub-Centre and Urban Primary Health Centre for 50 days covering different departments. 

The Programme Study Centres for the Bridge course are located at the Government College of Nursing, Srikakulam, District Hospital, Vizianagaram, Government College of Nursing, Visakhapatnam, Government College of Nursing, Kakinada and District Hospital, Eluru. On completion of the bridge programme, they would be appointed as Mid-level Providers by the state government at Primary Health Centres.