Nursing students lament lack of job security

Tirupati : BSc Nursing students and contract staff nurses held a demonstration to protest against the poor working conditions they have endured for over 13 years. They gathered before the administrative block of Ruia hospital on Wednesday and raised slogans in support of their demands saying that since 2011, the recruitment of regular staff nurses by the state government has come to a halt, leaving hundreds of qualified nurses to work on a contract basis without any job security or benefits.

The nurses, who hold degrees and postgraduate qualifications in General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM), BSc Nursing and MSc Nursing, have voiced their concerns about the lack of permanent positions despite their extensive experience in clinical practice and teaching. They have expressed their disappointment that while new posts for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and GNM trainees are being filled, those who have been on the frontlines for over a decade remain neglected.

“Our situation is dire. We have been working under contract since 2016, with no allowances, no paid leave, no health insurance and no employee health schemes. We risk our health and lives every day, exposed to infectious diseases, accidents and other hazards, yet we receive no financial assistance aside from our meagre monthly pay,” said one of the protestors.

“Some of us have crossed the upper age limit to qualify for a regular post now. Despite having more than 15 years of service, we still have no job security and our quality of life has only deteriorated,” lamented another nurse.

They have been demanding regularisation of their posts, job security and for the benefits that are due to any government employee in the health sector. They also appealed to state authorities to resolve their long-standing struggle, urging them to acknowledge their service and end their persistent hardship.