PGIMER Nurses Cry Foul Over Staff Shortage Crisis

Nurses at PGIMER's Advanced Maternal and Child Care Centre (AMCC) are raising serious concerns regarding critical nursing staff shortages and alleged administrative mismanagement. The PGI Nurses Welfare Association (PNWA) has formally represented these issues, highlighting that the facility became operational without deploying the sanctioned nursing personnel.

This lack of staff has led to an untenable situation where a single nursing officer is reportedly responsible for over 10 newborns in critical care areas. This ratio starkly contrasts with the established norm of one nurse for every two to three neonates, as per the staff inspection unit.

The association warns that this severe deficit is causing profound physical and mental exhaustion among existing nursing staff. Furthermore, it poses a significant risk to the safety of newborns, as well as antenatal and postnatal patients. They allege that nursing personnel are unfairly blamed for clinical gaps stemming from these systemic manpower shortages.

Documents reveal that the health ministry sanctioned 243 nursing officer, 13 senior nursing officer, and one deputy nursing superintendent posts for the AMCC. However, the PNWA claims none of these crucial positions have been filled. Additionally, no assistant nursing superintendent posts were sanctioned for essential ground-level supervision.

Existing vacancies across PGIMER, including 50 nursing officer and 85 senior nursing officer posts, exacerbate the problem. The PNWA has requested an independent inquiry into the centre's relocation and oversight, immediate deployment of the sanctioned nursing staff to meet patient-nurse ratios, and a directive against the alleged targeting of nursing personnel.