Nurse teachers in Kerala live a miserable and frustrated life. The decision to step into teaching side has put their life in disappointment. Many will leave the job shortly if the authorities remain deaf.
Salary at private colleges
In Kerala faculties with 10 years after M.Sc are paid Rs.35,000. Those with 7 years after M.Sc are paid Rs. 27,000, 1-5 years after M.Sc are paid Rs.20, 000 to 25, 000 and those with M.Sc less than 1 year are paid Rs. 15,000. The system of yearly salary increment also has stopped. Managing a family with this amount is indeed a herculean task. Half the salary is spent on house rent and another half for a housemaid for looking after kids. Remaining expenses are met at the mercy of spouse.
We are underpaid and exploited.
Zero future for M. Sc Nursing
M.Sc nursing course is almost vanishing from the private colleges. Today’s student realised the fact that a nurse teacher is paid less than a staff nurse. M.Sc seats in private colleges are running vacant. Fall of admissions for P.G is a sign of the fall of our profession. Nursing education has just reduced to a programme which trains someone to get a basic degree certificate so that they can fly abroad. Nursing education has reached a miserable stage, where the teachers recommend the students not to join higher education and put their life in trouble.
Majority of faculties look at the college merely as a short term platform before flying abroad. Instead of demanding better pay, they direct their mind and energy in preparing IELTS/OET exams. Their dream of becoming a teacher is collapsed due to this professional retardation. Others who do not have a plan to go abroad are trying to jump from this profession at the earliest for a better life.
Teaching, which requires high dedication and positive attitude is losing all its qualities in nursing colleges as a result of this hopelessness.
The decline of higher education is undoubtedly the decline of the profession.
We are paid less than a daily wager!
In Kerala, daily wagers earn Rs.800 per day in an average. Experienced skill labourers, supervisors, middlemen, farmers, Class IV workers in the government sector are earning Rs.1000 to Rs.3000 per day. Moreover, have a pay raise at every interval. No doubt; their reward is far better than a teacher with post-graduation in nursing. It is a shame for us and for our authority, which remain deaf for our issues.
How part-time approach can save us?
Duty time of nursing teachers is 7 or 8 hrs/day. We are usually assigned with 100 hours of theory classes and three to four months of clinical supervision. We can easily manage these 100 hours even if we are present at the college for 4 hrs/day for 3 months. Clinical supervision also can be managed in 4 or 5 months with these 4 hrs/ day schedule with shift duties. Remaining file works, examination related works, correction of student assignments etc also can be managed in these 4 hours during other months. Few hours can also be saved by avoiding those works, enforced for the sake of someone who dislikes breaking the chain of useless conventional rules. Indeed it has no significance either in fostering students learning or professional growth.
Reducing working hours will never affect the students learning. Majority of faculties are skill full in accomplishing the task less than the time allotted for them. The faculties who work efficiently, usually get extra hours at the college just for relaxing. These hours can be managed to earn better from out the college.
Thus, the job in a nursing college can be reduced to at least 60%. The remaining 40% time can be managed for better earning. Cutting down ‘hours in a day’ or ‘days in a week’ can be implemented.
Smart work instead of lengthy work is the choice of today.
Request to authorities
We are aware of the fact that the authority is helpless with the matter of pay raise. But please make a plan for reducing our working hours so that we can manage a few hours for an extra part-time job for a decent living. Help us not to leave the profession.
Requesting for an urgent response.
Well pointed Manu. It’s the high time to be together and address the issues of Nursing Teachers.
Yes. Many teachers with passion to engage in patient care are ready to do so. But here the issue is salary. No one to protest and no one to support. We deserve a better life. In south India, especially Kerala, being a nurse teacher has put the life desperate and discouraging.
It’s a good idea.. .however it’s because of our own mistake. As teachers are not involved in direct health care. . It’s time to think dual role for teachers so that they can work in hospital as well as in college for their professional development which in turn provides sense of job security