History, Orgin and Development of Nursing in Tamilnadu

Nursing in Tamilnadu

          In 1664 the East India Company started the first hospital at St. George, Madras.

          In 1797 a Lying-in-hospital for the poor of Madras was started.

In 1854, the government sanctioned a Training School for running mid-wives course in Madras.

Training School

The first mid-wives School was started at the government

hospital in 1871.

The  formal schools  of nursing       was       started      for

conducting diploma in general nursing and mid-wifery programmes for a duration of 3 ½ years in Madras and in other parts of Tamilnadu.

Schools of nursing offering diploma program increased slowly (there were 9 schools of nursing and 4 mid-wifery schools till 2001) conducted by government of Tamilnadu.

The number of schools conducted by government of Tamilnadu is now increased to 17 in 2003 and now the government executed to start one school of nursing in every district hospitals. The numbers of private schools have also increased.

Multipurpose health worker schools are also functioning in many places in Tamilnadu conducted by government and private bodies.

College of Nursing

A teachers training program running for a duration of one year was functioning in government hospital. In 1967 an integrated 2-½ years Bachelor Science degree nursing program attached to Madras Medical College (for trained nurses) commenced replacing the then existing diploma program.

In  1980,  diploma  in  community nursing  program was

started.

In 1983, Bachelor of Science Nursing, 4-year program was started in College of Nursing, attached to Madras Medical College.

In 1995, Master of Science (Nursing) program was started in the College of Nursing, attached to Madras Medical College.

In 2001, a post of Principal for the College of Nursing was sanctioned and started functioning. Dr. Sumathi Kumarswamy was appointed as the first Principal.

Many candidates have completed Doctoral degree in nursing.

In 2003, a College of Nursing at Madurai started functioning by the government.

Services

The cadre strength of nursing increased slowly and many categories in nursing services prompted up.

In 1962, a post of Assistant to Director of Medical Services was created and filled at the state level.

A post of Deputy Director of Nursing at the state level was created in 1986, and Dr Sumathi Kumaraswamy was appointed as the first Deputy Director of Medical Education in Nursing in 1992.

The Development of Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Training (Rural

Health Services).

During the Second World War, there was a great demand for nursing personnel in the military hospitals as well as in the civil hospitals. So auxiliary nurses midwife services was founded in 1942. This course was simple and the duration of training period was shorter than the nursing course.

The nurses under this course were posted to do useful work under supervision in the hospital, or in the health centre and to give domiciliary care. Auxiliary nurse midwives were prepared to meet the demands of the health personnel in the community development programmes.

After the independence and in the Second Five Year Plan, it was decided to prepare six thousand auxiliary nurses and midwives. The private hospitals also were requested to co-operate with the Government to start such training institution.

The government hospitals were given facilities to train the auxiliary nurse midwife since 1955.

Today the auxiliary nurse midwife has a vital role in the health services of the rural health centers such as primary health centre, family welfare centre, Maternity and Child Health centers. They can work as a midwife and a health worker in the community. They are also given opportunity to be trained as health visitors or as nurses if they have the basic educational requirements.

The practice of the auxiliary nurse midwife in the rural center had helped to improve the health status of the people, by health teaching, domiciliary care, and regular follow-up of patients and families. Auxiliary nurse midwife in the present health care delivery system functions as a Multipurpose Female Health

Worker.

With the present introduction of vocational courses such as nursing in the academic stream as one of the options, it is believed that it will contribute towards the basic nursing care of individuals, families and community for health and happiness. It will also be a foundation course for future diploma and degree programs in nursing.