‘Nursing Association demands exemption for senior staff in corona ward’
Udaipur : Udaipur administration and medical department sighed relief on Tuesday after all the people who had come in contact with the two new positive cases in Udaipur were tested negative. The husband and grandchild of the 55-year old nurse of the MB hospital found infected a day ago, were tested negative and so were six of the tenants who lived in a portion of her house in Panna Vihar colony under Sukher police station area. Meanwhile the people who came in contact with the 15 year old boy in Salumber and one positive case in Thamla of Mavli block ,too were found free of the virus infection, a report from the CMHO office said. Vegetables, milk and grocery supply was ensured by the administration on Tuesday in the curfew bound colonies in New Bhupalpura area.
Meanwhile, nursing staff specially female and elderly one have expressed their discontent over being pressurized to work in the corona ward. So far two female senior nurses have contracted the infection who had given the duty in corona wards. According to sources, there are 5 blocks in the corona ward and each block has 2 incharges each. Some 15 female nurses above 50 years are said to have been given the charge of these blocks while there are ample number of young male nursing staff who have been exempted from the responsibility. On the condition of anonymity, one of a senior nursing staff said that despite clear guidelines from the government over not deputing nurses above 50 years in the ward, the norms are being ignored.
The nursing association has moved a letter to the MB hospital authorities to look into the matter urgently. ” Earlier too we had warned the hospital authorities about the health risk of the nursing staff who are nearing retirement or above fifty years of age. These people have greater chances of being infected and hence they should be exempted from duty in the corona ward but the nursing superintendent does not pay heed to the guidelines nor listen to the authorities. We are moving the complaint to collector to take strict action” Praveen Kumar Charpota, district president of Rajasthan Nursing Association told Udaipur Kiran.
He also said quarantine guidelines too are being taken casually. The nurse who was supposed to stay in a hotel during the quarantine period had to go home because she could not find a room in the hotel which was turned into quarantine facility for nursing staff. Meanwhile, Thomas K.I , secretary of the Udaipur Chirstian Fellowship also has requested the MB hospital administration not to depute senior female nursing staff in corona wards. ” Many of the Keralite nurses who are above 50 years or nearing retirement are working in corona wards which is risky to their lives as there is lesser rate of recovery for old people getting infected of the novelcorona, hence the younger staff should be given the responsibility” he said.