HYDERABAD, India: A conference to strengthen the nursing education system –Nursing Professional Development Conference 2019 –
held here by Medvarsity, a pioneer in online medical training, in partnership with ATI Nursing Education, USA, shed light on the nursing education scenario in India.
This conference brought together nursing leaders and educators, practitioners, medical professionals, human resource professionals in the country and from ATI Nursing Education (USA) on one platform to discuss the current nursing education system, the challenges and opportunities that are prevailing.
The agenda focused on the need for professional development and continuing education for nurses and the role of technology in nursing education. It also talked about the practical challenges that are encountered on a generic basis and solutions that can be adopted in the fields of Advanced Nursing Practices.
“Healthcare Industry is showing an exponential growth, and hospitals today are shifting focus from survival to excellence, which indicates the need for excellent healthcare workforce. Nursing being one of the cornerstones of the healthcare system and the industry changing more rapidly than almost any other field; nurses need to invest on continuing education and professional development to keep themselves updated. Medvarsity, in partnership with ATI Nursing Education, USA, is working on building technology-based nursing education programs that can be implemented at college and professional level,” Dr. Ashwin Kandula, Associate Vice President – Operations, Medvarsity Online Ltd. said at the event.
The panel discussion which followed after the informative sessions by various esteemed dignitaries brought to light the challenges in the Nursing profession/education and how technological advancements can assist in overcoming these.
Speakers like Ms. Michele Steinbeck (Director of Nursing for International & Provider Markets, Ascent Learning/ATI Nursing Education); Dr. Kristi Gearhart Burgess (Client Executive for International & Provider Markets, Ascent Learning/ATI Nursing Education); Col. Saravjeet Kaur (Nursing Director, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad); Dr. Sriharsha A. Achar (Group chief Human Resources Officer, Apollo Hospitals Group); Dr. Vasundhara (Principal, Apollo Nursing College); Ms. Sonymol (GM Nursing, Continental Hospital, Hyderabad); and Ms. Tessy Augustine (GM Nursing, Maxcure Hospitals, Hyderabad) spoke about the latest innovations in nursing. The session included discussions on the empowerment strategies, leadership roles, healthcare transformation, entrepreneurial avenues and reflection of nursing as a science in order to help up skill the community, as a whole.
Through the course of the discussion, it was noted that the current generation of nursing students are digital savvy and know their ways well through technology for knowledge acquisition. This can be made possible through adaptive learning, online instructions and simulation-based techniques. A more team-based learning environment, with the use of simulations are proving beneficial not only for the students, but for the faculty as well to help produce better quality nurses, complimenting the traditional classroom teaching. The new-age nurses are looking to make use of technology to manage electronic medical records, communicate with clients, perform physical exams and strategize care plans.