Scope of Nursing in India

There was a time when professional nurses had very little choice of service because nursing was centered in the hospital and bedside nursing. Career opportunities are more varied now in India for a number of reasons. Career options include:

A staff nurse provides direct patient care to one patient or a group of patients. Assists ward management and supervision. Directly responsible to the ward supervisor.

Ward sister or nursing supervisor, responsible to the nursing superintendent for the nursing care management of a ward or unit. Takes full charge of the ward. Assigns work to nursing and non-nursing personnel working in the ward. Responsible for safety and comfort of patients in the ward. Provides teaching sessions if it is a teaching hospital.

Department supervisor/assistant nursing superintendent responsible to the nursing superintendent and deputy nursing superintendent for the nursing care and management of more than one ward or unit for example the surgical department or out-patient department.

Deputy nursing superintendent responsible to the nursing superintendent and assists in the nursing administration of the hospital.

Nursing superintendent responsible to the medical superintendent for safe and efficient management of hospital nursing services.

A Director of Nursing is responsible for both nursing service and nursing educations within a teaching hospital.

Community health nurse (CHN) services focus on the reproductive child health programme.

Teaching in nursing. The functions and responsibilities of the nursing instructor include planning, teaching and supervising the learning experiences for students. Positions in nursing education include clinical instructor, tutor, senior tutor, lecturer, and associate professor, Reader in nursing and professor in nursing.

Industrial nurses provide first aid, care during illness, health education about industrial hazards and prevention of accidents. The Military Nursing Service became a part of the Indian Army, and nurses became commissioned officers who earned ranks from lieutenant to major general.

Nursing service abroad, salaries and professional opportunities have led to increases in nursing service abroad.

Nursing service administrative positions. At the state level the Deputy Director of Nursing at the state health directorate. The highest administrative position on a national level is the Nursing Advisor to the Govt. of India.

Nursing Informatics is also a scope for Nurses in India . Indian Nurses uses Information Technology for patient care, for example Digital thermometer to EHR.

Independent Nurse Midwife Practitioner pilot project completed successfully.