BACKGROUND: The role of nurse practitioner (NP) emerged in early 1965 when general practitioners began working with nurses. Evidence across the world highlights the benefits achieved by the NP role. The Indian Nursing Council (INC) implemented a country-wide NP in critical care (NPCC) program with the approval of the ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) in 2017. The NP role is in its infancy in India. Hence, there is a need to assess the perception among beneficiaries and healthcare personnel. This study was conducted to assess the perception, perceived scope, and potential barriers for developing the role of NPs in India among beneficiaries and healthcare providers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study was conducted at AIIMS Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, among 205 participants (84 beneficiaries, 78 nurses, and 43 physicians) using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Likert scales and socio-demographic sheets were used to assess the perception, perceived scope of practice, and potential barriers in developing a NP cadre in India. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analyzing data. RESULTS: The mean age of beneficiaries was 37.98, nurses was 27.58, and physicians was 28.13 years, respectively. 121 (61%) of participants were highly favored, and 77 (38%) were in favor of developing NP cadre in India. They considered it to be necessary, feasible, and acceptable in India. The feasibility and necessity of the perception domain were highly significant ( P < 0.001 and P < 0.003, respectively). Nurses (mean ± SD: 35.36 ± 3.55) considered that NPs could have a wide range of practice followed by beneficiaries (mean ± SD: 38.17 ± 3.68) than physicians (mean ± SD: 34.75 ± 5.95). Lack of awareness, the nonexistence of cadre structure, lack of acceptance of the role of physicians, and lack of clear policy were the key potential barriers to develop an NP cadre in India. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, participants had favorable views on employing NPs in India; thus, this role will improve healthcare access for beneficiaries. NPs can carry out a wide range of practices.However, a lack of awareness, no cadre structure, and a lack of a clear policy may hinder the development of the NP cadre in India.

Background: Freshly registered nurses’ experience of conversion from student to skilled professionals calls for making significant adjustments to shifting personal and professional roles at the beginning of their career as a nurse. Nursing education is aimed to help students to become beginning practitioners in the field of nursing. This study was taken up to explore the perception of the outgoing nursing students about their readiness to work in the clinical settings after graduation. On completion of graduation, these budding practitioners are anticipated to adjust in the clinical settings rapidly and be proficient of providing innocuous care for patients with multifaceted care needs. It is expected from graduate nurses to be well equipped for clinical practice, but reality may be different and there could be numerous barriers associated with it.Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. A total of 176 outgoing graduate nursing students were selected using total enumerative sampling from different colleges of state of Uttarakhand and were asked to complete a demographic data sheet and self- reported readiness to clinical practice questionnaire.Results: Results have shown that more than half of the outgoing graduate nursing students were not ready for clinical practice. Most of them recognized sleep disturbance, low salary, lack of time and documenting error as barrier for their readiness to clinical practice.Conclusions: The findings of the study show that 63.3% of outgoing graduate nursing students were not ready to work in clinical area which is a matter of concern with the rising healthcare needs and increasing demands of the consumers of health. The results call for a change in the working condition for the nursing staff and a raise in wages worth making them to opt for clinical practice.

No abstract

Background: Childhood plays a crucial role in moulding an individual personality and also helps in preventing various communicable and non-communicable diseases. Poor health among school children mainly results from lack of knowledge and adoption of unhealthy practices. Therefore, they should be taught regarding importance of personal hygiene in order to maintain good health. The present study was designed to assess the knowledge and practices regarding personal hygiene among primary school children in selected schools of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 150 primary school children in selected schools of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. Students were selected using disproportionate stratified random sampling technique over a period of two and a half months. The assent and consent were taken from the children and their mothers. A self-structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and practices regarding personal hygiene among primary school children. The questionnaire focussed on ten different aspects of personal hygiene like brushing of teeth, bathing, hair wash, nail cutting, hand washing, clean clothes, wearing foot wear, and ear, food and water hygiene.Results: The mean age group for children was 10.04±0.904 years. The results showed that girls were more knowledgeable regarding personal hygiene and also practiced better personal hygiene practices as compared to boys. The educational status of mother played a positive factor in improving knowledge and practices regarding personal hygiene.Conclusions: Periodic screening of health problems along with health education should be given to primary school children in order to improve their personal hygiene and thereby leading to a healthy life.