PERSPECTIVE- The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Context

Details

• The Bill's goal is to regulate and uphold the quality of education and services provided by nursing and midwifery professionals. It was presented by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister.
• Additionally, the Minister introduced the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha. This bill aims to oversee the dental profession in the country and ensure good and affordable dental education. These bills were introduced despite ongoing opposition protests about the Manipur violence issue.

Introduction

• A regulatory body for nursing and midwifery ensures patient safety and high-quality care. This builds trust in the nursing and midwifery fields. The regulatory body is responsible for setting and maintaining professional standards, promoting quality education, and ensuring competence among professionals.
• In India, nursing and midwifery face challenges like poor education standards, unclear job titles, improper regulations, a gap between theory and practice, and gender discrimination. These need immediate attention.

About the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill

The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Bill is important. It aims to uphold standards, ensure quality education, and standardize registration for nursing and midwifery in India. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare drafted the bill on November 5, 2020. It was open to suggestions from the public. Once both Houses of Parliament pass it, the bill will become an act, replacing the old Indian Nursing Council (INC) Act from 1947. The NNMC Act will regulate nursing education and services, assess institutions, and improve access to research and scientific advancements.

Commission Structure

The Main Leadership

• The commission will be a group with its main office in Delhi. It will be led by a government official chosen from distinguished nursing and midwifery experts. The leader will get help from the nursing advisor to the Government of India and a military nursing expert. Additionally, three representatives each will come from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the National Medical Commission. The convenor member will be the additional secretary of the central ministry. Also, 10 nursing leaders will be elected by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare - 5 from nursing education and 5 from service - every two years from national institutes of excellence.
• Further more, the commission will have a total of 26 respected nursing specialists. They will be chosen by the central and state governments to represent the country's six zones. The center will nominate two members - one from a charitable institution and another from related fields like health research, law, or ethics. All commission members will be ex-officio members.

Key Points

A significant aspect of the NNMC bill is the introduction of a common eligibility and entrance test in English and other languages for admission to undergraduate nursing programs. This will apply to all nursing and midwifery institutions. The commission will manage counseling and the final year exit test, which will be the basis for postgraduate nursing course admissions. The commission will set counseling guidelines. Additionally, the commission will have the authority to recognize, withdraw, or de-recognize professionals' qualifications and institutions if they don't meet the stated guidelines.

Roles

• Conducting common entrance and exit exams for various nursing courses.
• Developing and maintaining nursing and midwifery education standards, including curriculum, assessment, clinical affiliations, faculty training, and institution approval.
• Regulating nursing and midwifery institutions, professionals, and associates.
• Assessing nursing and midwifery needs in healthcare and advising the government.
• Regulating the professional code of ethics for nursing and midwifery.
• Setting standards and scope of practice for registered nurses, registered midwives, nursing associates, midwifery associates, and postgraduates.
• Establishing criteria for nurse practitioners (NP) and regulating their limited prescribing authorities.
• Maintaining separate national registers for nurses, midwives, and nursing associates.
• Ensuring the rights and responsibilities of RNRM and nursing associates.
• Providing mechanisms to address nursing personnel grievances.

Controlled Entry and Exit in Nursing and Midwifery

There's a lot of inconsistency in nursing education quality across the country. Many institutions offer subpar nursing education. Private nursing schools and colleges often compromise quality and admit students without entrance exams, charging high fees. A common entrance exam will ensure minimum requirements for nursing course enrollment. Similarly, the exit exam will ensure necessary knowledge and skills among nursing graduates.

Conclusion

The NNMC act is set to reform nursing education and service, fostering the growth of nursing and midwifery in India. The goal of a self-regulated profession seems achievable for nursing professionals. The impact of the NNMC Act on nursing practice remains to be seen.