45% of nursing pupil lack basic medical knowledge: Report

Nearly 45 per cent of the nursing candidates who underwent skill training in India lack proper knowledge to carry out daily care activities, according to a survey by employability assessment company Aspiring Minds.
Besides, the survey said 40 per cent candidates who graduated from the training programme do not know how to handle basic medical equipment such as a thermometer.
The report, based on a study conducted on 3,000 candidates, said the country is in need of 2.4 million nurses, citing WHO data.
The candidates took nursing assistant training across India during the year 2017.
Aspiring Minds co-founder and CEO Himanshu Aggarwal said the study "will help in gauging employability of nursing professionals and offers critical insights on the deficits existing at training level".

The survey titled -- Nursing Assistant report -- said 31-45 per cent candidates lack proper training to carry out daily care activities such as transferring a paralysed patient from a bed to a wheelchair.
"This is concerning and calls for more focus on real world situation handling and exhaustive practical training on the field," it added.
However, it said most of them are aware of the basic protective measures to maintain health and safety at workplace, including knowledge about safety symbols and usage of personal protective equipment used in the healthcare sector.