The Higher Education Review

Initiated by Sri Balaji Educational and Charitable Public Trust under the Chairmanship of an enthusiastic visionary Shri. M. K. Rajagopalan, Kasturba Gandhi Nursing College (KGNC) was established in 2003, affiliated to Pondicherry University. One of the most renowned Nursing Colleges in Southern India, the institution has been a constituent college of Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed University) since 2009. KGNC was established to acknowledge the rising recognition of Nurses towards better health care of mankind. KGNC has been capable to set an illustration of excellence in academics, clinical practice, research and leadership. Noteworthy, the institute provides selfless service to the society, meeting the health needs of the community.

Situated in the midst of serene atmosphere of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute Campus, the college is equipped with well-furnished classrooms accompanied with adequate Audio-Visual equipments. Separate and sophisticated hostel accommodation for boys and girls is also provided to the students, enabling them to study in a peaceful environment. “The college is known to be the training grounds for students, as the campus is endowed with a number of laboratories, enabling the students undertake hands-on experience before entering the realm of nursing world,” says Dr.

Renuka K, Principal, KGNC. Beatified with parent multi and super specialty hospital in campus with 1350 bed strength and other affiliated specialty hospitals in campus, the students of KGNC are enough privileged to gain broad clinical exposure during their course period.

With the aim of becoming a premier service provider in the field of nursing education, the institution has taken up vital role in initiating several significant activities related to curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular frequently. At present, the KGNC offers BSc (4 years), Post Basic BSc (2 Years) and MSc (2 Years in Clinical Specialty) in all five specialties namely, Medical Surgical Nursing, Child Health Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Community Health Nursing and Obstetrical and Gynaecological Nursing. “The initiation of SNACS (Students Needing Additional Curriculum Support), SNAPS (Students Needing Additional Psychological Support) in the institution, have been witnessed impressive response from the students and the parents as well,” states Dr. Renuka K.

The institute is backed up by highly qualified and award winning faculty members, who have produced competent nurses over the years. The faculty members are encouraged to participate in research activities and are provided grant-in-aid from both internal and external funding agencies. The college also runs a Nursing Education unit, which conducts conferences, workshops, seminars on a regular basis, which helps them to stay upto- date. “Faculty members acts as consultants for various agencies, Editors and Reviewers for reputed Journals of International standard and also hold the capacity of experts as deemed by

Governmental agencies,” claims Dr. Renuka K. The instructors follow an effective teaching-learning method, conduct multi-disciplinary symposium and Mind Mapping sessions and use online learning modules to strengthen the basics of students.

In order to match up with the growing trend of campus placement, the KGNC has built a strong relationship with the leading corporate hospitals and ties up with NGOs and major hospitals like Apollo Hospitals, Medenta Med City and Canadian Health Care Academy. Regular meetings with the HR to create an awareness regarding the career advancements and opportunities further help students to get decent placements in India and abroad. Final year students are given an opportunity to undergo special training in Basic Life Support and acquire American Heart Association certificate, which further helps in their placement process. “Today our past students are working with some best and premier organizations around the world, raising the glory and the standard of the institution,” highlights Dr. Renuka K.

With a record of 80 percent placement, the institute has been able to mark its place globally. In 2017, the institute has appreciably entered into MoU with Canadian Health Care Academy, Canada, stepping towards the increment placement rate. “The vision of KGNC is to set up Entrepreneurship Development cell, starting a Society for Clinical & Academic Nurses (SCAN), PhD in Nursing by the end of 2017 and bringing up more online modules in the coming time,” concludes Dr. Renuka K.