Indian Nursing Council Revised Regulations and Curriculum for B.Sc. (Nursing) Program Regulations, 2020
INDIAN NURSING COUNCIL NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 5th July, 2021
[INDIAN NURSING COUNCIL {REVISED REGULATIONS AND CURRICULUM FOR B.SC. (NURSING) PROGRAM), REGULATIONS, 2020]
F.No. 11-1/2019-INC.—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 16 of the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947 (XLVIII of 1947), as amended from time to time, the Indian Nursing Council hereby makes the following regulations namely:—
SHORT TITLE AND COMMENCEMENT
i. These Regulations may be called The Indian Nursing Council (Revised Regulations and Curriculum for B.Sc. (Nursing) Program) Regulations, 2020.
ii. These Regulations shall come into force on the date of notification of the same in the official Gazette of India.
DEFINITIONS
In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires,
i. the Act‘ means the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947 (XLVIII of 1947) as amended from time to time;
ii. the Council‘ means the Indian Nursing Council constituted under the Act of 1947;
iii. SNRC‘ means the State Nurses and Midwives Registration Council by whichever name constituted and called by the respective State Governments;
iv. B.Sc. (Nursing)‘ means the four year B.Sc. (Nursing) Degree qualification in Nursing recognized by the Council under Section 10 of the Act and included in Part-II of the Schedule to the Act;
v. Authority‘ means a University or Body created by an Act for awarding the B.Sc. (Nursing) qualification recognized by the Council and included in Part-II of the Schedule to the Act;
vi. School of Nursing‘ means a recognized training institution for the purpose of teaching of the GNM course;
vii. College‘ means a recognized training institution for the purpose of training and teaching of the B.Sc. (Nursing) course;
viii. CNE‘ means Continuing Nursing Education to be compulsorily undergone by the RN&RM/ RANM/RLHV for renewal of registration after every 5 (five) years.
I. INTRODUCTION OF THE PROGRAM
The B.Sc. nursing degree program is a four-year fulltime program comprising eight semesters, which prepares B.Sc. nursing graduates qualified to practice nursing and midwifery in a variety of settings in either public/government or private healthcare settings. It adopts credit system and semester system as per the Authority guidelines with minor modifications suitable to professional education in a hybrid form. The program encompasses foundational, core and elective courses. The choice-based system is applicable to electives only and is offered in the form of modules. Modular learning is also integrated in the foundational as well as core courses that is mandatory.
The program prepares nurses and midwives for generalist nursing including midwifery practice. Knowledge acquisition related to wellness, health promotion, illness, disease management and care of the dying is core to nursing practice. Mastery of competencies is the main focus. Students are provided with opportunities to learn a whole range of skills in addition to acquiring knowledge related to nursing practice (nursing and midwifery). This is achieved through learning in skill lab/simulated lab and clinical environment. Simulation will be integrated throughout the curriculum wherever feasible to enable them to develop competencies before entry into real field of practice.
The revised curriculum embraces competency-based and outcome-based approach throughout the program integrating mastery learning and self-directed learning. Transformational and relationship based educational approaches are emphasized. Through the educational process the students assimilate and synthesize knowledge, cultivate critical thinking skills and develop care strategies. Competencies that reflect practice standards of the Council address the areas of cultural diversity, communication technology, teamwork and collaboration, safety, quality, therapeutic interventions and evidence- based practice. They are prepared to provide safe and competent care to patients across life span and influence patient outcomes.
II. PHILOSOPHY
The Council believes that:
Health and wellness are two fundamental concepts that are integrated throughout the program. Health is a state of well- being that encompasses physical, psychological, social, economic and spiritual dimensions. Wellness is the individual‘s perception of wellness and is influenced by the presence of disease and individual‘s ability to adapt. Health is a right of all people. Individuals have a right to be active participants in achieving health as they perceive it. Society consists of dynamic and interactive systems involving individuals, families, groups and communities. Cultural diversity, race, caste, creed, socio economic levels, religion, lifestyles, changes in environment and political factors influence it. Nurses and midwives recognize and respect human differences and diversity of population within society and provide ethical care with respect and dignity and protect their rights.
Nursing as a profession and a discipline utilizes knowledge derived from arts, sciences (physical, biological and behavioral), humanities and human experience. Nursing science incorporates clinical competence, critical thinking, communication, teaching learning, professionalism, and caring and cultural competency. Nurses collaborate with other health disciplines to solve individual and community health problems. Nursing facilitates evidence-based practice, compassionate caring among its practitioners in response to emerging issues in healthcare and new discoveries and technologies in profession. Nursing practice requires personal commitment to professional development and life-long learning.
Scope of nursing and midwifery practice encompasses provision of promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative aspects of care to people across the life span in a wide variety of healthcare settings. Nursing practice is based on acquisition of knowledge, understanding, attitude, competencies and skills through the Council‘s curricular and practice standards. The competencies in which the students are trained will guide them in performing their scope of practice. Nursing offers qualified nurses and midwives a wealth of opportunities in the field of practice, education, management and research in India and overseas.
The undergraduate nursing program is broad based education within an academic curricular framework specifically directed to the development of critical thinking skills, competencies appropriate to human and professional values. Blended learning approach comprising of experiential learning, reflective learning, scenario based learning and simulated learning is also inbuilt. The teaching learning process encourages mastery learning, modular, self-directed and self-accountable in choice making in terms of elective courses. The program prepares its graduates to become exemplary citizens by adhering to code of ethics and professional conduct at all times in fulfilling personal, social and professional obligations so as to respond to national aspirations. Health and community orientation are provided with special emphasis on national health problems, national health programs and national health policy directives to achieve universal health care for all citizens of India. The main roles of graduates would be provider of care with beginning proficiency in delivering safe care, coordinator/manager of care by being active participant of inter-professional team and member of a profession demonstrating self-responsibility and accountability for practice as well as to support the profession.
The faculty has the responsibility to be role models and create learning environment that facilitates cultivation of critical thinking, curiosity, creativity and inquiry driven self- directed learning and attitude of life-long learning in students. Learners and educators interact in a process whereby students gain competencies required to function within their scope of practice.
III. AIMS & OBJECTIVES AIMS
The aims of the undergraduate program are to
1. Produce knowledgeable competent nurses and midwives with clear critical thinking skills who are caring, motivated, assertive and well-disciplined responding to the changing needs of profession, healthcare delivery system and society.
2. Prepare them to assume responsibilities as professional, competent nurses and midwives in providing promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative healthcare services in any healthcare setting.
3. Prepare nurses and midwives who can make independent decisions in nursing situations within the scope of practice, protect the rights of individuals and groups and conduct research in the areas of nursing practice and apply evidence- based practice.
4. Prepare them to assume role of practitioner, teacher, supervisor and manager in all healthcare settings.
OBJECTIVES
On completion of the B.Sc. Nursing program, the B.Sc. nursing graduates will be able to
1. Utilize critical thinking to synthesize knowledge derived from physical, biological, behavioural sciences, and humanities, in the practice of professional nursing and midwifery.
2. Practice professional nursing and midwifery competently and safely in diverse settings, utilizing caring, critical thinking and therapeutic nursing interventions with individuals, families, populations and communities at any developmental stage and with varied lived health experiences.
3. Provide promotive, preventive and restorative health services in line with national health policies and programs.
4. Integrate professional caring into practice decisions that encompass values, ethical, and moral and legal aspects of nursing.
5. Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of self and others.
6. Apply concepts of leadership, autonomy and management to the practice of nursing and midwifery to enhance quality and safety in health care.
7. Utilize the latest knowledge and skills related to information and technology to enhance patient outcomes.
8. Communicate effectively with patients, peers, and all health care providers.
9. Utilize the requisite knowledge, skills and technologies to practice independently and collaboratively with all health professionals applying the principles of safety and quality improvement.
10. Integrate research findings and nursing theory in decision making in evidence-based practice.
11. Accept responsibility and accountability for the effectiveness of one‘s own nursing and midwifery practice and
professional growth as a learner, clinician and leader.
12. Participate in the advancement of the profession to improve health care for the betterment of the global society.
IV. CORE COMPETENCIES FOR NURSING AND MIDWIFERY PRACTICE BY B.Sc. GRADUATE
Is adapted from NLN Model and Massachusetts: Nurse of the Future – Core Competencies (2016) as shown in figure
1} The B.Sc. Graduate nurse will be able to:
1. Patient centered care: Provide holistic care recognizing individual patient‘s preferences, values and needs, that is compassionate, coordinated, age and culturally appropriate safe and effective care.
2. Professionalism: Demonstrate accountability for the delivery of standard-based nursing care as per the Council standards that is consistent with moral, altruistic, legal, ethical, regulatory and humanistic principles.
3. Teaching & Leadership: Influence the behavior of individuals and groups within their environment and facilitate establishment of shared goals through teaching and leadership
4. System-based practice: Demonstrate awareness and responsiveness to the context of healthcare system and ability to manage resources essential to provide optimal quality of care.
5. Health informatics and Technology: Use technology and synthesize information and collaborate to make critical decisions that optimize patient outcomes.
6. Communication: Interact effectively with patients, families and colleagues fostering mutual respect and shared decision making to enhance patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
7. Teamwork and Collaboration: Function effectively within nursing and interdisciplinary teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, shared decision making, team learning and development.
8. Safety: Minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
9. Quality improvement: Use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and utilize improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of healthcare system.
10. Evidence based practice: Identify, evaluate and use the best current evidence coupled with clinical expertise and consideration of patient‘s preferences, experience and values to make practical decisions……………………………… Read More.