Nurses in J&K are underpaid, overworked, and systematically neglected. Empowerment is not a symbolic word. It means fairness, proper implementation of policies, better pay, clear career pathways, and workplaces that protect dignity. Because of poor working conditions and low pay, many nurses move to other states or abroad. This weakens the local healthcare system.
Farhanna Shafiq
International Nurses Day is celebrated annually on 12 May, the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, to honour nurses’ vital contributions to global health. Established in 1974, this day shines a light on the nursing profession, advocating for better resources, safer workplaces, and recognising nurses’ role in improving healthcare outcomes. This day celebrates nurses’ dedication and calls for investment in the nursing workforce, especially in supporting their education, safety, and working conditions.
Every year, this day features a new theme set by the International Council of Nurses (ICN). The theme for 2026 is: “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives.” The ICN provides resources, toolkits, and publications highlighting the annual theme.
The ICN chose 12 May to commemorate Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, who significantly improved sanitation and patient care during the Crimean War in the 19th century. Celebrations include recognition events in hospitals, such as award ceremonies for bedside nurses, staff lunches, and social media campaigns thanking nurses. The global impact lies in the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) and other bodies use this day to advocate for strengthening healthcare systems through stronger nursing investment.
Nurses are often the first point of care and the last source of comfort. They stand beside patients in their most vulnerable moments, offering not only medical support but also emotional and psychological reassurance. Yet, behind this image of care lies a reality that is far less comforting.
This day is celebrated in almost every healthcare institute in J&K, especially in tertiary care hospitals and educational institutions, where gatherings are held, themes are discussed and highlighted, and cultural segments are added to programmes. It looks bright and cheerful on the outside, but the illusion is cracked from within.
Nurses in J&K face immense discrimination and structural disadvantage. It is not usually a single issue, but a combination of pay level, status, working conditions, and systemic neglect.
Pay Scale Discrimination
Nurses in J&K are underpaid, placed in lower pay levels (Level‑4) compared to Level‑7 in most other states and Union Territories for the same qualifications and nature of work. Imagine missing out on a medical entrance examination by a few marks, taking admission in a four‑year‑plus nursing degree, qualifying examinations for placement in government healthcare institutes or medical colleges, and then receiving a paycheck equal to that of a driver or plumber in the same hospital. Bedside jobs, direct patient care, working 24×7, on Sundays, holidays and festivals, dealing with human life, witnessing crises, and staying beside patients whenever needed deserve recognition rather than underpayment.
Lack Of Allowances And Benefits
Nurses in J&K are not paid risk allowances, nursing allowances (approximately ₹9,000 per month), or uniform allowances (approximately ₹2,000 per month), leading to a financial loss of nearly ₹11,000 per month. Meanwhile, nurses in the rest of the country, including the UT of Ladakh, have been receiving such allowances since 2021. Why are nurses in J&K being ignored?
Poor Career Growth And Designation
In most states and UTs of India, nurses are recruited as Nursing Officers. But in J&K, they are recruited as Junior Staff Nurses despite having the same qualifications and nature of work. Moreover, limited promotions and unclear service rules lead to career stagnation. This affects long‑term motivation and professional recognition.
Contractual Job System
A large number of nursing professionals work on a contractual basis, with lower salaries, delayed payments, and no job security. This creates a temporary workforce doing permanent work, allowing the system to function without the actual creation of permanent posts.
Heavy Workload Due To Staff Shortages
Everywhere we hear about the doctor‑patient ratio, but hardly anyone talks about the nurse‑patient ratio. According to the WHO, the nurse‑patient ratio in a general ward should be 1:6; in the ICU, 1:1 for ventilated patients and 1:2 for stable patients. Similar standards are prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council. In J&K, the ratio hardly exists. Often, there is only one nurse for a 25–30‑bedded ward or merely three nurses for a ten‑bedded ICU. Nurses are not mere injectors in hospitals, but systemic failure makes it difficult even to perform routine medication properly.
Because it is the job of a nurse to spend most of the time caring for patients, severe shortages increase work hours, stress, and burnout.
Professional Neglect And Policy Delays
Pay revisions, cadre restructuring, recruitment delays, promotion delays, and issues related to nurse‑patient ratios remain unresolved. Decisions affecting nurses often face bureaucratic delays, worsening frustration and keeping the profession trapped in systemic neglect.
Brain Drain
Because of poor working conditions, lack of recruitment, the contractual service system, and low pay levels in J&K, many nurses move to other states or abroad for better pay and respect. This weakens the local healthcare system.
Workplace Risks And Stress
Long shifts and extreme working hours are common. Some reputed government institutes in J&K force nursing professionals to work more than 270 hours a month, including day and night duties, while the accepted limit is around 190 hours. This leads to mental and physical exhaustion, increasing the possibility of human error. Occasional workplace violence further adds to the stress. These healthcare workers spend most of their time with patients while already being overburdened and exhausted, yet all they demand is safe communication and dignity.
Returning to the theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives,” it calls for action beyond appreciation.
Empowerment, as highlighted in this year’s theme, is not a symbolic word. It means giving nurses the authority, safety, and recognition they deserve. It means fairness, proper implementation of already framed policies, better pay structures, clear career pathways, and workplaces that protect their dignity. Without these, the idea of empowerment remains incomplete.
Nurses are often seen merely as assistants rather than skilled professionals with critical expertise. A four‑year‑plus degree course or post‑graduation is enough to develop professional skills, critical thinking, and decision‑making abilities. The future of healthcare depends on how we treat nurses today. When they are supported, patient care improves. When they feel secure, they perform with confidence. When they are respected, the entire system benefits.
International Nurses Day is more than a celebration; it is a reflection. It asks governments to reform policies—or, in J&K, at least to implement the ones already framed. It asks hospitals to ensure safer environments and society to show empathy and respect. Because empowerment demands action. This is a critical time to advocate for the profession and support the nurses who act as the backbone of global health systems.
Caring for nurses is caring for the future. When nurses are empowered, lives are not just treated; they are saved.
The writer is an Intensive Care Nurse, Government Medical College (GMC), Srinagar
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