Post Independence, the nursing profession has been taken up more keenly in the state of Kerala than elsewhere in the state. Women looking for good career prospects at the end of their courses flock towards the nursing schools of the state. This is probably one of the few professions which have a job waiting at the end of education as opposed to the educated unemployed in other professions. It is also mention worthy that the Christian women of the state tend to seek out this profession more than any other community.

The state housed about 63 nursing colleges in 1991 and added about 17 private nursing colleges by 2003. Kerala is the state from which most number of nurses graduates every year. Also the number of Malayali nurses migrating to other countries from India is highest from the state of Kerala.

The education that may be undertaken by the nurses of the state is virtually limitless. Courses on offer are BSc (Nursing), B Sc (Nursing) Post Basic, MSc (Nursing), MPhil and PhD. The famous private institutions pay their nurses anywhere between Rs 7000 - Rs 10000 per month. However mediocre and state run institutions pay as little as Rs 2000 pm.

However the major problem faced by the nurses of the state is one of social and cultural stigma. Association with the old, sickly and diseased and having to work at intimate quarters with strangers is frowned upon by society in general. Very few men from the state take up the profession. However since the number of women following the path of Florence Nightingale is very high, they have set up various organizations to help other Malayali nurses with an array of services starting information about education and specialization, job listings, matrimonial ads and a socialization forum. With the advent of Technology these institutions have taken up websites such as www.keralanurse.com and www.keralanurses.com etc.

The emerging trend among these women is to work in the United States in comparison to the Gulf countries. This can be attributed to a number of factors such as growth prospect in the standard of living, excellent health care system, improved lifestyle and facilities for the nurses' families and better specialization opportunities. It is estimated that the United States need about 2.25 lakh nurses currently. However, the women who migrate to the United States face their share of troubles and problems. A sense of distance from one's ethnic and cultural background, racial discrimination affecting career prospects and changing values of their children are among the prime difficulties faced by the Malayali nurses in this country. Besides they are the primary breadwinners in their respective families and sponsor their husbands and children and even run their families without financial assistance from the patriarch in the household. This is seen as unacceptable to their extended families back in India and creates a cultural hurdle in the minds of these women.

Though the nursing profession of the state of Kerala has well come of age, the support system that is required to remain and grow in such a strenuous and demanding profession is not quite ready. The NGOs and Governmental organizations of the state need to take adequate steps and launch educative programs to create a more accepting family and social environment for these women.

Last Updated on 30 May 2011

Economy of Kerala