Calcutta Mercy School of Nursing Overview
Currently in India, there is a demand for 2.2 million nurses. With only 1.1 million of those positions filled, the extraordinary need is obvious. Training more professional nurses means more than just meeting a statistical demand; it means permanently changing the lives of young women in search of an education and career. In a heavily gender-biased society like India, women without a career have dim prospects for a successful future. Nursing is a lucrative profession that can provide both an income and deepened societal respect. It is one of the few modern professions in India where women are actually given priority. As a nurse, a woman can support herself and her family while experiencing the joy of helping others get well.
Founded on March 14, 1979, the School of Nursing is devoted to providing quality education to young women from impoverished backgrounds, thereby helping break the cycle of poverty and societal stereotypes. The school admits 25 new students each year and is equipped with a well-qualified professional teaching staff and facilities that thoroughly prepare graduates for careers in healthcare. Since the school’s founding, approximately 380 students have graduated.
The School of Nursing offers two programs: a 10-month diploma in Institutional Nursing Administration and Education, and a three-year program in General Nursing and Midwifery. Plans are underway for a College of Nursing for those students who wish to receive a higher degree in a specialized fields of healthcare. Students are also given the option to pursue further training at Indira Gandhi National Open University through a partnership between the institutions, or cross-cultural training at the Mark & Huldah Buntain School of Nursing at Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington or at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, California.
Graduates of the nursing programs are offered jobs at Mercy Hospital or take positions in Mercy Clinics based in rural communities. 10 percent are employed by Indian government institutions, 80 percent work in the private sector, and the other five to 10 percent pursue graduate and post graduate studies in nursing. Alumnae serve in hospitals around the world, including the USA, UK, Ireland, and the Middle East.