Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 7: SKIMS, Soura has suspended at least 7 staff nurses for apparently “instigating” the fellow member of the staff to press for the demand of doing away with the three-tier shift system that has been put in place amid COVID-19.
So far, two separate suspension orders have been issued from the office of the Medical Superintendent, SKIMS. One has been issued on October 3 and another one was issued on October 5.
By virtue of suspension order issued on October 3, four staff nurses have been suspended, while as, as per the suspension order issued on October 5, three staff nurses have been put under suspension.
“Pending formal enquiry, following Staff Nurses working in the Department of Nursing Administration, SKIMS are hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect,” the suspension orders read.
They added that the staff nurses shall remain attached with the Office of the Medical Superinten-dent, SKIMS till the culmination of disciplinary proceedings.
Medical Superintendent, SKIMS Dr Farooq Jan told Excelsior that after a meeting with the Director SKIMS, Dr A G Ahanger it was decided to terminate them.
“They were instigating rest of the nursing staff and as per the directives of the Director, they have been placed under suspension,” he said.
When asked about the details, he said that after the recommendations, it was decided to put in place a three-tier shift system to lessen the burden on the nurses.
“Earlier, when the recommendations were put forth, we could not implement it. However, later, when it was again recommended, we had to put in place the system,” he said.
He added that the transport that is available with the hospital cannot drop them at their doorsteps which the nursing staff has to understand.
Pertinently, the staff nurses of SKIMS, Soura had earlier staged a massive protest at the Press Enclave demanding that the three-tier shift system must be dropped and the earlier two-tier system must be put in place.
The protesting nurses had said that they were not ready to work under the said system and that they are being threatened by the hospital administration.
“We have been working under the two-tier shift system and that was good, however, this three-tier system has taken a toll on us mentally and our families are suffering,” they had said.
Notably, the Director, SKIMS, Soura had earlier ‘warned’ the staff nurses of suspension if they were not willing to work in the shift system that has been put in place.
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