Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Feb 13: The 2-day national conference on “Recent Advances and Future Trends in Nursing and Healthcare Sciences” commenced today at Spiritual Growth Centre, Katra.
Organized by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi College of Nursing (SMVDCoN), this landmark conference brings together esteemed experts, healthcare professionals and nursing educators to share knowledge, experiences and best practices in healthcare.
In his welcome address, Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), provided an overview of the Board’s framework that guides the endeavors of SMVDCoN.
He said that the Board has decided to take its healthcare ecosystem to the next level by establishing a Medical College, known as Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Excellence. He informed that the infrastructure and faculty for this institution are already in place and the move is a significant step towards providing quality medical education and healthcare services in the region.
Dr K K Talwar, chief guest and former Chairman of the Medical Council of India, delivered a keynote emphasizing the importance of innovation in nursing education, particularly in J&K. He highlighted the need for more postgraduate programs to elevate nursing education in the region. He also stressed that nurses, being the backbone of the healthcare system, must cultivate empathy and a caring attitude to alleviate the suffering of patients besides specialization in nursing care.
On the occasion, the dignitaries released a book titled “Novennial” which chronicles the remarkable nine-year journey of SMVDCoN.
The conference featured over 35 resource persons from prestigious institutions, who shared their expertise through plenary sessions, panel discussions, keynote addresses and scientific research paper presentations. Besides, it will cover various topics including harnessing the potential of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, empowering nurses with benchmarking standards, effective hospital management and digital healthcare strategies, emotional intelligence and professionalism in nursing practice, e-learning, entrepreneurship in nursing and globalization in nursing education under trends.
Earlier, the event also featured a pre-conference workshop on the theme “Empowering Health Care Professionals: A Next Level Skill” on February 12, 2025.
Among other dignitaries present on the occasion were Suresh Kumar Sharma, Member, SMVDSB and Chairman GB, SMVDCoN; Prof Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SMVDU; Alok Kumar Maurya, Addl. Chief Executive Officer, SMVDSB; Dr Yashpal Sharma, Executive Director, SMVDIME and Administrator, SMVDCoN; Dr Shailla Cannie, Dean & Principal, SMVDCoN, faculty and staff of SMVDCoN and national and local experts from various institutions.
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