Kathmandu, July 18:

Nepal’s nurses who are known the world over for their quality services and hospitality and who were in demand in the global market are now having a hard time getting a placement even in the country. Thanks to the increasing number of nursing campuses and the plans of big hospitals to start their own nursing courses.

Juni Rajbhandary, who completed her three-year staff nurse course six months ago from the National Vision Nursing Campus, is still unemployed. Of the total 40 graduates from the campus this year, only 10 managed to get placements — some however, were voluntarily engaged in the hospital just to gain experience. “I offered to work as a volunteer just to gain experience,” she said. She is one among the hundreds of such women in the country.

“Those who have contacts and are well-off can manage a placement in any of the hospitals and can even go abroad, but students like us who could not study further and cannot manage the money needed to go abroad cannot,” she said.

Forty nursing campuses are operating under the Tribhuvan University, Purbanchal university, Kathmandu University and private campuses under the Council of Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT).

There are 14,916 nurses under three major categories registered to work in Nepal under the Nepal Nursing Council, of which 7,180 are registered nurses, 7,685 Auxiliary Nurses and Midwives and 451 foreign nurses. Around 1,000 nurses graduate every year.

“It is such a pity that the skilled nurses have to stay idle due to no takers,” said Ishwori Khanal, registrar of the Nepal Nursing Council (NNC).

“Campuses providing nursing courses mushroomed due to the unstable political condition, conflict and especially during the 12-year-long tenure of the political parties,” Khanal said.

While nurses have been complaining that they are not getting placements, remote areas like Achham and Doti do not have a single nurse in the health posts.