TN MRB Nurses Seek Regularization of Job, Painful Story of MRB Nurses

TN MRB Nurses who joined on 2015 year seek regularization of job…….

Tamilnadu Government constituted Medical Services Recruitment Board to bring health department jobs under one umbrella. MRB conduct recruitment o various professions of health, i.e. Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacist, VHN, Lab Technicians etc.

On 2015, Tamilnadu Medical Services Recruitment Board conducted open competitive examination for the post of staff nurses. Following that, In the month of September, 2015  7243 Nurses who successfully passed the exam were appointed in service. on their initial appointment, on administrative ground tamilnadu government appointed the nurses far away from their native places and  given preferred places.

Recruited Nurses are placed on various schemes of National Health Mission like RCH, NCD, RBSK, MMU etc. Initial Salary of Nurses was Rs.7700 per month. All Nurses Joined service in the hope of regularization of Job after two years of contractual period.

There are more number of MRB Nurses Government Primary Health Centres to Compare with the Government Hospitals, Medical College Hospitals. Nurses are the backbone of Rural Health System. They are the only professionals available to take care of the needy patients of interior villages where the medical facility is questioned.

Nurses are forced to do Non-Nursing Duties

During their duty hours Nurses face so many problems. Manpower shortage of other professionals like lab technicians, pharmacists, maternity assistants and other hospital workers lead Nurses to do Non-Nursing Duties. They include dispensing medicines in pharmacy, Laboratory investigations, Wound Dressing, Updating ISMR reports, Taking care of OP patients when doctors are not available etc. This reduces the quality of Nursing care rendered to patients.

Over Time and Deputation Duty Issue

There are 3 Staff Nurse posts for RCH Scheme in a PHC. There is a three shift system. Every shift has 8 hours duty. When one among them avail maternity leave or any kind of leave or if it is not filled, there comes shortage for staff nurses. Either the remaining 2 nurses forced to 12 hours duty or another nurse will be deputed from any PHC of the same district.

Nurses suffer a lot due to such deputations. No official orders for deputations, Simply Nurses are given oral orders “Go this PHC Today and that PHC Tomorrow”. Deputation Distance will also be very long even if it is in a same block. No Travel Allowance for deputation duties since MRB Nurses are considered as contract employees. Half of the salary amount will be spent for travel. Nurses who have small children suffer a lot due to this. They are unable to take care of their family and children. Though Nursing is a Public Service, Nurses do have families and feelings.

Iconic 2017 Protest

It was a breaking day in Tamilnadu Nursing History on November 27, 2015. More than 4000 Nurses had gathered in DMS Campus demanding “equal pay for equal work”. MRB Nurses on Contract and the Nurses on Regular Time Scale Pay discharge same duty. It was their theme of that protest. Nurses shown their unity and patience in protest without giving any chance for any untoward events.

Tamilnadu rural health system had been affected significantly due to protest. So A Public Interest Litigation filed in Honorable Madras High Court to end Protest. Court Passed ordered Nurses to withdraw and join duties immediately. Respecting Judgement Nurses withdrawn the protest and joined duties. A Core Committee formed to examine whether or not MRB Nurses were eligible for “Equal Pay for Equal Work”. The committee was ordered to take the decision within six months duration. Meanwhile Government had increased the salary of Nurses double folded. i.e. Rs.14000 per month. But so far the committee has not taken any decision on “Equal Pay for Equal Work”.

Status of Regularization of TN MRB Nurses

In the month of February, 2018 around 150 nurses are brought to regular time scale of pay for first time. So far, Nurses till MRB Number 1939 were regularized in frequent intervals. But every time around 500 nurses only get regularized. This makes the remaining nurses to become upset and put their life in question. It is more than 4 years the remaining nurses work on contract and consolidated pay.

Nurses always remember Honorable Health Minister Dr.C.Vijaybaskar, is the person behind Recruitment of Nurses through Medical Services Recruitment for the first time Nursing History of Tamilnadu.  He has been very active in field works during the outbreaks. Also took more pain to bring Tamilnadu to top in health indicator ranks.

Last Week Association People has met Honorable Health Minister Dr.C.Vijaybaskar regarding regularization of remaining nurses and Minister said, “all necessary action will be taken to bring all mrb nurses on regular time scale pay”.

Tamilnadu Government has received so many awards for its health system. Nurses are the primary reason for it.  Hence Tamilnadu government is requested to take action on regularization of MRB Nurses.

Official Site of MRB