Student nurses raise funds for charity to help colleagues in India



Issued by York University

Student nurses at the University of York are raising money to send equipment and textbooks to help to provide free healthcare to some of the poorest and most in need people in rural communities in Southern India.

The nursing equipment, including hospital beds, resuscitation manikins, nursing textbooks, body models and other teaching aids is destined for M.A. Chidambaram College of Nursing in Chennai. It has been donated following the refurbishment of the Clinical Simulation Unit (CSU) in the Department of Health Sciences at York.

M.A. Chidambaram College of Nursing works with a voluntary hospital to provide free healthcare to some of the poorest and most in need people in rural communities.

Anne Phillips, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health Sciences, visited M.A.Chidambaram college earlier this year. While impressed by the quality of both staff and students and their compassionate approach to nursing care, she was shocked at the lack of resources available to teach student nurses.

Since then, nursing students from the University of York Nursing Society (NurSoc) have worked hard to raise the funds to transport the teaching resources to Chennai, through activities including a sponsored bungee jump in the dark, quizzes, cake stalls and a craft fair. Aviva, York, is also supporting NurSoc in their fundraising activities.

The sea container is due to arrive at the University on 30 July at 9am when nursing students will pack it with the donated teaching resources. Head of Department, Professor Hilary Graham, said: “Health Sciences students and staff are proud of their links with the College of Nursing in Chennai.

“The College supports the principle of access to care on the basis of need not ability to pay, the principle at the heart of the NHS.

“We are upgrading the Clinical Simulation Unit in Health Sciences to ensure it continues to meet the standards of education and training expected for nurses and midwives in the UK; at the same time, we are aware that the equipment we are replacing can significantly improve education and training in resource-poor communities beyond the UK.

“Resources – in education and health care as in all other areas of our lives – need to be used in sustainable ways if we are to protect our planet for our children and grandchildren.

“So, through the combined efforts of the University of York Nursing Society (NurSoc) and Health Sciences staff, the sea container will ensure valuable teaching resources are not wasted, but instead made available to support other nursing students.”

Dr R Sudha, Principal in Charge of M.A. Chidambaram College of Nursing, said: “We thank you very much for your efforts taken towards us and for helping us by sending those lovely books, transparencies and nursing equipment. We are so very grateful.”

If you would like to support to this project, NurSoc still require donations. Please contact: [email protected]