Introduction

 “Being a nurse means to hold all your tears and start drawing smiles on people's faces." – Dana Basem

The department of nursing, at Shree Birendra Hospital, is one of the vital departments of the hospital where nurses are directly involved in almost all aspects of hospital quality, including patient care, bedside, and medication management, assistance with surgeries and other major operations, data collection/reporting, and more providing not only the medical treatment but the holistic support to the patient and their families that they need in a variety of settings. It is an organizational structure through which nurses provide nursing care for clients under the jurisdiction of the institution.

The history of this department has evolved since 2018B.S in Trichandra Military Hospital, Mahankal. The first nurse Late Rtd. Capt. Gyaani Shah (June 15, 1923 – Dec 08, 2012) was appointed as a matron of the Trichandra Military Hospital, Mahankal in the post of 2nd Lt. Her qualification was ANM (Auxiliary Nurse Midwife). She is also the first Nepali woman to join the Nepali Army and also to achieve the rank of Captain. The second nurse Late Rtd. Lt. Col. Sashikala Rajbhandari was appointed in the post of 2nd Lt. in 2019 B.S. She passed B.Sc. Nursing 4 years course from India in 2038 B.S. Lt. Annapurna Kunwar, Capt. Janaki Giri, Maj. Mohan Devi Basnet was appointed in the post of 2nd Lt. in 2022 B.S. in Trichandra Military Hospital. Rtd. Lt. Col. Bindu Shrestha and the other four nurses were appointed in 2024 B.S.

Lt. Annapurna Kunwar and Capt. Marmit Tamang was among the first ladies who did Parachute jumping training in 2030 B.S.

Rtd. Lt. Col. Chandra Kumari Gurung and Rtd. Maj. Chandra Kala Rai was the first WO1 nurse appointed in Trichandra Military Hospital, Mahankal in 2042 B.S.

Rtd. Lt. Col. Padma Rai was the first nurse who participated as a UN observer in the Western Sahara Desert in 2018 A.D.

Rtd. Brig. Gen. Dr. Narbada Thapa was the first principal of NAIHS-CON.

Name list of Matron of Trichandra Military Hospital, Mahankal, and Shree Birendra Hospital Chhauni

In 2049 B.S. nursing service was changed into a technical service group. As the Nepali women in the army had been active participants in UN peace support operations by 16% of the total participants. Army Nurses are one of the most important contributors to the peacekeeping process and have played a vital role.

The vision of Nursing Department:

·      To provide quality and compassionate nursing care to all beneficiaries of the Nepali Army.

·      To Create positive work environments that foster and support professional growth and development

·      To Partner with other disciplines and patients/families in the provision of healthcare

·      To Establish the standards for nursing practice

·      To Develop and implement innovative, professional, evidence-based nursing care

The mission of the Nursing Department:

• To provide comprehensive nursing service to improve the quality of life of the people of all beneficiaries including the civilian population when called for during peacetime, pandemic, insurgency, national calamities, and even for international peace support to the United Nation.
• To respect the beliefs, personality, lifestyles, and rights of the people served, and support their autonomy and self-determination.
• To continuously seek career development as a nursing professional with an international perspective to provide nursing practice adaptive to changes in social and medical fields.
• To build and maintain an environment where nursing staff can function proactively and be nurtured affirmatively with a proper appreciation for each individual’s contribution.

Strategic Direction of Nursing Department:

•       Focus on preventive, promotive, curative, and rehabilitative health care services

•       Governance, patient safety, risk management, and quality service

•       Inclusive leadership, professional standards, and accountability

•       Workforce planning and resource management

The working area of the nursing Department:

•       Shree Birendra Hospital (Wards, Training center)

Ø Matron Office

Ø Medical Training Center

Ø Covid Wards (Covid ICU, HCU, VIP, A&E, HDU I, HDU II, PICU)

Ø Covid Vaccine Duty

Ø Chest Ward

Ø CSSD

Ø A&E Ward

Ø Female Medical Ward

Ø Female Surgical Ward

Ø Gynae / Obs Ward

Ø Hemodialysis

Ø Medical High Care Unit

Ø Surgical High Care Unit

Ø Tuberculosis Ward

Ø ICU

Ø Male Medical Ward

Ø Maternity

Ø Psychiatric Ward

Ø Neuro ICU

Ø NICU/PICU

Ø OT

Ø Pediatric ward

Ø Post Operative Ward/Surgical Intensive Care Unit

Ø Pre-Operative Ward

Ø Trauma Hall

Ø Surgical I

Ø Surgical II

Ø Surgical Officer Cabin

Ø VIP/VVIP Ward

•        NAIHS

•       United Nations 

•       Military Hospitals

•       Disaster management

•       VIP, VVIP duties

Functions of Nurses: Caring for the sick in army life is not different from caring for the sick in civilian life. The methods of providing nursing care to the patient are identical to those which we find in all modern hospitals. Military nurses also spend much of their time involved in direct patient care.

·      Assess patients

·      Maintain accurate medical records, history, and symptoms

·      Administering medications and treatments

·      Collaborating with other health specialist teams for patient care

·      Promote the well-being of the patient

·      Performing diagnostic tests

·      Conducting physical examinations

·      Monitoring patients' health

·      Providing support and advice to patients

·      Operating medical equipment

·      Psychological support to the patient and the family personnel

·      Advocating for the health and well-being of patients

·      Providing basic bedside care

·      Training and educating staff

·      Participating in United Nation peacekeeping mission

·      Respond to natural disasters or epidemics to save lives 

·      Demonstrate military nursing competencies encompass clinical nursing competency, operational nursing competency, soldier/survival skills, personnel/physical/psychosocial stress, leadership and administrative support, and group integration and identification

Head of Department

Brig. Gen. Sanu Maiya Shrestha

Matron, Shree Birendra Hospital

Principal CON-NAIHS

M. Sc. Nursing in Gynae / Obs

Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India

NNC No. 747

Date of Joined in Nepal Army: - 2053/01/27