Nurse shortage grips Hyderabad hospitals as state marks International Nurses Day
Hyderabad: Even as nurses across the world are being honoured on International Nurses Day on Monday for their relentless service, back home in Telangana, it’s a different story. Government hospitals in Hyderabad are running thin on staff – nurses, in particular – following recent large-scale transfers to districts.
May 12, observed as International Nurses Day in tribute to Florence Nightingale, comes this year with the theme “Our Nurses, Our Future – Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies.” But inside Hyderabad’s ICUS and general wards, nurses say they’re drowning in responsibilities.
Under WHO and Indian Nursing Council norms, ICU beds require a 1:1 nurse-patient ratio, high-risk beds 1:2, and general wards 1:5. On the ground, those ratios are more aspiration than reality.
Statewide, there are around 15,500 nurses on government rolls – but about 5,000 posts remain vacant. The crunch intensified recently when a wave of transfers pulled hundreds of nurses from Hyderabad to other districts, gutting city hospitals of their workforce.
“Without enough hands, it’s hard to give patients timely care,” said one senior nurse at a government facility, visibly exhausted. “We’re stretched thin, constantly on our feet, and facing burnout.”
Male nurses, still a minority, are part of the mix – about 800 serve across the state, with over 100 stationed in Hyderabad. One of them, Telangana Nursing Officers Association president Ravikiran, said that while the job’s demands are steep, the impact is undeniable. “It’s an honour to serve. There’s nothing like the feeling of saving a life during an emergency.”
Sujata Rathod, secretary of the Gazetted Nursing Officers Association, summed it up with quiet pride. “We may appear strict with attendants, but that’s because our only focus is saving the patient. We’re the first to rejoice when someone recovers. Even at home, our minds stay with our patients.”
Despite the swelling demand for their services, many say recognition still lags behind. Today’s celebrations are a rare moment of spotlight. But for Hyderabad’s overstretched nurses, it’s another day in an underfunded system – pushing on, one shift at a time.