“USICON-2020 “Towards safer and effective Urology OT practices” was a one day national workshop conducted along with 53rd Annual Conference Of Urological Society of India on 26th January 2020 at Lulu Bolgatty International Convention Centre, Kochi. The event was organised by Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi in association with Urological Society of India & Urological Association of Kerala. The program is designed to enable the nurses and technicians to develop skill in handling equipments and assisting in the urology surgeries as an active team member. It was a golden opportunity for the participants to meet and interact and learn with experts and colleagues in uro-surgery. Dr. Laxman Prabhu (USI-Council Member) addressed the gathered and had delivered an introductory speech. He was the person who stood as a backbone of USICON- 2020 Nursing Track. He was an active member of a council- Urological Society of India. Then started the sessions with a keynote address of Dr. Krishnasamy Kannan who had more than 40 years of experience in urology surgeries and had a very interactive video-assisted talk on “Need for Specialized Scrub Nurses in Urology- Urologist’s Perspectives”. Ms. Sai Bala M (Nursing Director, AIMS, Kochi) talked on “Need for Specialized Scrub nurses in Urology- Nursing Perspectives”. In her keynote address, she emphasised on the importance and how significant the nurses were in urological surgeries and the specialized training on urology to sustain a platform through empowerment of nurses. Experts from various institutions in the field of urology had taken sessions on various topics and shared their valuable experiences in urology surgeries. The chief speakers of the workshop were Dr. Krishnasamy Kannan (Consultant Urologist, Dr. G. Viswanathan Speciality hospital, Trichy), Dr. Maneesh Sinha (Consultant, NU Trust Hospital, Bangalore), Mr. Jabir P (RN, Team Leader, Urology OT, MIART, Kozhikode), Dr. Hamza Thayil (Senior Consultant Urologist , Kozhikode), Dr. Ananth J Kamath (Former Professor of Urology, INU, Bangalore), Dr. Deepak Ragoori (Consultant Urologist, Asian Institute Of Nephrology & Urology, Hyderabad), Dr. Lalit Shah (Senior Urologist & Medico-legal Consultant, Raipur), Dr. M Prabhakar (Consultant Urologist, Erode), Dr. Arvind Ganpule (Vice Chairman, Muljibhai Patel Institute, Nadiad), Ms. Kanu V Dev (Nurse Manager- Training & Development KIMS, Trivandrum), Ms. Veena B (MSN, Infection Control Nurse, AIMS, Kochi). The workshop covered all the major aspects of the practices in urology surgery. The participants had also got a golden opportunity to interact with experts in uro-science. A total of around 90 delegates from different parts of the country attended the program and the event came to an end with vote of thanks and certificate distribution to the delegates. 73% of the delegates gave feedback as very useful for the topic “Care and maintenance of endoscopes- handling, washing, sterilizing, storing” and 73% commented that “Need for Specialized Scrub nurses in Urology- Urologist’s & Nursing Perspectives” was very useful in their profession as a mind opener. All of the delegates commented that the conference was very fruitful for their future practice. During the valedictory function at the end of the conference, Dr. Laxman Prabhu propounded a platform for nurses in National Urological Society of India as a core member.

The annual celebration of the Diabetes Management Champions (DMC) and Skin Issue Integrity Management Champions (SIIMC) of Nursing Services of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) was held on November 18, 2019. The programme commenced with a prayer invoking blessings from our beloved Amma – Shri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. The welcome speech was delivered by Ms Athira S. Nair (Diabetic Management Champion, AIMS). Ms. Sai Bala M (Nursing Director, AIMS) delivered the keynote address which emphasised on the formation and efforts of upbringing these champions. In addition, she also briefed about the journey of these champions from its inception to this day. The chief guests of the programme were Dr. Babu Rao (Deputy Medical Superintendent/Senior Medical Administrator, AIMS) and Dr. M. Gopalakrishna Pillai MD, (Clinical Professor and HOD of General medicine, AIMS). The programme was inaugurated by Dr. M. Gopalakrishna Pillai. During the inaugural address he appreciated the whole team for their tireless efforts. He mentioned how astonished he was and is in awe about the changes these initiatives brought in patient care. He also appreciated Ms. Sai Bala M. (Nursing Director, AIMS) for her initiatives in refuting the false dogmas and empowering the nurses. His speech filled us with positive energy and enthusiasm to work forward with tremendous effort. After the inaugural address, awards for their best practices were distributed. B-male and T5F5 ward, bagged the prize for their timely notification and reporting of high risk patients. Ms. Shijimol Shaji (Diabetic Management coordinator, AIMS) presented The Voyage of Diabetic Management Team from February 2013. Ms. Sreelekshmi S. (Wound Care Coordinator, AIMS) presented the voyage of Wound Care Team from its launch in January 2015. She mentioned about the Skin Integrity Issue Notification Form (SIINF) development, Implementation of Braden Scale Risk Assessment tool, development and release of consensus on skin integrity issue management, trial run of Skin Integrity e-form, the establishment of Wound Care Certification Program and the various laurels achieved in various paper presentations. Ms. Sai Bala M., congratulated all the nurses who have excelled as champions for their painstaking efforts. The best Diabetic Management Champion of the year 2018-2019 was bagged by Ms. Athira S. Nair (DCM, AIMS). The supporting champions were Ms. Sindhu D., Ms Alphonsa Lissa, Ms. Dhanya K., Ms. Deepthy Chandran (DCM, AIMS) and they were given a gift as a token of appreciation. Ms. Neethumol A. P. (SIIMC, AIMS) was awarded the best Skin Integrity Issue Management Champion Award. The company executives from 3M, Becton Dickinson, Abbott Health Care, India Medtronic Pvt Ltd, Arjo Huntleigh India, Sanofi India Ltd received a memento as token of love from Ms. Sai Bala (Nursing Director, AIMS) for their continuous support throughout the various initiatives that we developed. Towards the end of the program, we had a few cultural programmes that soared our spirits. The program was made lively with a game. This program winded up with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms Neethumol A.P. (SIIMC). This event created yet another opportunity to celebrate the efforts and success of nurses, their contribution to the patient care creating beautiful memories worth rejoicing.

Parent Education and Discharge Instruction (PEDI) is a training programme offered by Children’s Heart Link, US and Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS) for the education of parents of child with congenital heart disease. On November 2nd 2019, it was conducted in Amrita Hospital Kochi for 30 RBSK nurses and livestreaming for around 900 RBSK nurses in 14 centres across Kerala. The event was successful in meeting the needs of the audience. The training programme was conducted in a way to also involve all the participants in live streaming. There were lot of questions from the attendees through live streaming and in the AIMS venue. Questions was clarified by the expert faculties with quoting examples and real life experiences. The faculty could see the participants through zoom software, which helped to monitor their activities and receive their queries. Hand washing dance was performed to entertain the audience and made them practice steps, the participants through live streaming learned the steps and performed dance in their respective centres as well. Varieties of activities were given to all participants during sessions such as physical activities, nutrition and postoperative management. Video-assisted teaching was used to educate drug preparation and tips about PEDI training. Ms. Sai Bala M., Nursing Director, AIMS, inaugurated the programme and introduced about PEDI. Mr. Vaisakh G, clinical nurse specialist, coordinated the event and took session on team involved in cardiac surgery, investigations before surgery and nutritional diets for child after cardiac surgery. Ms. Bindhiya B. Nair (clinical nurse specialist) as a coordinator contributed actively and took session on when to resume physical activities after surgery. Ms. Bindhu K. S., Nurse in-charge of pediatric cardiology ward dealt with immunization, preparing the child and family for surgery which was well received by the candidates. Mr. Akhilesh Raj T. N., clinical nurse educator, was an organiser of the event and taught about incision care and physical activity. Ms. Meenu Thomas took sessions on how to prepare child for surgery and Ms. Greshma Ramesh dealt with medication administration. Ms. Jesna Santhosh, Ms. Jaqueline Jacson, Ms. Aleena Treesa and Ms. Devika Raj, 3rd Year BSc nursing students of Amrita College of Nursing, performed hand washing dance, demonstrated brushing technique and took sessions on oral care and symptoms to notify after cardiac surgery.

The International Infection Prevention (IIPW) Week is celebrated in the third week of October every year. This week commemorates the importance of infection prevention around the globe. In Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences infection prevention week is celebrated as an opportunity to educate health care workers and supporting staff about the importance of infection prevention. Theme for International Infection Prevention Week 2019 is “Vaccines are Everybody’s Business”-Vaccines present an easy way to stay healthy and prevent infections from spreading. This year hospital infection control department, celebrated IPW from October 14th to October 22nd. The week was officially inaugurated by Dr. Victor D. Rosenthal on 14th October by revealing the theme. He is the founder and chairman of International Infection Control Consortium, a non-profit international research center which focuses on Healthcare Associated Infections collaborating with more than 1000 researchers. He is co-author of JCI guidelines to prevent CLABI. As a part of his visit he had given a class on Prevention of Central and Peripheral Line Related Bloodstream Infections. As part of the celebrations we had conducted various competitions and activities across the hospital such as: Class cum Activity Session Spot Poster Competition Quiz Competition Tableau-INFECTION PREVENTION BEGINS WITH YOU Panel discussion A questionnaire based class session And a quiz competition by Schulke India Infection control link nurses conducted various programs such as hand hygiene dance, skit on infection prevention, quiz, poster, and educational sessions at their department throughout the week. The closing ceremony of IPW was on 22/10/19 at Amriteswari hall from 10:30am to 1.30pm. The welcome speech was given by Dr. Anusha Gopinathan (Assistant Professor, Dept. of Microbiology) and Dr. (Col) Vishal Marwaha (Principal, Amrita School Of Medicine) inaugurated the ceremony. The oath on infection prevention was delivered by Dr. Rajesh Pai (Medical Superintendent) and the audience pledged to prevent infection everywhere in the presence of the dignitaries. The program was felicitated by Dr. Anil Kumar V. (HOD, Department of Microbiology), Bri. Maya (HOD, Housekeeping), Dr. Babu Rao (Deputy Medical Superintendent). The Report on IPW celebration activities was presented by Dr. Beena K.V. (Additional Medical Superintendent). Awards for best units in infection control practices and various competitions were distributed at the end of the ceremony. Ms. Veena B. delivered the vote of thanks and thanked everyone who was involved in the successful completion of IPW. This was followed by cultural programs by infection control link nurses. Irrespective of their busy work schedule all health care workers actively participated in the IPW activities and celebrations and made it a grand success.

Breast feeding awareness campaign is conducted every year for a week from August 01 – 07 by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). The theme for the year 2019 is ‘Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding Now and for the future!” Parents should be supported and have access to evidence-based unbiased information. Support from fathers, extended families, workplaces and communities, enable mothers to breastfeed. Paid maternal and paternal leave significantly increases personal and economic well being, and enables women to physically recover from childbirth before returning to work. As Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences strives to actively encourage and promote breast feeding. Nursing services under the leadership of Nursing Director Ms. Sai Bala launched a project “AATHMAANUBANDHINI” in the month of April 2019 which aims to enhance mother child bonding through various initiatives. As a first step towards this goal continuous educational activities to antenatal and postnatal mothers were initiated to improve the rate of breastfeeding and to ensure effective breastfeeding in both healthy and ill newborns and infants through trained nurses (Baby Friendly Initiative Champions). It also comprises of educational sessions on expression of breast milk for all mothers, its storage and effective breast feeding techniques ensuring exclusive breast feeding up to six months of age. As an extension of this project we initiated the week – long celebration from August 1st to August 7th 2019 to promote breastfeeding and to empower parents to a sustainable practice.

On the 7^th day a closing ceremony was conducted and was graced by Dr. C. Jayakumar (Clinical Professor and Head, Paediatrics), Dr. Radhamani (Clinical Professor and Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Dr. Jayasree C (Clinical Professor and Head, Neonatology) and Dr. Pragnatha Komaravolu, Paediatric Consultant, Ms. Sai Bala, Nursing Director and prizes were distributed for the various competitions conducted as part of the celebration involving the parents as well as the nursing staff and students which enhanced their knowledge on breastfeeding practices.

Inspired by the theme of this year the aim of the project has now been redefined as improving parent child bonding. The project will continue to embrace newer initiatives to empower parents.

“It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward.”

The journey continues……..

“PERIOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE” was a comprehensive three-day international conference held from June 7th to June 9th, 2019, at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. The conference included a specialized one-day workshop, “Nurses Skill Development Programme” (NSDP), specifically designed for nurses to enhance their abilities in assessing and caring for children with congenital heart disease. NSDP incorporated five skill stations covering cardiac assessment, troubleshooting in pediatric CVTS ICUs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, intravenous therapy, and self-care practices for nurses. Notably, each participant had the opportunity to undergo training in all these critical areas. Esteemed professionals such as Ms Sandy Staveski, RN, Ph.D., Dr. Gopalan M, Ms Midhula, RN, and Ms Rintu, RN facilitated the training sessions on cardiac assessment. Likewise, Justine Fortkeiwickz, RN, Mr. Jidhun, CNS, and Ms. Akshara Vipin conducted CPR training. The sessions on IV therapy were led by Ms. Anisree CP, CNE, Ms. Radhika Mohandas, Mr. Visakh V, and Ms. Nimisha Raju, while troubleshooting in the ICU was covered by Ms. Reshma S Nair, NI, Ms. Abhiremya, RN, Ms. Resmi K B, NS, and Ms. Sreeja Mohan, NI. The inauguration by Ms. Sai Bala, Nursing Director at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, underscored the need for specialized nursing care in pediatric cardiology. Over the subsequent two days, the conference hosted talks and presentations from esteemed experts like Dr. Krishna Kumar R, who praised the invaluable contributions of nurses in providing high-standard care. Keynote speakers and panelists included renowned figures such as Dr. Lara Shekerdemian, Dr. Ravi Thiagarajan, Dr. Venkat Shankar, Dr. Michael Alice Moga, Ms. Sandy Staveski, Dr. David S Cooper, MS Justine Fortkiewicz, among others. The discussions ranged from infection control to critical thinking and ventilator management, with nurses presenting cases and perspectives, all of which were well-received. Approximately 115 delegates attended the skill development program, while 300 delegates participated in the main conference. The event concluded with certificate distribution and unanimous feedback from attendees highlighting the uniqueness of the conference in providing a platform where doctors and nurses mutually shared insights and learning experiences in managing congenital heart diseases in children.

“RUFCON-2019 Being a Team Player in Robotic Urology” was a one-day national workshop conducted along with 3rd National Conference Of Robotic Urology Forum (RUF) on 05/04/2019 at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. The event was organised by Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences along with RUF, Cochin Uro Club and Aster Medcity. The program was designed to enable the nurses & technicians to develop skill in handling equipments and assisting in the robotic rrology surgeries as an active team member. It was a golden opportunity for the participants to meet and interact with experts and colleagues in robotic rro-surgery and learn with da Vinci Xi system. The inauguration of the event was done by Bri Sai Bala (Nursing Director, AIMS). In her keynote address, she emphasised on the importance of specialised training for nurses so as to cater the needs of ever changing field of medical science. Experts from various institutions in the field of robotic urology had taken sessions on various topics and shared their valuable experiences in robotic surgeries. The chief speakers of the workshop were Ms. Premlatha Arora (Assistant Nursing Supervisor, PGI Chandigarh), Mr. Surya Ojha (Deputy Nursing Superintendent, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, New Delhi), Dr. Abhinav Pednekar, (Robotx India Nurses & Assistants Foundation, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute, Mumbai), Dr. Santhosh Waiganka (Consultant Uro-oncologist, Reliance Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute, Mumbai), Mr. Vineeth V (Clinical Sales Executive, Intuitive Surgicals), Ms. Maria Lazaro (MSN, Robotic OT Coordinator, AIMS). The workshop covered all the major aspects of robotic surgery. The participants had also got a golden opportunity to see and feel the da Vinci Xi system during the practical sessions. A total of around 50 delegates from different parts of the country attended the program and the event came to an end with vote of thanks and certificate distribution to the delegates. All of the delegates commented that the conference was very fruitful for their future practice.

The Training Champion’s and Skin Champion’s Day Celebration 2018, organized by the Nursing Services at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on November 7th, 2018, commenced with a prayer and homage to AMMA.

Ms. Nija K.P (RN, Nursing Quality Division) extended a warm welcome to the attendees. Bri. Sai Bala, the Nursing Director, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the transformative power of small contributions by staff nurses and their crucial role as healthcare pillars. Dr. Sanjeev K. Singh (Medical Superintendent) inaugurated the event, acknowledging the nursing team's exceptional performance. Dr. Rajesh Pai (Additional Medical Superintendent) announced the upcoming Wound Care Certification Programme and commended the team’s achievement.

The launch of the online SIIN (Skin Integrity Issue Notification) form, highlighted by Bri. Sai Bala, was supported by examples and applauded Amrita Technologies for their role in its development. Dr. Apsaraj, Senior Business Analyst, received appreciation for their contributions. The journey of the wound care team, from its inception in January 2015 to its present achievements, was detailed by Mr. Ratheesh V. N. (Wound Care Nurse). Mr. Jidhun P. (Clinical Nurse Specialist) lauded the progress of the Training Champions initiative from 24 members in 2014 to 55 in 2018. Dr. Valsaraj Menon (Additional Medical Superintendent) congratulated and awarded the Best Training Champions and Best Skin Care Champion. The champions acknowledged Bri. Sai Bala's support and the industrial partners. Cultural performances by nursing staff added flair to the event, concluding with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Sreelekshmi (RN, Nursing Quality Division).

As part of the International Nurses’ Day, Nursing Services at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences organized various competitions spanning from April 2018 till May 12th, 2018. The valedictory program on May 12th commenced with a warm welcome by Kanakamma Sasi, Nurse Supervisor. Swami Purnamritanandapuri, General Secretary of Mata Amritanandamayi Math, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Swamiji inaugurated the function, sharing profound thoughts on divine motherhood, love, divine thought, and the power of women.

Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the achievements of Amrita Nursing Services over the past two decades. Post her address, the Nursing Director announced awards recognizing exceptional traits and achievements. A total of 71 awards were distributed, with 53 individual recognitions. Swami Purnamritanandapuri, Dr. Valsaraj Menon (Additional Medical Superintendent), Dr. Vishal Marwaha (Principal, School of Medicine), and Dr. Anand Kumar (HOD, Department of Neurology) presented the awards.

Following the awards ceremony, Dr. Vishal Marwaha, Dr. Valsaraj Menon, and Dr. Anand Kumar shared their insights and expectations concerning nursing professionals and Nursing Services at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. Dr. Marwaha emphasized the benefits of teamwork and delegation for organizational improvement, emphasizing nurses' pivotal role in healthcare. Dr. Menon stressed nursing's global trustworthiness, highlighting Kerala nurses' prominence worldwide and conveying a message from Dr. Prem Nair, Medical Director.

Dr. Anand Kumar shared an anecdote about Bill Gates and a newspaper boy, underlining the irreplaceable position of nurses in healthcare. He mentioned empathy neurons, likening them to 'Dalai Lama neurons' or 'Amma Neurons,' rarely seen except in exceptional personalities like H.H. Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. Dr. Kumar concluded with a melodious song. The theme of Nurses’ Day 2018, “Nurses: A voice to lead- Health is a human right,” was presented by Prof (Dr.) Sunil Moothedath, Ms. Regina Antony, and Ms. Nisha B.S, faculty members from Amrita College of Nursing. Ms. Sudhadmaja, Assistant Nursing Officer at Nursing Services, delivered the vote of thanks. The program culminated with diverse cultural performances by staff and students from Amrita.

At Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, the celebration for Infusion Nurses’ Day and the Annual Meet of IV Champions took place on February 21st, 2018. The event kicked off with Bri. Sai Bala, the Nursing Director, lighting a lamp to symbolize bringing in light and positivity. Sr. Kanakamma, Nursing Supervisor, warmly welcomed everyone. Bri. Sai Bala talked about the great work done by the IV Team and how it has positively impacted the institution.

Dr. Valsraj Menon and Bri. Sai Bala officially opened the event. Ms. Nisha U received a special award from Dr. Valsarj, and others like Ms. Radhika Mohandas, Ms. Anisree C P, and Ms. Nisha U were appreciated for their outstanding efforts by INS-India and BD Medicals. Several members of the IV Team were also recognized for their excellent work. Different hospital wards were praised for doing exceptionally well in their practices related to IVs. Bri. Sai Bala was praised for being a strong support to the IV and PICC teams. There was even an exciting quiz with winners being recognized. To share knowledge, Ms. Sowmya M N talked about studies from conferences over the past seven years. Mr. Vinod Babu shared the journey and goals of the PICC Team, and Ms. Radhika Mohandas highlighted the accomplishments of the IV Team in 2017. The event wrapped up with some fun games, making it a lively and memorable occasion for everyone.

The Vascular Society of Kerala in association with Nursing Services of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences conducted a half day workshop for nurses (VSICON) on 17th September 2017 at Hotel Le Meridian Kochi . It covered an Overview of Arterial and Venous diseases, Basics of Diabetic Foot Care and other relevant topics in patient care. 58 nurses from various hospitals around the state attended the programme. Four skill stations were also arranged on application of compression bandages and stockings, four layer compression bandaging, diabetic foot care and assessment, wound dressing and VAC application. After the theory sessions, skill stations were started and the participants were divided into four groups. Each group were given 20 minutes for attending the skill stations. The programme finished at around 1.30pm and certificates were issued for the delegates.

The Systems Oncology 2017 Nursing Track, held on March 12, 2017, at Holiday Inn, was an integral part of the International Conference Systems Oncology 2017. Hosted by the Nursing Services and Center of Excellence in Cancer Care at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Butterfly Cancer Care Foundation, the workshop gathered 60 delegates from both within and outside Amrita Hospital.

The event commenced with the ceremonial lamp lighting by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director at Amrita Hospital, setting an enthusiastic tone. The focus revolved around cancer screening initiatives, advanced treatment modalities, and the evolving role of nurses in cancer care. The workshop's inaugural panel discussion, moderated by Bri. Sai Bala, explored Early Detection and Awareness Campaigns for Cancer, involving key figures from various institutions presenting their respective protocols and initiatives.

Sessions delved into critical areas, such as the handling of cytotoxic drugs, PICC line care, hormone therapy, biotherapy, and oncology emergencies. Experts like Ms. Sreelekha R., Ms. Mary George, Ms. Meera Achrekar, and others shared invaluable insights and experiences, emphasizing safety protocols, newer modalities, and emergency management in oncology.

The workshop's closure encompassed a detailed session on Neutropenic Care by Mrs. Kavitha S. Nair, highlighting the management of neutropenic sepsis and its real-life implications post-bone marrow transplants. Practical aspects weren't neglected, as demonstrated in sessions and stalls showcasing PICC line dressing, aftercare, and associated devices, providing attendees with hands-on experiences. The event culminated with the distribution of certificates to resource persons and delegates, acknowledging their contributions, followed by a vote of thanks, marking the successful conclusion of an enriching and informative event.

The IV Nurse’s Day Celebration on February 8, 2017, at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences honored the pivotal role of infusion nurses worldwide. Commencing with a ceremonial lamp lighting by Bri. Sai Bala, the Nursing Director, the event embraced the theme "IV Nurses: Outstanding Skills. Outstanding Care."

Dr. Ganapathy Rao, along with Dr. Sanjeev K Singh, inaugurated the event, emphasizing the dedication and impact of the nursing department. Dr. Rao's heartfelt address highlighted the profound influence nurses had on his life, acknowledging their unwavering commitment.

Bri. Sai Bala delivered an inspiring keynote speech, unveiling the achievements and future endeavors of the IV team. Dr. Sanjeev Singh commended the expanding role of nursing beyond bedside care, reflecting on their continuous growth.

The event showcased the milestones of the IV team, discussed by Ms. Radhika from the Nursing Quality division. The ceremony recognized IV champions and PICC team members, appreciating their contributions. Ms. Divya L.D highlighted the PICC team's activities and successes.

Sharing experiences, Ms. Sowmya M.N discussed maintaining IV cannulas for over 96 hours without complications, while Ms. Mary Petrishya Jose narrated and learned from an extravasation case in 2015, emphasizing improvements made for better outcomes.

A significant highlight was the official inauguration of the peripheral IV record in AHIS, symbolizing progress and technological advancements. The event also included prize distributions for various competitions, acknowledging participants' efforts and knowledge.

Ms. Sreevidhya J. was celebrated as the best IV champion for 2016, honored by Bri. Sai Bala. Ms. Jeenu K. M. expressed gratitude to the attendees, concluding the official program with the National Anthem, inspiring all to strive for excellence in infusion care, fostering a commitment to ongoing improvement.

SAMYOG – a National Consensus on Guidelines for Prevention & Management of Hospital Acquired Skin Injuries & Chronic Wounds was conducted on 8th, 9th and 10th of December 2016 by Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala in association with 3M- India. This 3 days consensus is designed to facilitate learning, share innovations, and promote new ideas, most importantly to interact with national level nurse leaders in the field of health care safety and quality, to standardize the guidelines for Hospital Acquired Skin Injuries & Chronic Wounds. The official inauguration of the event was done with lamp lighting and welcome address by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. The gathering was felicitated by Ms. Radhika Anne, Divisional Manager, 3M. The second day started with the scientific sessions and consensus statement reviews. The session on Essentials of Preserving Skin Integrity was dealt by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, followed by Hospital Aquired Skin Injuries – AIMS Experience by Mr. Ratheesh V. N., WCN, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Medical Adhesive Related Skin Injury – An Overview by Ms Ajitha P.S., CNO, Meitra Hospitals. Post tea sessions started with consensus statement reviews of MARSI, IAD and skin tears and scientific sessions on these topics by the experts. The final day started with the sessions on HAPU and DPU. The review of the 2016 NPUAP/EUPAP guideline was also done by the experts. There was a small exhibit of the various devices and gadgets in the prevention and management of skin injuries by team 3M. A new venture of starting a wound care certification programme was also discussed and syllabus validation of the same was done. A total of 35 nurse leaders from various hospitals participated in the event and provided their valuable suggestions in the consensus statement reviews.

Nursing Services, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital) celebrated Training Champion’s day on November 09, 2016 from 10 am to 1.30 pm at Amriteswari Hall. Training champions are the representative Registered Nurses from ward & ICUs for staff training & development.The celebration started at 10am with prayer. Ms. Chinnu Elizabath George, RN, Training Champion of T2F0 chemo unit welcomed the gathering. Bri. Sai Bala (PGDHM, MSN), Nursing Director, delivered keynote address on training champion’s involvement in staff development activities in collaboration with SDC-AIMS. Training Champion’s day official inauguration and lamp-lighting was done by Prof. M. V. Thampi, Head of the Department of Human Cytogentics, Amrita Hospital, the Chief Program Administrator of Allied Health Sciences and the Deputy Controller of Examination, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. He conquered the nurses’ heart by his inspiring & motivating inaugural address. Dr. Beena Ravi Kumar, Senior Medical Adminstrator, Amrita Hospital felicitated the occasion by expressing her expectation on training champions contribution towards staff development in future. Ms. Kavitha K. C. (MSN), Clinical Nurse Specialist, SDC-AIMS shared the success story of training champions’ journey from July 01, 2014 to October 31, 2016. The most awaited moment of this special day was the badging ceremony for the training champions & was performed by Prof. M. V. Thampi & Bri. Sai Bala. A total of 46 training champions from different wards & ICUs, received badge and appreciation on the auspicious occasion.The training champions conducted spot quiz in entire patient care units and 136 registered nurses attended the same. Ms. Gowrikutty (ER), Ms. Prabitha M. Lalan (T6F5 ward) Ms. Sharanya Raveendran (ER) shared first prize in spot quiz competition out of 136 participants.The celebrations ended with various cultural programs by training champions and registered nurses. Ms. Lakshmi Priya Ravi Nedumpillil (MSN) Clinical Nurse Specialist, SDC-AIMS extended the vote of thanks to each and every member who contributed towards this function.

As part of World Diabetes Day 2016, the Nursing Services, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital) organized Diabetes Day celebration on November 14, 2016, Monday, from 10 am – 1pm at Amriteshwari Hall. The programme started with lamp lighting by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director and welcome speech by Ms. Deepthy L., RN, Amrita Hospital.Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, started the keynote address with an inspirational thought about the positive attitude towards job and the role of nurses in the comprehensive management of patients with diabetes.Dr. Harish Kumar, Professor and Head of the Department of Endocrinology delivered address regarding diabetes management and the lifestyle of general population as a whole especially in children. The fast food and over-caring parents are the two factors which can predispose the children more prone to diabetes, which we can purely control with awareness programmes.Dr. Harish Kumar unveiled the theme of World Diabetes Day 2016 – “EYES ON DIABETES”. The theme concentrates on the screening of diabetes and followup of patients with diabetes and high risk groups. He focused on self discipline of patients with diabetes and the tremendous increase in the integers of diabetes.

A quiz programme was conducted for staff nurses as a part of the celebration, 22 groups participated in the preliminary quiz competition and five groups were selected for the final competition. The group from B-pediatrics got the first prize, B- female got second prize and group from labour room won the third prize. The team from T4F4 ward and infection control shared the consolation prize. The prize distribution was done by Dr. Harish Kumar.

Badging for the champions was done by Bri. Sai Bala and appreciation for the performance of champions were given by Dr. Harish Kumar.

The function concluded with vote of thanks by Ms. Divya I., Clinical Nurse Specialist, SDC by conveying the gratitude to all the chief guests, members of nursing family, audio-video team, event management, dietary department, diabetes management champions, SDC and NQD for their support and participation.

The 6th International Congress on Patient Safety was organized by Apollo with JCI, ISQua, NABH, RCP, WISH, ISA, CII, FICCI and many others as knowledge partners during October 21 – 22, 2016 at Chennai. The aim of the congress was to spread the benefits of ‘Patient Safety’ throughout the country.  Many experts across the world participated in it to share their knowledge and experience. The well-knit programme covered presentations, panel discussions, poster presentation, patient safety awards and display of the most widely accepted Patient Safety tools.

Dr. Sanjeev K. Singh, Senior Medical Administrator, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital); Kochi was one of the panellists on the topic ‘Patient Safety vs. Patient Satisfaction’ where he proved through his discussion that the Patient Satisfaction is equally important as Patient Safety.

Dr. Beena Ravi Kumar, Senior Medical Administrator & Public Health Consultant was one of the eminent speakers, where she presented her work titled ‘Impact of Sepsis Management Project on Rational Use of Antibiotics in Presumed and Probable Neonatal Sepsis- a Retrospective Comparative Study’  under the main  topic ‘Patient Safety in Public Sector’.

Bri. Sai Bala M., Nursing Director, MSN was one of the panelists on the topic ‘The Nursing Masterclass’ where she shared her story in nursing and experiences that motivated novice nurses.

As part of the conference, call for abstracts and presentations were planned. Out of 50 papers received from various parts of the world, two papers from Amrita was selected for oral presentation. Ms. Anju P. Thampi, Clinical Nurse Specialist, MSN, Amrita Hospital presented her study titled, ‘High Risk Identification and Care Given Education – a strategy to prevent pressure ulcer’ in the paper presentation category.

Ms. Lakshmi Priya Ravi Nedumpillil, Clinical Nurse Specialist, MSN, Amrita Hospital received the Second Runner Up position in paper presentation on the topic ‘Effectiveness of IV Cannulation Training with Simulation and its Impact’.

Each year, the third week of October is dedicated to infection prevention and control, and celebrated as Infection Prevention Week across the nations.

The Department of Infection Control, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences celebrated Infection Prevention Week 2016 from October 16 – 22. As a part of the celebrations, pledge boards were placed in different areas of hospital and as an awareness, poster regarding the importance of week was displayed in the hospital intranet. Different competitions were also conducted including quiz competition and poster competition and a hands-on demonstration of infection prevention practices was also arranged. Preliminary quiz competition was attended by 20 groups on 17.10.2016 and among them 5 groups were selected for final competition.

The main function of Infection Prevention Week celebration was on 18.10.2016. The ceremony started at 9:30 AM with lamp lighting by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director followed by welcome address by Ms. Reshma Chandran (MSN). Inaugural address was delivered by Bri. Sai Bala and she explained the role of infection control link nurses to improve the infection control practices. The theme of the year “Break the chain of infection” was opened by Dr. V. Anil Kumar. Dr. Sadia Khan delivered the pledge and together everyone promised to set an example for other collegues by taking the right steps to prevent infections to keep the patients safe. As a part of entertainment some interesting games like riddles and tongue twisters were also conducted. All participants enjoyed a lot and prizes were distributed to the winners. Final quiz competition with emphasis on infection control, was conducted among selected 5 groups.

On 19/10/16 and 22/10/16 hands-on demonstration was conducted in most of the areas and sessions regarding the importance of hand washing in the healthcare setting to all staff and students. Schulke India partnered with us as knowledge experts for the entire programme.

Best posters were selected according to the theme and preset criteria and best units were selected according to the infection control practices following there which is observed during daily audits.

Winners of competition

The Annual Conference of Paediatric Cardiac Society of India had a nursing track this year. It was organized by Children’s Heart Link in association with PCSI and was held in Bangalore at Hotel Lalit Ashok during September 30 – October 02, 2016.

The theme of conference was “Tracking Back to Transform Outcomes”. Near-ly 140 participants both from in and out of India attended the conference.

Bri. Sai Bala, (Nursing Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Mem-ber of Scientific Committee, PCSI) delivered an impressive talk on ‘Quality measures and using data to improve practice – Hospital-wide QI initiatives’. She interacted with the participants as well during the session.

Mr. Vaisakh G., Clinical Nurse Specialist, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences was an invited speaker and dealt with implementation of new VAP guideline in paediatric cardiology ICU. He also talked on how to sustain the change after implementation.

Paper submitted by Ms. Jeenu K. M., Clinical Nurse Specialist, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences on ‘Continuity of Nursing Care in Paediatric CVTS ICU’ was selected for oral presentation out of about 30 abstracts submitted and had bagged IInd prize among various paper presentation from all over India.

Mrs. Sudhadmaja P. P. (ANO), Mrs. Jolly Joseph (ANO), Mrs. Beena (Nursing Supervisor), Ms. Lakshmipriya Ravi Nedumpallil (CNS) were also the delegates from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi.

Institute of Health and Management along with Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital) organised the International Seminar on Nursing Leadership on 08.09.2016 at Vigyan Mandhir, Amrita Hospital Kochi. Delegates were nurse leaders from various reputed hospitals. One day seminar included thought enhancing panel discussions, active discussions and sharing experiences.

Mr. Michael Goodall, RN, Director Holroyd Hospital, Australia during his session on Leadership & Management said, “My analogy is simple for nursing management; I encourage the same values I have with family in nursing – trust, honesty, integrity and communication.” He also discussed strategies to develop a positive team. The panel discussion on the topic “Quality Nursing Care Challenges & Way Forward” chaired by Bri. Sai Bala Nursing Director, AIMS Kochi, discussed the various challenges faced in India and Australia. The other panel members were Dr. Beena, Senior Medical Administrator, Public Health Consultant, AIMS Kochi;  Mr. Jeril Cherian, Principal Institute of Health and Management; Mr. Michael Goodall, Director Holroyd Hospital, Australia and Ms. Teagan Green, Clinical Placement Manager, Ballarat Health Services, Australia. Ms. Teagan Green, Clinical Placement Manager, Ballarat Health Services in her session on ‘Evidence-based Nursing Practices in Health for Future Employment Outlook’ shared her experience – how a small video about duties of the health care professionals in an ER improved the cooperation from patient relatives.

Bri. Sai Bala M., Nursing Director, Amrita Hospital in her session “Nurse Leaders for Tomorrow” shared eleven lessons in successful leadership and also explained that functional & technical expertise and effective execution are the key factors in leading the organisation. She motivated the nursing group through her positive attitude and reality-oriented presentation. A total of 39 delegates including 9 from Australia and rest from India participated in the seminar and the event concluded with vote of thanks.

INS-India, Central Zone Chapter along with Lourdes Hospital, Cochin organized a State level Conference on Best Infusion Practices & Patient Safety on August 20, 2016. Ninety-five delegates from different esteemed institutions in and around Cochin attended the conference.

Mrs. Lakshmi Priya Ravi Nedumpillil MSN, Clinical Nurse Specialist Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences opened the scientific sessions by sharing the journey of Infusion Nurses Society of India followed by the session on ‘Infusion Nurses and Quality Improvement’.

The session on ‘Infusion Related Complications’ was dealt by Prof. Simple Rajagopal, Vice Principal, Sidhisadan College of Nursing followed by hands-on training sessions on PICC line insertion and best practices in IV cannulation by Mrs. Kanakamma Sasi, Nursing Supervisor and Mr. Vinod R.N. from Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and other eminent resourse persons from this field.

The program ended up with valedictory function presided by Rev. Fr. Shaiju Thoppil, Associate Director, Lourdes Hospital. Father distributed certificates for the participants.

IV Nurse Leaders’ Summit 2016 held at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, is the first event organized by INS India– Central Zone chapter. It marked the beginning of new cycle of events by INS India – Central Zone chapter. The summit brought together 27 Nurse Leaders from various hospitals in and around Kochi.

The one day event was opened by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, Gov-erning Council Member and Member of Policy & Education Committee INS-India. By welcoming the gathering she shared the journey of INS – India and the launch of INS India – Central Zone chapter.

Dr. Beena, Senior Administrator and Consultant in Public Health, in her inaugural address appreciated the effort put forward by INS India in set-ting the bench marks in standards of Nursing. She stressed that Nursing is an integral part in NABH.

Mr. Sivaramakrishnan, in his motivational talk ‘looking life differently’ discussed what is life, how to live happily and how to improve job envi-ronment. All the delegates found it interesting and interactive.

Plenary session started with the session on Becoming a Change Agent by Bri. Sai Bala, explained how she evolved as a leader and the challenges faced by her as a change agent.

Mrs. Sowmya M. N., Clinical Nurse Specialist Amrita Hospital, detailed how to make and work as a team in Quality and importance of Audits. She also explained the activities undertaken by Nursing Quality Division in Amrita.

Dr. Sanjeev K. Singh, Medical Superintendent – Amrita Hospital through his stress free hands on session made the most complicated quality im-provement tools very palatable and easy for everyone to use it their re-spective clinical settings.

Dr. Vasudev, BD India Ltd in his session on EPINET – a tool to standard-ize the NSI reporting talked how to effective is Epinet and how it can re-duce the workload of ICNs in auditing and data analysis.

The afternoon was dedicated in interactive sessions such as IV complica-tions – as a Quality Indicator, reporting and analysis by Sr. Berthlomea, Nursing Superintendent, Lourdes Hospital. The participants were divided in small groups to discuss. It was followed by the session How happy are you as a Nurse Leader by Bri. Sai Bala, where she stressed on how to utilize opportunities and distributed self assessment questionnaires to assess the physical health, emotional health, personal well being, family health wellness, work place wellness, social health assessment and dhar-mic standards.

Bri. Sai Bala wrapped up by appreciating the effort put by everyone to organize and attend the session and wished everyone a better and happy life, and invited all for the second event of INS India- Central Zone, Kochi city chapter to be held in July 2016 at Lourde’s Hospital, Kochi.

Every year May 12th is celebrated as International Nurses day. The theme of the year is “Nurses A Force for change – Improving Health System Resilience”.The Nursing Services at Amrita Institute planned to Celebrate Nursing through out the month of May this year. The activites include indoor & outdoor games, cultural and fine arts competitions to provide a platform for the nurses to express their talents. A continuing Nursing Education series stretching throughout 2016 named“Njanamrutham” also makes its begining this month .This includes workshops on specific topics integrating learning experiences of many expert nurses.

The opening ceremony of Nurses Month 2016 was inaugurated by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing director, Amrita Hospital, by lighting the lamp in the presence of Dr. Sanjeev K Singh, Medical Superintendent, Dr. Beena Head of Department of Public Health on 06th of May.2016,In her address she expalined that nursing Services at Amrita Hospital has a vision of celebrating the real essence of nursing every single day and outlined programs planned towards the same.Dr Sanjeev K Singh and Dr Beena appreciated the efforts of the nursing team towards quality care. Mr. Parameswaran Nair Asia Pacific Business Head for 3M Health Care joined in applauding the collaborative efforts of the company and Nursing services Amrita Hospital directed towards improvement of health care in the country.

All Nursing officers, supervisors, Head nurses of each unit, members of staff development, nursing quality and infection control and staff representatives attended the function. The programmes embarked  with an educational session on 7th of May for Nurse leaders in tha city in collaboration with INS India Kochi City chapter followed by competitions starting from 10th of May.

MEIOSIS, a Medical Exhibition and Information on Safe Infusion Services, was a joint effort by the representatives of BD India along with the representatives of IV team members, Nursing Quality Division and Staff  Development Center of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital). It was begun on 27/01/2016 at 3.00pm after lighting the lamp by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, Amrita Hospital and Mr. Bilesh K Raj Branch Manager, BD and extended till 01/02/2016 . The aim of the program was to provide comprehensive coverage in the field of vascular access, with main focus on the issues that are most relevant in daily clinical practice and also to provide the nurses with a broader experience in assessment, care and understanding of IV cannulation.

The Objectives of the Program were:

• To discuss and demonstrate best practices in cannula insertion techniques.
• To discuss and demonstrate best practices in cannula maintenance, flushing techniques, antibiotic administration, etc.
• To train nurses on identifying and grading common IV complications and difference between various IV therapy complications.
• To train to understand management of local IV therapy complications.

MEIOSIS comprises of 5 exhibition stalls and 2 workstations:

A total of 840 RNs and Nursing students of Amrita Hospital attended this programme. In addition to the above listed members, Nursing supervisors, Nurse in charges and Nursing Assistants also attended the event. In the post programme evaluation 90% of the participants responded that IV MEIOSIS was a good learning experience for them.

Every year January 25th is celebrated as Infusion Nurses Day; an event that recognizes infusion nurses around the world who is privileged for initiation, maintenance of infusion therapy and management of its complications. It is thus, their passion to attain safe lines and save patients.

On December 4th IV team members decided to celebrate IV nurses day on 27/01/2016. From that day onwards the wheels started running. On January 2nd Preliminary Quiz competition was conducted for 19 groups (2 participants in a group) out of which 5 groups were selected and the final quiz competition was conducted on 11/01/2016. The team T3F5 ward bagged the first position, team T5F4 MICU bagged the second and team T3F3 ward secured third position in the final quiz competition.

Another competition that has added more colour to the event was the poster competition. A total of 22 posters from different units were received. Posters were evaluated by the experts and when the secret was revealed T2F0 chemotherapy unit got the first position, T5F4 MICU in second, and T5F1 ICU holding third position.

The next unique contest was “MY IV STORY” (experiences of nurses on infusion therapy) written in either Malayalam or English. A total of 16 fabulous stories were received. Ms. Chinnu Elizabeth George (T2F0 Chemo therapy unit) occupied the first position, Ms. Renjini S (T3F4 ward) in second position and Mr. Akhilesh Raj T N (Nursing Quality Division) secured third position in this creative contest.

27th January, 2016 was a day, sun had risen, with a festive atmosphere here at Amrita Hospital; a day of celebration The event began with lighting the lamp symbolizing the evacuation of darkness from mind, then followed by a delightful warm welcome address by Mrs. Vishalakshi, Deputy Nursing Officer, Amrita Hospital. The chief guest for the day was Dr. Beena, Consultant of Public Health & Medical Administration had given an inspiring message on the theme “Infusing Care is Our Passion”.  Bri.Sai Bala, Nursing Director of Amrita Hospital in her key note address shared the activities of PICC line team  and also appreciated the IV team members for their relentless effort in making changes in practices, resulting in better patient outcome. The inauguration was done by Bri. Sai Bala , Dr. Neeraj Sidharthan, Dr. Jerry Paul, Mr. Bilesh, and Mr. Samboorna.

Dr. Neeraj Sidharthan took privilege to felicitate the gathering and official announcement of PICC line team and also acknowledged the spirit of nursing team and shared his experience, where a nurse’s observation had saved a patient. Prize distribution was done by Dr. Jerry Paul, Dr. Neeraj Sidharthan and Bri. Sai Bala for the winners of the competitions. The guests are honured with memento as a token of gratitude by Bri. Sai Bala.

Mrs. Kanakamma Sasi, Nursing Supervisor through her passionate and emotional presentation elaborated the theme. An overview on incidence of Peripheral IV cannulation and complications of different units were done by Mr. Akhilesh Raj T N, RN, Nursing Quality Division.  The best practices in IV Cannulation & infusion therapy at Amrita Hospital, was shared by Ms. Jiji J (B Male ward). The milestones and achievements of IV team were discussed by Ms. Radhika Mohandas, RN, Nursing Quality Division. The part played by the industrial friends towards knowledge sharing and an effort to empower nurses was acknowledged and appreciated by the nursing team of Amrita Hospital, through a personal note. Nurses used this opportunity to showcase their talent in music through performances  which added more flavor to the function. The token of gratitude to the entire gathering was given by Ms. Jeenu K M, CNS, Nursing Quality Division. The waves soon stood still and the official programme came to an end at 1.15pm with National Anthem.

As part of World Diabetes Day, the Nursing Services of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Amrita Hospital) organized diabetes day celebration on 6.11.2015. The theme of World Diabetes Day 2015 was “Healthy Life Starts from a Healthy Breakfast.” Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director of Amrita Hospital in her key note address described the journey of the champions from 2013 to 2015 and their activities. She also emphasised the need of healthy break fast for a healthy living for all health care professionals. The chief guest of the programme was Dr. Vidhya B Menon, Medical Administrator; Associate Professor (Internal Medicine) in her address focused on the importance of healthy breakfast for reducing the occurrence and severity of life style diseases and expressed her hearty congratulations to the Nursing Service and the champions for their activities and the new initiatives. Dr. Harish Kumar, HOD, Endocrinology department talked about diabetic care and healthy breakfast and emphasized the practical implementation of comprehensive care for the patients with Diabetes by the health care team. Dr. Usha Menon, Associate Professor, Department of Endocrinology took a session on the theme. She talked about the importance of breakfast in day to day life both for the adults and children and also deliberated on the positive changes in patient care, after the champions had started working. She commented that she felt very happy when a nurse apparently shared small concerns regarding patients and that it made quite a difference not only in the patient’s but also the health care team’s attitude towards nurses.

Best performers from the Diabetes Management Champions were selected and poster and quiz competition were conducted as part of the celebration.

The best performer award for diabetic champions was shared by Ms. Chithira T. K (ERICU) and Ms. Syama M (Annex female ward). The prizes for quiz competition were distributed by Bri. Sai Bala, Nursing Director. The first prize was for the team IMCU, 2nd prize for team BMT and 3rd prize for team T4F4 Ward. The prize distribution for poster competition was done by Dr. Hareesh Kumar, HOD, Endocrinology Department. The first was bagged by T1F1 ICU, second Prize by Casualty and 3rd prize by T5F5 Ward and had special prize for the team from PICU for their good presentation.

NIRMAN – Building the future, National Working group on Nursing Quality Indica-tors for Paediatric Cardiac Nursing Care held at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi is an important milestone in the history of Nursing in India. It was the first of its kind on paediatric nursing in the country and is a beginning towards building the future of excellent nursing care in this field.

Bri Sai Bala, Nursing Director welcomed the gathering and shared her vision for the discussion. She also conveyed that the main aim was to create a platform for dialogue between the centres of excellence in Paediatric Cardiac Care to decide upon 2-3 key performance indicators sensitive to nursing.

On the opening address Dr. Mahesh.K, Clinical Professor, Dept of Paediatric Cardiology; Amrita Hospital mentioned that maintaining quality in a limited resource environment is the major challenge faced by Nurses currently.

Consultant and Clinical Asst. Professor Dr. Vidhya B Menon specially appreciated the Nursing fraternity as ‘Nurses are the backbones of QI’ and also mentioned, Quality in a unit can be achieved only through team work.

Dr. Rakhi. B., Professor, Dept. of Anesthesiology, Amrita Hospital shared her experi-ence with quality improvement project and IQIC.

Dr. R. Krishna Kumar Prof & Head, Dept of Paediatric Cardiology, Amrita Hospital, in his plenary session focused on implementation and sustenance of QI and stressed the importance of Team work and communication especially during ICU transfer & handover.

Ms. Bistra Zheleva, Vice President –Children’s Heart Link in her webinar session en-riched the delegates through explaining about the PDSA Cycle, the Critical factors for QI success and few examples of Nursing led QI and also happily informed about the CHL (Child Heart Link)s Paediatric project & BCHs IQIC.

Ms. Lisa McCabe, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Heart Centre, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, and Palo Alto, California in her webinar explained about the vari-ous Quality Improvement Methods for Nurses on the second day of the event. Dr. Sanjeev K Singh, Medical Superintendent, Amrita Hospital through his stress free hands on session made the most complicated quality improvement tools very palatable and easy for everyone to use it their respective clinical settings.

Bri Sai Bala, on her plenary session on Nursing Sensitive Quality Indicators delivered a talk about the various types of Nursing Quality Indicators (its structure, process and outcome), how to define them and implement it in clinical setting. The discussion con-tinued to put these concepts into a structured framework, to enhance standardisation of the same.

Many Nurse Quality leaders from various part of country shared their Quality improvement inspiring success stories which were an open forum for discussion. A total of 22 nurses and leaders participated in the discussion and arrived at deciding work on 6 relevant Quality improvement indicators related to paediatric cardiac nurs-ing care. As a result of an interactive and effective working group participation, Dr K.Krishna Kumar, President of PCSI offered to allow a half day collaborative Quality improvement discussion during the upcoming annual conference and also offered to support for a one day nursing track during the event.

On the winding up session Bri Sai Bala dealt about the parameters of Quality in-dicators and the things to be stressed and avoided while doing Quality improvement techniques and with that the Nursing working group officially winded up the event successfully by achieving the goal of identifying Paediatric Nursing Sensitive Quality Indicators such as IV Complications especially Phlebitis, Nursing Turnover, Nurse Empowerment, Patient satisfaction and continuity of care. The event came to an end by taking decision to monitor these factors in the respective organizations and promised to come back with more success stories in the next year.

A state level conference on envisioning innovations in nursing practice was held on January 25th 2020 at Caritas Hospital Kottayam. Ms. Sai Bala. M. Nursing Director of Amrita Institute Of Medical Science, Kochi was an invited speaker at the event and she spoke about Evidence Based Practices In Infection Control Methods. The session highlighted the evidence based guidelines on setting up an infection control program and was perceived as a simple yet comprehensive view of the same engaging the audience along the discussion

As part of Hospital Infection Prevention Week, Amala Institute of Medical Science , conducted a conference on “Infection Prevention And Control Practices” at Thrissur on January 10, 2020. Ms. Sai Bala. M. Nursing Director of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi was an invited speaker at the event. She spoke about Day Care Patient Safety- Infection Prevention In Emergency Care. Her session was lively with scenarios from her experience. The session was well focused and well received by the audience.

The national conference on organ transplant “The Gift of Life time” has been conducted on 18th December 2019 and 19th December 2019 at Deenanath Mangeshkar Foundations, Pune. Ms Anju. P.S. and Ms. Sheena Joseph, RN Transplant ICU, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi, were the invited speakers and they dealt with the topic pre-operative and post-operative care of patients undergoing transplant surgery. Their sessions were well focussed and made valuable contributions at the event.

A 5-Day Introductory Yoga Workshop has been organised by Mata Amritanandamayi Math from 09th December 2019 to 13th December 2019 at Borstal School Kakkanad. Ms. Sai Bala. M., Nursing Director of Amrita Institute Of Medical Sciences, Kochi, was an invited speaker at the event. She dealt with meditation and importance of understanding oneself and using the same knowledge in dealing matters related to the heart and brain and to make decisions in life effectively. Her class was well accepted and the participants expressed that her views and ideas where a page turner in their life and would be looking forward to these kind of classes in the future too.

The Amrita Institute Of Medical Sciences, Kochi conducted AMRITACON 2019, An International Public Health Conference, on November 25 – 26, 2019 with the theme “Gender, Public Health and Clinical care : Evidence informed Practice”. The conference was conducted in collaboration with Harvard Global Health Institute. Ms. Sai Bala M, Nursing Director, AIMS was invited as the speaker/chairperson for the Plenary Session on ‘Health and Development through the gender prism’ on 25th November 12.15 pm to 1.00 pm along with Dr. A.K. Jayashree (Professor & HOD, Dept of Community Medicine, ACME, Kannur). The speaker is Ms. Sarada G. Muraleedharan (IAS, Principal Secretary LSG (Rural), Govt. of Kerala.) who is a dynamic personality and contributed a lot in rural development and is known for her measures in reducing poverty with human rights in consideration.

The Government College of Nursing, Ernakulum conducted a workshop on Management And Leadership Skills For Staff Nurses And Head Nurses from 11th November 2019 to 16th November 2019 at Mini Conference Hall, Government College of Nursing. Ms. Sai Bala, Nursing Director of Amrita Institute Of Medical Sciences was an invited speaker for the session “Role of Nurse Administrator in Quality Assurance, on 15th November 2019. The session focused on developing leadership skill among nurses and helping nurse leaders to build skill in Quality Assurance. The participants expressed that, through this session they were able to imbibe the principles of quality management and it gave them the confidence to work towards augmenting quality improvement in their setting.

The National Leadership Summit – SANKALP 2019 conducted by AORN (Association Of Peri-operative Registered Nurses) Mumbai in association with 3M India was held on 09 November 2019 at Goa. Ms.Sai Bala, Nursing Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi was an invited speaker and did a session on the topic Moisture Associated Skin Injury (MASD), and its impact in the health care settings. She also stressed about the importance of development of care protocols and the need to implement them in the hospital settings for better outcome. Most awaited moment of the event was the launch of the book SAMYOG National Consensus Forum: Prevention And Management of Hospital Acquired Skin Injuries. The document is a result of National Consensus Forum (SAMYOG-2016) that was held in December 2016 in Kerala initiated by the Nursing Services of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi in Association with 3M India supported by an education grant from them. The document provides in detail about MASD (Moisture Associated Skin Injury, MARSI (Medical Adhesive Related Skin Injury)and ST (Skin Tear) and the measures to manage them with in Indian health care settings. It is also expected that this document will raise awareness of the need for accurate, standardised data collection for MASD, MARSI and ST, and the development of high-quality studies to advance our evidence base.

Twentieth annual conference of PCSI- Nursing Track was held on 7th and 8th of October 2019 at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital Centre for Child Heart Care, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. Ms. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, played a major role as scientific committee member throughout the event. She was the moderator for session: Understanding leadership, autonomy and team work at the bedside in a resource constrained environment. She acted as a mentor and participated actively in discussions throughout the conference. Ms. Bindhya. B. Nair, clinical nurse specialist, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, presented a session on Early Warning Signs with Dr. Sreelakshmi from pediatric cardiac anaesthesia. They included real case scenarios to explain early warning signs for better understanding. Questions from the audience were cleared with their detailed explanations. Mr. Vaisakh.G, clinical nurse specialist, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, functioned as a scientific committee member and delivered a talk on pharmacology in pediatric cardiac surgery in association with Ms. Alice, clinical pharmacist, who dealt with the pharmacokinetics. They dealt with drugs such as adrenaline, milrinone, levosimendan, dopamine, potassium chloride and prostaglandin. Presentation was well received by the audience and faculty. Mr. Vaisakh.G, clinical nurse specialist, and Ms. Bindhya. B. Nair, clinical nurse specialist, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, was in charge of a skill station: Early Warning signs and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They trained around 150 nurses with audio, video sessions and gave hands-on training. The training was very focused and reported to be very effective for nurses.

The Eighth National Conference of Infusion Nurses Society – India was conducted on 13th and 14th September 2019 at Chennai. Ms. Sai Bala, Nursing Director, AIMS, Kochi played a major role as governing council member of INS INDIA since its inception and as a scientific committee member throughout this event. She presented a session on ‘PICC Lines: Can we consider it a cost effective intervention.’ Ms. Sudhatmaja P.P. Deputy Nursing Officer, AIMS, Kochi presented a session on ‘A Way To Reduce Pre- Analytical Errors When Collecting Samples From Central Line Or Arterial Line.’ The sessions were very focused and made valuable contributions at the event.

Ms. Sai Bala M., Nursing Director, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, was an Invited Speaker on the topic “Augmenting health diversity in nursing care – patient – nurse relations” in Health care administration through learning and observation (HALO), a two-day national level conference focused on management level issues in health care conducted by A. J. Institute of Hospital Management in association with A.J Hospital and Research Centre and A. J. Institute of Medical Sciences during June 14-15, 2019 at Mangalore. The talks and presentations provided a historical and theoretical overview of contemporary concept of health care and various levels of prevention

“A land favored with the unstoppable force of life. A land called God’s very own nation Kerala. Cheerful Kerala Piravi.”

Under the banner of Saavishkaara, poem writing and story writing competition were held on 1st and 5th November 2019. The programme paved the way to commemorate the Kerala Piravi and honor our mother tongue.

Kerala Piravi Celebration

“The world’s most beautiful music is your own heart beats….”
The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most!!!
Every festival is a celebration…

As a part of Saavishkaara, light music and rangoli competitions were held on 15th and 26th October 2019 as part of Navarathri and Diwali celebrations respectively. The programme was very colourful. The journey continues with every festival colouring the lives of many.

Navarathri Celebration

Diwali Celebration

Memories of moments celebrated together… 
Moments that have been attached to the heart for ever!!!

Under the banner of Saavishkaara, we celebrated Onam festival with various competitions. It included Malayali Manga, Malayala Kesari, Onappattu and Thiruvathira. The contests were conducted from 17th to 20th September 2019. This events created yet another opportunity to come together as a family, enjoy and celebrate the talents. The journey continues with the guidance of our beloved Nursing Director, Ms. Saibala M.

Thiruvathira 
Onappattu 
Malayala Kesari & Malayali Manga

It makes heart beat with pride, to see the colors of Independence Day spreading happiness and great joy all around. Patriotic song competition was held on 14^th August 2019 as the part of Saavishkaara.

Nursing is equally an art which requires the nurses to express or communicate compassion, love and hope, the most intricate concepts and hence needs as good preparation as any art form to master it. With an understanding that nurturing an art hidden in any individual improves their ability to express the most abstract concepts, the initiative SAAVISHKAARA is launched. It aims to provide a platform to awaken and enrich the unexplored artistic talents in nurses as a simple step towards imbibing the same principles to develop the loosing art of nursing. Under this initiative we plan to organize various competions through out the year to celebrate talents and nursing. We align it along with our festivals so as to get a good grounding in Indian culture.

The philosophy of nursing department is consistent with philosophy of Amrita Hospital.

We are committed to render quality nursing care to all clients irrespective of cast, creed, color, age, gender, nationality, economic status or handicap conditions.

Each individual is unique and has intrinsic worth and will be treated with dignity.

Nursing care promotes self care concepts enabling patients to meet their basic human needs in coping with their health status throughout their life cycle. Nursing involves a broad approach to health care aimed at a healthy society through education of public.

Nursing’s function is to help restore patients to the best possible state of physical, mental and emotional health and to maintain patients sense of spiritual and social well-being. We pledge intelligent co-operation in coordinating nursing service with the medical and allied professional practitioners.

Patient’s and their family have a right to be kept informed above all aspects of their health status and to participate in decisions affecting their care to the fullest extend possible.

The nursing personal are individually accountable to patient’s and their families for the quality and companion of the patient care rendered for upholding the standard of care as delineated by the nursing staff.

The highly specialized care offered at Amrita Hospital requires qualified staff at all position. The most important assets of the institution are the staff and they will be treated with respect.

We have responsibility to provide learning experiences and be role models for all students in the health care field.

Research is essential for improving patient care and the department shall support, promote and participate in these activities.

Continuing education is essential for quality, professional nursing and is a personal and organizational responsibility.

• Operating Rooms
• Procedure Room (radiology and Nuclear Medicine )
• ER and Triage
• Cath Lab
• Dialysis
• Endoscopy
• Labor room
• Oncology – radiation and chemotherapy areas
• Pain & Palliative
• Paediatric Cardiology
• Bone marrow transplantation unit

• Clinical nurse specialist
• Nurse Educator
• Infection Control Nurse
• Diabetes champion/ Educator
• IV Champion/ Educator
• Training Champion/ Educator
• Wound Care Nurse

• 8 – days hospital orientation programmes
• Basic life support certification programme
• IV Cannulation certification programme
• Blood transfusion certification programme
• Diabetes care certification programme
• Infection control certification programme
• Continuing Nursing Education (online & offline training)
• Certification programme on leadership and management