The problem is compounded by vacancies in senior positions. As many as 194 posts of senior nursing officers are lying vacant.The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is grappling with an acute shortage of nursing officers, with over 3,000 positions lying vacant as per the staffing norms set by the Staff Inspection Unit (SIU), a central government body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Manjeek Kaur, president of the PGI Nursing Association, said the institute has been raising the demand for new nursing posts since 2022, but the focus remains largely on vacant sanctioned posts instead of fresh appointments based on the current workload. “Departments like ICUs, gynaecology, post-labour and medical-surgical wards, and adult urology are severely understaffed. Nurses are handling three to four times the recommended patient load, which puts both patients and staff at risk,” she said.According to Kaur, the actual burden is far worse than what official numbers reflect. “Only bedded patients are counted, while hundreds of patients on trolleys in the emergency and in hospital corridors also receive full nursing care — but this invisible workload remains unaccounted for. Our staff is at a breaking point,” she added.The problem is compounded by vacancies in senior positions. As many as 194 posts of senior nursing officers are lying vacant. Only 12 of the 22 posts of deputy nursing superintendents are filled. Kaur said the recruitment criteria for senior roles are so stringent that very few candidates qualify, and there has been a long-standing demand to revise the eligibility norms.“There are many eligible nursing officers waiting for promotions, but the file has been pending for over three years. The last large-scale recruitment of nursing staff happened in 2015. Since then, PGI has repeatedly sent proposals to the Ministry, including one for 1,500 new posts, but nothing has moved,” said Kaur.In the Emergency department, where nearly 350 patients arrive at any given time, just seven to eight nurses are on duty — each attending to as many as 50 patients. The rising daily OPD numbers — up from 6,000 before the pandemic to around 10,000–11,000 now — have only added to the strain.“Nursing is a female-dominated profession. Many nurses in their late 50s are still working night shifts. Leave, including child care leave, is hard to come by. The physical and mental toll is enormous — back pain, stress, fatigue, and disrupted family lives are now commonplace,” Kaur said.Story continues below this adShe pointed out that behavioural complaints from patients have risen, largely because overworked nurses do not have time to talk to them. “We are perceived as rude. Verbal and even physical abuse in high-stress zones like Emergency and Trauma is increasing. Nursing is not just about administering medicines; it is an art that requires time, care and connection — all of which are being lost.”Kaur also flagged that two major new centres — the Advanced Neurosciences Centre and the Maternal and Child Care Centre — cannot be operationalised without new nursing staff. “This is not about choice, it’s about compulsion.Patient safety demands it. You cannot silence unions and expect quality care. Real solutions require fair promotions, transparent planning, and timely recruitment,” she said.When contacted, PGI’s Deputy Director (Administration) Pankaj Rai said the institute is aware of the crisis and that steps are being taken to resolve the issue. “There are ongoing discussions and several meetings have been scheduled to expedite the process,” he said.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd