GNM stands for General Nursing and Midwifery. GNM is a paramedical diploma course with a span of three and a half years. GNM emphasizes teaching Nursing students the importance of the community, community health care, and Midwifery. GNM course can be pursued after the completion of the 10th board followed by a pre-university of two years in the science stream. The eligibility criteria also include a minimum of 50% aggregate in the 2nd year PUC in the science stream. Few colleges offer their entrance examinations to be eligible for admission in the college. 

GNM Full Form – General Nursing Midwifery in detail

History of Nursing:

Thomas hospital of England was the first hospital to start similar Nursing schools in India. Delhi’s St. Stephen’s hospital was the first hospital to start a Nursing training program for females of India in the year 1867. In the year 1871, India established its first Nursing school in Madras(Chennai) in a government general hospital. At that time the number of students was only 4. 

Importance of GNM:

The profession of a General Nursing Midwifery (GNM) is an age-old one that has only gained more importance in contemporary times due to the increasing population, ailments and diseases. To begin with, they play a very important role in assisting doctors in their work in operation  theatres, hospital wards, etc. Thus we can say they act as the hand of a doctor. 

They also play a very important role in educating the patients and communities about various diseases and preventative measures. They educate people about Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), the benefits of maintaining personal and public hygiene, etc.    

Nurses many a time also serve in war-torn regions serving the army people as well as the civilians. During the ongoing covid wave, many nurses fulfilled their social responsibilities by flying across various parts of the country as well as the world to perform their duties.

Due to their dedication towards society and towards their work, GNM is considered to be a very respectable job in society.     

Curriculum:

• GNM is a course of 3 academic years followed by a 6-month internship.
• First-year includes subjects such as Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Psychology, Sociology, Fundamentals of Nursing, First Aid, Personal Hygiene. 
• Second-year includes Medical-Surgical Nursing1, ENT, Communicable diseases, Oncology, Psychiatric Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Computer Education.
• Third-year includes Pediatric Nursing, Community Health Nursing 2, Gynaecological Nursing.
• Along with the curriculum the candidates are also trained in computer data handling as well, enabling them to fit in their job roles perfectly.

Nursing:

Nursing is a part of the healthcare system which focuses on maintaining and supporting individuals, communities and families to recover from diseases and to improve their quality of life. Their approach to the patient care system is different from that of other health professionals. Like doctors, even nurses have specializations in different fields and hold authority in different levels of prescription. Nurses are an exclusive part of the healthcare system who work in collaboration with the doctors, therapists, patient health, and become communicative media between doctors and patients’ families. Some legislations allow the nurses to diagnose and give suitable treatment in emergencies. They become the coordinating media for the patient care undertaken by the health care team that includes doctors, therapists, dieticians, etc.

Midwife:

The education and practice of a midwife are similar to that of a nurse but they have specialization in pregnant women, newborns, and childcare. Midwives are trained to understand the normal labour process and take necessary measures and precautions in case any diversion is taking place in normal labour. They are capable enough to handle various high-risk pregnancies such as breech presentation, placenta previa, twin births, etc. They are specialized in using non-invasive methods. In many parts across the world, only a midwife can handle all the situations arising throughout the pregnancy whereas in some places the help of obstetricians is considered to avoid complications.

Careers that can be Opted after GNM Course:

Post three and a half years in General Nursing and Midwifery the candidate can also choose a career as a staff nurse, Nursing tutor, community health care Nursing, physician attendant, ICU nurse, etc.

After the completion of the GNM course, the candidate is registered under the state nurse registration council. After this, the candidate can also pursue B.SC Nursing which is a bachelor’s degree in Nursing comprising two academic years. But in the case of distance learning programs, the duration of the degree increases to 3 years. Graduation in Nursing opens a further wide career path with better job opportunities in India and abroad.

GNM is a course that is very high in demand in contemporary times due to the ongoing covid pandemic. It is a very old profession mostly dominated by women. After reading this article, you might have understood that it is a very demanding job meant for strong-hearted people like you. 

Completion of GNM is not an end rather a beginning. After completion of GNM as well a wide variety of career opportunities are available to the students. Thus we hope reading this article helps you in making an informed decision for your career ahead.