Nursing Faculty set up at Sri Jayawardenepura University | Sunday Observer

Nursing Faculty set up at Sri Jayawardenepura University

9 July, 2017

A batch of 100 students are to be admitted to the first ever Nursing faculty set up at the Sri Jayawardenepura University, for the 2017 academic intake, according to the Government Nursing Officers Association President, Saman Ratnapriya.

Prof. Devaka Weerakone of the Colombo University has been appointed as the dean for the nursing faculty which will kick start with its 2017 intake.

“We are now in the process of recruiting staff such as lecturers and senior lecturers for this we have advertised for them and will be recruited by the end of next month. The construction of the new building will also commence by the end of next month,” Ratnapriya said. Students will be chosen out of the applications received for the 2017 intake, once the applications are sorted into faculties. According to Ratnapriya selected students from the current applicants for this academic will start lectures utilizing existing infrastructure and logistics.

There is a shortage of about 15,000 nurses in the country as per international standards. The current registered number of nurses in the country is around 32,000 while another 7,000 are currently undergoing training. The new faculty will start at the existing training school for nurses in Jayawardenapura. The new proposed building is for 17 stories allocated for academic purposes. Another building will be constructed to be utilized as hostels in Mulleriya. The cost allocated for this project is 145 million. As per the forecasted schedule the constructions should ideally be completed within two years. The construction will be carried out by the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and the State Engineering Corporation (SEC).

According to Ratnapriya the Nursing faculty will also offer degree courses for intermediary medical services staff in the future. ​

“Higher education for nursing staff had been curtailed by various individuals such as the GMOA in the past but the situation is more favourable now,” he said adding that higher education is needed to ensure quality nursing services in the country. 

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