A video made by students at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) Hubballi has been in the news recently. The video allegedly shows nurses in an ill-appealing light and has invited criticism from many in the medical community. The students involved have now been suspended and an inquiry into the incident is ongoing.
As per media reports, the students have apologised, stating that the video was only intended to be taken in a lighter vein and they did not mean to harm the sentiments of the nursing community. They also said that they now understand their mistake. Additionally, a committee has been set up by the institute to probe the incident.
The principal informs
"The preliminary inquiry was concluded today (August 9)," informed Dr Ishwar Hosmani, Principal of KIMS Hubballi. "The rest of the enquiry would be concluded on August 11, and based on the results, we will take the necessary disciplinary action," he added. Dr Hosmani stated that 15 students have been suspended for making the video.
The video in question was shared by the accused students as a reel on Instagram about four days ago. It features a student dressed as a nurse, getting involved in a sexualised way with a patient, while dancing to a Kannada song. The reel was filmed on the premises of the institute's administrative block.
Associations' response
In response, a letter from the Trained Nurses' Association of India (TNAI) dated August 7, was addressed to Dr RC Antartani, Director of KIMS Hubballi, urging him to take "swift and meaningful action". In it, TNAI mentioned that it strongly objects to the depiction of nurses in a derogatory manner. "The video not only undermines the tireless efforts of the nurses but also perpetuates the harmful stereotypes demeaning nursing and its professionals and has no place in today's society," the letter says.
Dr ATS Giri, President of TNAI's Karnataka branch, said that he was in talks with Dr Hosmani over the incident. "We want the students to remove their profiles from Instagram, before which, they should write a public apology to the nursing community. The students should be strictly punished. Only suspension is not enough, as after the suspension concludes, they might fall back to their old ways," he said.
Explaining the importance of nurses, Dr Giri said that they form the backbone of the healthcare infrastructure. "Doctors are involved, but nurses work much more in terms of patient care. It should be respected. The general public will not have a good opinion of nurses with such videos," he stated.
The president further said that the healthcare industry had played a vital role during the pandemic, and a video like the one made by the KIMS students, who are studying medicine themselves, was derogatory to the whole medical community. "At this juncture, they are condemning their own profession," Dr Giri said.
The National MSc Medical Teachers' Association (NMMTA) has also taken a stand against the incident. "We don't mean to generalize from this incident, but the deeply ingrained tendency to belittle others rooted in self-supremacy must be condemned. This tendency begins at an early stage and strengthens over the years. Our solidarity is with all the professionals who have been offended," the body tweeted on August 9.
