Oh God, it hurts! I need to see a doctor!” this is a statement that most of us often say and sometimes hear others say. Other than the profession of teacher, even a doctor’s profession is considered one of the noblest professions in the world. But what would happen if only doctors had to do everything?

From surgery to preparing for surgery, from medication to injecting essential fluids to dressing a wound, requires attention, time, dedication and care. Remove nurses from any hospital, and it would definitely be like an empty place with a handful of doctors catering to hundreds of patients. Doesn’t it sound unfair for the nurses who are the healthcare industry’s backbone?

Well, though they might not get the due credit that they thoroughly deserve, they are still making a huge difference in our lives. From taking care of the patients to off-loading the burden of a doctor, nurses have become an essential part of our healthcare routine.

But is it easy to be a nurse? Since they share the responsibility of life, being a nurse is as hard as being a doctor. That is the reason, through years of studying and rigorous training, they tend to handle any emergency situation effectively and in a healthy manner.

Over the years, the healthcare sector has seen significant changes that are helping the world to better its healthcare services. To upskill the aspirants of the health care industry and create experts with calibre equal to doctors, Chitkara School of Health Sciences is bringing on the advancements in the industry and being the difference that the world wants to be.

Led by Dr. Madhu Chitkara, the Pro-Chancellor of the School, the school has produced some of the finest experts in the health sector who bring effective change in the industry. Dedicated to training and shaping them into professionals, Chitkara School of Health Sciences has dedicated itself to creating one of India’s finest nursing colleges.

Foundation and Years of Progress

Chitkara School of Health Sciences was established in 2012 with the first 4-year program B.Sc. Nursing is recognized by Indian Nursing Council and Punjab Nurses Registration Council. In the year 2016, Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing was started, followed by M.Sc. Nursing in five specializations (Medical-Surgical Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Child Health Nursing, and Obstetrics and Midwifery Nursing) in the year 2020.

Since the year of inception, the school has seemingly grown from one batch of 60 students to more than 300 students. The institution’s focus also shifted from teaching to Research and entrepreneurship development. The school strives relentlessly to maintain the quality of nursing education through comprehensive faculty expertise in different specializations and Research.

Dr. Madhu Chitkara: Leading from the Front

After being fundamental in the establishment, Dr. Madhu Chitkara, a seasoned academician and edupreneur is leading the Chitkara University and Chitkara School of Health Sciences from the front.

She holds a PhD in Education and has had a diversified career with variegated experience in the field of education spanning four decades. With a rich experience in managing numerous academic ventures and leading by example, she holds a knowledgeable and focused mindset to deliver on her promises.

The University has developed a strong network with over 200 universities and institutions throughout the world, including those in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Australia, thanks to her vision.

Her continual goal is to build strong industry contacts to provide the greatest possible job chances for new graduates with reputable organizations like Infosys, Amazon, Mahindra, Fortis, Safexpress, SAP, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and Ernst & Young.

Dr. Harmeet Kang: Heading the Chitkara School of Health Sciences

The founding Principal at Chitkara School of Health Sciences, Dr. Harmeet Kang, is the product of eminent institutions in India. She completed her bachelor’s in nursing from PGIMER, Chandigarh. Masters in Cardiological/CTVS Nursing from AIIMS, New Delhi, and PhD in Medical-Surgical Nursing under National consortium for PhD in Nursing by Indian Nursing council and RGUHS, Bangalore.

She has received various accolades for her contribution to the nursing profession and was selected for International Postdoctoral Fellowship by Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of Nursing and International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing, which she completed at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD in the year 2019.

She is actively involved in professional development activities and Research. Her research interests include NCD prevention and management, nurse-led clinics & community interventions, and women’s health.

Vision, Mission, and Core Values

Vision:

“To be recognized as a global leader in quality and value-driven education and Research in nursing disciplines.”

Mission:

• “To provide integrated and technology-driven healthcare education and research through world-class faculty, infrastructure, and curriculum.
• To contribute to building a skilled and competent healthcare professionals society through the best industry-academia collaboration.
• To inculcate high moral, ethical, and professional standards amongst students who will be committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities at large.
• To prepare the competent nurses with expertise in clinical and community settings with dedication, passion, commitment, humanity, and devotion.”

Unique Program Offerings and Academic Initiatives

Chitkara School of Health Sciences provides the following programs in Nursing:

• Undergraduate Programs:Sc. Nursing (Basic) 4 years degree program, Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing.
• Postgraduate programs:Sc. Nursing in five specializations (Medical-Surgical Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing, Community Health Nursing, Child Health Nursing, and Obstetrics and Midwifery Nursing).
• Doctorate program: PhD in Nursing.

Academic Initiatives

Chitkara School of Health Sciences has a state-of-the art educational infrastructure. The simulation labs are utilized to provide the skill and clinical decision-making training prior to hospital exposure to make the students confident in handling the actual clinical situations. The teacher to student’s ratio (1:10) is maintained throughout.

Teaching learning and co-curricular processes are designed so that the students emerge as skilful, employable, and ethical global citizens. The value-added courses, sports, and cultural avenues allow all the students to explore their potential to the fullest.

At Chitkara School of Health Sciences, skill development and theory-practical integrations are core to academic activities. Best of the clinical experience is provided to the students at private as well as government hospitals.

Problem-based learning is another academic initiative by the school, where students learn through doing as they conduct the community health needs assessments and plan and implement the care for individuals and families. Students actively organize a number of health education activities and health assessment camps for the community people.

The school facilitates International exposure through opportunities to join summer schools in foreign universities and collaborative projects with partner universities. This, in turn, supports and broadens the students’ outlook on local and global health issues and helps in all-around development.

Global week (an annual feature at Chitkara University) is another excellent academic initiative where the international faculty teaches the students for one week and apprises them to the international and global health issues. At the Global week, integration of research work happens at each level, be it undergraduate or postgraduate program.

The Centre for entrepreneurship education development (CEED) at Chitkara university provides opportunities for students to think out of the box and come up with ideas to solve health-related and societal issues by forming multidisciplinary teams. Nursing students actively participate in hackathons at the regional and national levels. The CEED provides mentoring support for the new start-up ideas to convert into successful entrepreneurship.

Honing Holistic Learning in Nursing

Chitkara School of Health Sciences, being the constituent institution of Chitkara University, provides extra opportunities to the students for the holistic development of students. Students at the Chitkara school excel in their discipline and other extracurricular activities, theatre, photography, singing, dancing, sports activities, etc.

The school also provides learning foreign languages while undergoing professional degree programs that prepare the students for international placements. While the personality development and communication skills development activities are routine features conducted with the support of the Language department and office of student’s affairs.

For the all-around development and well-being of students, the school provides a state-of-the-art sports facilities and gym facilities available to students on the campus. Students at Chitkara get a number of opportunities to participate in intra and interuniversity level competitions in sports and extracurricular activities to explore their potential to the fullest.

The school also puts efforts into providing the best placement opportunities for students during their final year to join the best hospitals and institutions immediately after the completion of the program.

Accolades and Accreditations

• NAAC A+ Accreditations.
• Recognition by the Indian Nursing Council and State nursing council.
• International Collaborative projects.
• Research Output: Scopus indexed.
• Faculty members recognized at the National and International level.
• A doctoral program in nursing

Striding Ahead in Nursing Education with Intent

According to Dr Chitkara, as she states, “The education sector is changing very fast with the emergence of Information technology and digitalization. And the COVID pandemic challenge provided the opportunities for the school to integrate technology and the virtual mode of imparting education.”

Dr. Chitkara explains further, “Although we were already using the technology in nursing education prior to the COVID pandemic, full transition to online education was not a challenge for students and faculty. The faculty members are already involved in developing e-content and MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses).”

The school has conducted several faculty developments programs for their University and others in MOOCs development and student engagement in online classes.

Dr. Chitkara further adds, “Research is the need of the hour; faculty and students of Chitkara School of Health Sciences are actively involved in Research and publications in high-quality journals. Overall, the institution is already prepared for VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) world.”

Moreover, Chitkara School of Health Sciences has planned to offer the following choice-based credits courses sooner:

• AI in healthcare, Video production: More online course development by faculty as per UGC notification to offer at least 40% course in online mode.
• The Centre of excellence in multidisciplinary Research in healthcare and evidence-based nursing practise is already established, and a number of research and health promotion activities are planned under these centres.
• Multidisciplinary and collaborative projects by students and faculty.
• Faculty start-ups are also in plan for the future.