Nursing Shortage Disrupts Healthcare Services at Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital; Demand Grows for Immediate Nursing College

A severe shortage of nurses at Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital is disrupting healthcare services, despite the hospital treating more than three times its official capacity every day. Health officials and medical professionals have called for the immediate establishment of a Nursing College in the district, saying it would significantly ease the staffing crisis through the deployment of intern nurses.

Although Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital is officially a 100-bed facility, it currently accommodates between 300 and 350 inpatients daily. However, the hospital continues to operate with staffing based on a 50-bed workforce structure, creating immense pressure on healthcare providers.

Under the approved 50-bed structure, the hospital has 68 sanctioned nursing positions, of which nine remain vacant. As a result, each nurse is often responsible for caring for 30 to 40 patients simultaneously, making it difficult to provide timely and quality care.

Patients and their family members say they frequently experience delays in receiving nursing assistance due to the staff shortage.

Lakshmipur Civil Surgeon Dr. Abu Hasan said the current number of nurses is insufficient to meet the growing demand for healthcare services.

"Although our hospital is officially a 100-bed facility, we admit around 300 to 350 patients every day. The existing number of nurses is not enough to provide quality services across three shifts. If Lakshmipur had a Nursing College, we could receive the support of nearly 100 intern nurses. We also urgently need approval for a 250-bed staffing structure and the recruitment of additional personnel," he said.

In 2022, nearly five acres of land were acquired for the construction of a nursing college in Lakshmipur.

According to officials, the Public Works Department (PWD) has already submitted a development project proposal worth approximately Tk 200 crore to the ministry. The proposed project includes:

Once established, the college is expected to produce intern nurses every year who will receive practical training at Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital, helping address the long-standing shortage of nursing staff.

Lakshmipur Executive Engineer of the Public Works Department Shafiqur Rahman said the project proposal has already been forwarded to the ministry.

"The proposal, which includes the academic building, student hostels, and teachers' accommodation, has been submitted. We hope the project will receive approval this year so that the tender process can begin," he said.

Health officials believe that improving healthcare services requires not only modern infrastructure but also adequate human resources. They are optimistic that the approval of the nursing college project and the creation of a 250-bed staffing structure will significantly reduce the nursing shortage and improve patient care at Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital.