New Delhi, The government on monday launched two new courses for nurses in an attempt to create a specialist nursing cadre to fill health service delivery gaps in villages. Two special courses has been launched by Health Minister JP Nadda, the courses which will help in the improvement of career of practising and future nurses in two sectors - primary health care and critical healthcare.

Nadda launched the courses while inaugurating a new nursing complex and said, "the government was committed to improving nursing staff and their career prospects alongside the health delivery aspect".

From september of this year, the new courses will be available to nurses, when the fresh academic session for nursing courses begins.

These are called “Nursing Practitioner Critical Care Course” and Nursing Practitioner Primary Healthcare course”.

India has around 7.5 lakh registered MBBS doctors as against 26 lakh nurses, a pool which lies unused.

Nurse Practitioner Critical Care course will be available to BSc nursing graduates and GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery) and will help equip nurses with skills needed to work in critical healthcare situations.

While, Nurse Practitioner Primary course will prepare nurses for preventive and promotive healthcare at sub centres and primary health centres where doctors are not available.

By adopting this course BSc Nursing graduates and GNMs can help the government fill doctor shortages.