We have proactive placement cell to place our students in various multispecialty hospital, says Dr Ponnarsai

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Dr Ponnarsai, Principal at Acharya Institute of Health Sciences talks at length about various initiatives and practices adopted by the institute to help students become career-ready. She goes into detail talking about te eco-friendly environment for teaching-learning activities and good infrastructure facilities such as the ventilated classroom with LCD projectors and a well-equipped laboratory as well as a library and Digital  Library

Read the complete interview below:

Q: What are the three things that your institute/college/university is doing that will enable it to differentiate itself from the competition?

A: Acharya college of nursing's fees structure is very much affordable to attain high quality education. Our campus is an eco-friendly environment for teaching-learning activities and our college has good infrastructure facilities like te ventilated classroom with LCD projectors and a well-equipped laboratory as well as a library and Digital  Library.

Our well qualified, experienced teachers are providing an International standard of  Nursing education to students.

Augmentation programme like certificate program for ICU and EMERGENCY NURSING, Communication skill, personality development and language classes for IELTS and OET  and international webinar on advanced trends in the nursing profession..

Q: What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry ready?

A: The various innovative teaching modalities are included in the teaching-learning process such as simulation, workshop, symposium, microteaching, problem-based learning, seminar, international webinar, OSCE   and incorporation of information technology and communication.

Students get hands-on experience in various reputed hospitals like Victoria, Van villas, Indira Gandhi Institute of child health, Spandana, National institute of mental health and neurosciences as well as rural and urban community postings which help the students to acquire skill in the nursing programme.

Certificate program on Emergency Nursing, ICU Nursing, BLS and ACLS  is given for final year students to augment their potential in the nursing profession.

Q: What are the key attributes that a student should have in order to qualify for your institution and perform well?

A: Applicants need a minimum aggregate of  50% marks  in PUC (PCMB) to be eligible for admisisons. Also, they should have completed 17 yrs. on or before 31^st of December of the year of admission.

To perform well, one must have following attributes:

1. Competency
2. Dedication
3. Hardworking
4. Critical thinking skills
5. Compassion
6. Communication skill

Q: Which programme/s would you say is/are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this programme?

A: Nursing is a noble profession, concerned with helping others. Acharya College of Nursing is one of the best institutions in Bangalore that provides an international standard of nursing education to students. Our campus has the eco-friendly environment and adequate facilities to meet the curriculum requirements. Our curriculum is a competency-based curriculum which involves various innovative teaching methods and clinical experience. Our students acquires psychomotor skill from various reputed hospitals which gives them confidence for students to deal with challenging issues. Our college arranges the augmentation program for students to increase their potential in the nursing field. Our college focuses on extracurricular activities like sports, cultural feast, freshers day, Farewell,  lamp lighting day, Graduation day, a celebration of various days like Nurses day, world health day etc. Our students secured university rank in annual examination. Our  placement cell is very active to place the students to the various multispecialty hospital and students benefited lots. Our alumni association network is very strong and our alumni is well settled in India and Foreign countries like UK, USA and Canada and helping juniors for carrer guidance in job as well as for higher studies . Our college has a provision for English languages classes for students to prepare for language test like IELTS and OET which is mandatory for the foreign job and is adding an additional feather for our programme. Our students are exposed with International webinar from various foreign university like wollega   university  and UK,UAE countries. Our college has Msc Nursing program   which is filled immediately with our Alumni students. As a  conclusion, our college is preparing competent nurse to work as Nurse Educators, Nurse Researchers, Nurse Administrators, and Nurse Practitioners.  

Q: What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni? What kind of jobs routinely come to campus? What would you say are the key recruitment trends for your college (observed over the past five years)?

A: We have proactive placement cell to place our students in various multispecialty hospital like Manipal hospital, fortis hospital, Aster hospital, HCG hospital  and Columbia Asia hospital .

We have introduced Medvah App for the final year students for carrier guidance and placement services.

Nurse Officer jobs are recruited frequently. Our students are placed well in reputed hospital.