Center of Excellence for Nurse Education
Nursing has played a central role in Umri’s healing ministry to the poor for over 100 years. Long before Dr. Paul Yardy started the hospital in 1951, Umri served as a center of hope, providing shelter for orphans, food and medical support during famines, and care for TB and leprosy patients who had nowhere else to turn.
In keeping with that tradition of service, the Helen Rose Nursing School accepted its first class of students in 2002. Its goal was twofold: to provide healthcare services to underserved rural populations and to educate nurses and midwives opening up career opportunities for young women from tribal villages who have never had a track to professional medical service .
In addition to the academic nurse training, UCH provides practical exposure to patient care. Students gain in-depth knowledge of nursing, patient care experience, and the motivation to achieve excellence in their chosen profession.
Many students at the Helen Rose Nursing School come from tribal villages in the surrounding hills in central India. Most could not hope to attend a nursing school in a larger city because of the cost and the distance from their homes.
The Helen Rose Nursing School accepts students who do not speak English, but by graduation, all are fluent speakers. This skill makes them employable in hospitals throughout India.
The Maharashtra Nursing Council, Government of India recognizes the Helen Rose School of Nursing as a center of excellence, and it holds accreditation with the Indian Nursing Council (INC). The school provides a rigorous undergraduate degree in modern facilities, including new student housing, and helps tomorrow’s nurses develop skills to advance their communities.
Applications are now running double the available 20 seats, and plans double capacity as it transitions to a full four-year baccalaureate degree program by the 2020/21 school year are well underway.
The UCH Foundation actively supports the School of Nursing in the following ways:
- Scholarships
- Enhancement of faculty
- Advancement of the teaching capabilities
- Capital funding for facilities
- Partnering with International Nursing Education