Nurse Jemimal Christopher receives Florence Nightingale Award for Exemplary Service from CM Siddaramaiah

BENGALURU: Jemimal Christopher, a senior nursing superintendent at Sparsh Hospital, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore, has been awarded the highly esteemed Florence Nightingale Award in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the nursing profession and the healthcare system. The award was presented by Chief Minister Of Karnataka Siddaramaiah during a ceremony held at Vidhana Soudha, Bangalore.

With over four decades of nursing experience, Jemimal Christopher has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the welfare of her patients. Since joining Sparsh in 2011, Jemimal initially served as the senior nursing superintendent at the Infantry Road Sparsh unit until 2014. Subsequently, she transitioned to the Yeshwantpur unit of the hospital in the same role.

As a senior nursing superintendent, Jemimal holds pivotal responsibilities at Sparsh. She has played a crucial role in setting up the nursing department at both the Infantry Road and Yeshwantpur units of Sparsh. Additionally, Jemimal oversees the recruitment of nursing staff across these units. Her duties encompass the efficient administration of the nursing department, ensuring quality assurance measures for patient safety, providing training and guidance to nursing personnel and administration staff, regular interactions with patients, and promptly addressing any complaints through corrective and preventive actions. Furthermore, Jemimal conducts internal audits to maintain adherence to established standards and protocols.

Jemimal’s career began in 1979 as a staff nurse at the Christian Mission Hospital in Madurai, and she later moved to the Christian Medical College and Hospital in Vellore in 1982, where she specialized in Neurology ICU. Throughout the years, Jemimal held various positions, including OT Incharge in different hospitals from 1989 to 1996. In 1997, she relocated to Bangalore, joining Mallya Hospital as an OT supervisor, where she gained extensive experience assisting in open heart surgeries, renal transplants, and vascular surgeries. Between 2001 and 2010, Jemimal worked as a Deputy Nursing Superintendent at BGS Apollo Hospital in Mysore. Her expertise led her to work with several leading hospitals in South India before joining Sparsh Hospital as a Senior Nursing Superintendent.

Jemimal firmly believes that dedication and commitment are two key fundamental qualities that every nurse should have. Through their actions, attitude, and unwavering dedication to their profession, Jemimal believes that young nurses should serve as a source of inspiration for their colleagues and others. Moreover, she emphasises the importance of gaining essential skills necessary to effectively handle challenging patient scenarios independently, manage patients with utmost care, and adeptly solve problems as they arise.

The Florence Nightingale Award was started in the year 2000 when it was initially established under the guidance of Ivan Nigli, former MLA of Karnataka. Presently, the organisation responsible for organising the Florence Nightingale Award is The Anglo Indian Unity Centre (Regd.) and Garshom Foundation in Bangalore, in collaboration with the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Government of Karnataka.

Expressing her gratitude for the recognition, Jemimal Christopher said, "It is a great honour to receive this prestigious award from the Chief Minister and to be acknowledged for my years of service. Nursing is a profession that demands physical, emotional, and psychological strength. However, it is also incredibly fulfilling. Taking care of patients, ensuring their comfort, and being available when they need me has been the essence of my professional life. Witnessing their recovery and seeing them return to their normal selves brings me immense joy. My time at Sparsh over the past decade has been truly memorable, and I look forward to serving many more patients."

The Chairman, Sparsh Hospital, Dr Sharan Shivaraj Patil said, “Nurses are the first touch point for any patient, and they play a huge role in defining a patient's experience at a hospital. They not only offer compassionate care and emotional support to patients, but they also play a significant role in assisting doctors, be it in day to day consultation or with complicated medical procedures. In short, they are the backbone for the smooth functioning of a hospital or any healthcare facility. We are thrilled to see one of our own get recognised for their outstanding services to the field of healthcare. Jemimal has been an integral part of many patient success stories at Sparsh, and she truly embodies the value that Sparsh stands for - Faith, Hope and Love.We are immensely proud of Jemimal and the entire nursing fraternity, whose tireless efforts contribute immensely to the well-being and recovery of many patients in need of care"

The Florence Nightingale Award is given to recognize nurses in Karnataka for their outstanding contributions to the nursing profession