Ministry Agrees To Assist Damai Hospital Trainee Nurses, Suhakam Says

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Seventeen trainee nurses who alleged that they were forced to work as staff nurses at the Damai Service Hospital (DSH) in Taman Melawati even before graduation, may be able to complete their training at recognised private medical colleges.
Suhakam (Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) commissioner Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam said the Health Ministry had expressed its willingness to accommodate the trainees according to their qualifications as soon as possible.
"The trainees have undergone a nursing course at the DSH for a year and six months, so the Health Ministry will assess whether the course they have taken achieves the standard and is recognised to allow them to continue their studies for another six month," he said.
He told reporters this after meeting 12 of the 17 trainees at the Suhakam office, here Monday.
Siva also urged the Health Ministry to take firm action on the DSH for offering nursing courses without a licence.
"A private hospital is accountable for each of its offers and services rendered and not take advantage by making use of trainees to do the work of staff nurses," he said.
Last month, the 17 trainee nurses alleged that the DSH had offered them a nursing course and forced them to work as staff nurses including in assisting doctors in receiving births, taking care of women who had just given birth and giving medicine intravenously to newborn babies.
One of them, Farah Nur Syuhaida Borhan, 20, said they had been suspended after reporting the matter to Suhakam and the media.
"Normally, we would work for five days and attend classes two days, and sometimes without off days. But since early January to June, we did not attend any class and had to work full time with a RM450 monthly allowance.
"Then, we lodged a complaint with the Malaysian Nursing Board over the matter and tried to get clarification from the hospital but they refused to meet us.
"Last July, we were suspended and now, we are jobless," she said.