Yoga has now become part of the nursing curriculum at the Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (MGMCRI) under the Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (SBV).
The Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research (CYTER), SBV, which had pioneered the incorporation of Yoga concepts in the MBBS curriculum two years ago and later for dental education, has now introduced slightly modified modules on the therapeutic potential of the practice of attaining body-mind harmony for nursing students.
Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, CYTER Deputy Director, said that although the curriculum content was largely similar for all streams, there were minor modifications.
If MBBS students were taught about how Yoga could complement modern medicinal interventions in the management of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes or hypertension, nurses would learn more about those aspects of yoga that help patients recuperate from illness.
Students of dental sciences are exposed to Yoga concepts more as a self-care tool in addressing postural problems, he added.
The Nursing College has included Yoga Therapy in the BSc Nursing curriculum with students receiving 90 hours of Yoga Therapy training through CYTER during the three-year course.
The first batch of 100 nursing students are due to complete the 45 hours of Yoga classes during their first year. The batches would undergo 30 hours of Yoga classes in their second year and 15 hours of exposure in the final year, Professor Bhavanani said.
K. Renuka, Dean, Nursing Faculty and Principal of Kasturba Gandhi Nursing College, stated that it was a first that all medical, dental and nursing students of a medical university were receiving regular training in Yoga.
In fact, CYTER hosted the 6th Foundation Day on the theme of ‘Introducing Yoga in Nursing Education’.
Addressing the meet, SBV Vice Chancellor Professor K.R. Sethuraman reminded nursing students of their vital role in healthcare as the primary caregivers for patients and stressed the importance of Yoga in their personal and professional lives.
Professor N. Ananthakrishnan, Dean, Allied Health Sciences, Professor A.R. Srinivasan, SBV Registrar, Vijaya, Yoga educator from Gitananda Yoga Society of Berlin, Germany, Professor VN Mahalakshmi, Vice Principal, MGMCRI, Professor Madanmohan, CYTER Director and Meena Ramanathan, Yoga therapist were among those who took part in the event.
A book on ‘Yoga Practical Notes’, compiled and edited by Sri G Dayanidy, lecturer at CYTER, was released on the occasion.
The staff and students of KGNC and CYTER gave a special performance that included poetry, singing, dancing and demonstrations of advanced Yogasana to mark the occasion.
Educators from MGMC&RI, KGNC, CMTER, ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Yoganjali Natyalayam and Pondicherry Yogasana Association also attended the events.
Professor Bhavanani pointed to the need for a holistic integration of modern and traditional systems for the best possible outcomes in patient care.
“It is imperative that advances in medicine include the holistic approach of Yoga to face the current challenges in healthcare. The antiquity of Yoga must be united with the innovations of modern medicine to improve quality of life throughout the world,” he said.