While the contributions of doctors are usually glorified, people often forget the helping hand and tireless effort put by nurses that make the entire circle of a medical treatment complete. Helping the society with selfless efforts of these medical professionals begins from good nursing colleges of the nation - that contribute significantly in their holistic development as a nurse. Producing skilled nurses has always been crucial, at the beginning of the 21^st century, there was only one Nursing College in Assam run by the Govt. Although there was high demand for nursing professionals in the State but opportunities were limited to pursue Nursing. At this point, intending to impart quality education in nursing, Dr. Unmona Borgohain Saikia ideated the Asian Institute of Nursing Education at Guwahati,Assam. AINE became the first private nursing college of North East India, came into existence in 2004 with B.Sc. Nursing Course.

Under the aegis of the Principal - Dr. Unmona Borgohain Saikia, AINE received the Essentiality Certificate for starting the B.Sc. Nursing Course. Indian Nursing Council authorized it to start a Nursing College for imparting education leading to B.Sc. Nursing degree. The Institute obtained affiliation from SNDT Women’s University,Mumbai (the 5-star accredited university by NAAC)in 2004. Following it, in the year 2009, AINE obtained the permission and affiliation to start the M.Sc. Nursing course under the same university. AINE obtained permission for Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing Course (2011) from Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences, Assam. In addition, it recently became the only agency in North East India to be authorized by Indian Nursing Council for conducting the “Nurse Practitioner in Critical Care” Program which was started in October, 2018.

Recognizing Dr. Unmona Borgohain Saikia, as one of the Top Women Leaders in the Education Sector, Women entrepreneur India engages in an exclusive conversation with her.

Give us brief details about your educational and professional background. How are you leveraging the best of these elements across the operations?

Hailing from a remote village, I was just a disciplined student with no big dreams. Nursing happened to me by chance, not by choice but today, it changed my life. I completed my B.Sc. Nursing from Regional College of Nursing, Guwahati,Assam. Wasn’t completely clear about my profession and career goals. However, I got an opportunity to work as a nurse in a Govt. Hospital. Later, I enrolled myself into M.Sc. Nursing  at SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai in 1999. The initial journey was not easy. I lost my father and financial responsibilities got doubled. Alongside, my health was not supporting me. Fighting against all the hurdles from financial constrains to my health, I completely tried to focus on my studies. However, those two years of  pursuing M.Sc. Nursing  at Mumbai were filled with a thrilling and immense learning experiences. Later on in 2010, I Received my Ph.D. degree from  Gauhati University,Assam.

It was after completion of my the Master's degree, I joined GNRC Hospitals,Assam, the first super specialty healthcare centre in North East India, as a Nursing Head. I was glad to work under visionary leader, Health care Entrepreneur Dr. N.C.Borah, eminent Neurologist and Entrepreneur , CMD of GNRC Hospitals,Assam.

 I realized that Nursing is an area of wide opportunities but Assam lacks these due to several reasons. The learning experiences there so far, helped me to grow personally and professionally and equipped me to start an institute that puts it’s best efforts to transform nursing education.

What inspired you to start AINE and how has been your journey so far?

Having served different big hospitals and learning from maestros in Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata, I always dreamed of creating a better scenario in the nursing profession. I wanted to bridge the gap in the lack of nursing institutes and educate nurses with advanced practice skills, guiding the young professionals to practice the best of standards with quality education. To achieve this mission, AINE was conceptualized. Before the inception of AINE, my stint was with GNRC Hospitals,Assam as a Quality Control Officer.

Today, AINE is reaching its vision of imparting quality education to prepare competent nursing professionals who are skilled and independent. While we have students from different parts of the country, we are able to contribute across the diversity for the welfare of the society.

Started with a mere group of  30 students in one course in 2004, AINE has now grown to educate over 300 students in five degree courses and several diploma courses, every year. AINE excels in terms of academic performance, as it has maintained an uninterrupted track record of 100 percent pass out in every course since its inception. The students of AINE have secured top Ranks in the affiliated universities almost every year. To mention about the Career opportunities, AINE ensures the 100% placement of all passing out students from our institution. Our students are highly sought by the leading hospitals and educational organizations across the nation and abroad. AINE also has a very big feeder channel in it’s Parent super specialty Hospital having three branches at Guwahati and one at Kolkata. (GNRC Hospitals).

In upcoming period, AINE envisions to educate and empower more and more aspirants in different medical courses to boost up and expand range of opportunities in nursing discipline.

How do you try to differentiate your institute from other contemporaries?

Our Quality speaks the Uniqueness. Our vision is to stand as a Unique and Excellent Institution in Asia. To accomplish this, we are facilitating the students with the best infrastructure and faculties and focusing more on research and training.

We focus on empowering students as leaders and make them qualified professionals who will be able to render quality care to patients and members of the community. AINE always emphasises to help students to develop a patient-centred attitude, learning novel ways to improve patient satisfaction and the patient experience of care. 

In modern times, specifically during corona pandemic, it has become essential to develop the ability to mount and undertake a robust response in case of any unforeseen, unpredicted, and unexpected situation. Hence, Students at AINE are trained to hone their skills to enhance resilience power of patient and to conduct different activities for their mental health wellbeing.

Our students are from different states of India. With our culturally diversified community of various backgrounds, we are able to bring about societal change in the hospital & health services both locally and globally. This also enhances the cross-cultural practices of students regardless of their socioeconomic background and nurtures their holistic growth.

The hands-on experience and acquaintance of state-of-the-art facilities complement our academic offerings. This apart, the faculties with high calibre and experience from across the country from different Institutions (Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata) gives us an edge in coaching and training. Alongside academics, we focus on students’ holistic growth and enhancing other talents such as art, dance, drama, public speaking, and more. We make them a complete individual who is socially responsible as well.

As the Principal of AINE, please elaborate how do you ensure the holistic development of your students?

The teaching approach at AINE is unique. We help students become better citizens and facilitate them to explore their hidden talent in the diverse field and to excel in a personality as a whole.

We believe that participation in various activities is directly proportional to the accomplishment of educational, civic, and to a great extent, occupational success in the future. Students at AINE organises various public awareness programmes on present-day social evils like Drug Abuses, Dowry Death, Witch-hunting, Violence against women, to make the common mass aware of these evils. They also venture actively into Voluntary Blood Donation Camps, Cleanliness Drive and free Health Check-up Camps in various poverty-stricken localities. It builds up a sense of strong ethical attitude and spirit of selfless service to society, which imbibes the true essence of the nursing profession.

Besides, along with rigorous academic study, research work, and clinical exposure, AINE believes to involve students in different types of extra-curricular activities like participation in volunteering social works, sports, music clubs, fine arts, or the like activities to improve their skills while building a solid network of future peers and employers.

How do you keep pace with the latest developments and evolutions happening in the Education Sector?

The scenario has changed from ‘don’t bring mobiles to the classroom’ to ‘bring the classroom to mobile phone’. Accordingly, teaching methodology has been redesigned based students’ understanding and appreciation of individual capacity. In the current context, AINE follows instructional strategy of flipped classroom where students collaborate in online discussions and carry out research at home.

AINE conducts regular Training sessions for educators so that they can effectively incorporate updated technology into their teaching .Students are also trained to become well versed in clinical information systems, electronic health records (EHR), drug retrieval and delivery systems, medical devices, etc., whatever is being used in hospitals and other health care settings.

In the current context of Covid Pandemic, to spread awareness during the uncertain lockdown period, AINE undertakes numerous national, international and regional webinars over  online platforms.The webinars circumscribed vibrant topics,enlightened by different renowned national and international speakers from diverse  areas.

How did the impact of education change women's roles in society?

Education is not just about having a degree! It is about the overall development. Indeed, education Is a Foremost Weapon that has made women know their potentials and rise beyond several social stigmas that existed earlier. Each and every woman is to be educated, so that a woman becomes aware of her rights and to enjoy the same. “If a woman is educated, the family will be educated and the society will be educated as well.” Education gives women the power to change everything from family to society. Despite of any occupation, either of being a working woman or homemaker, a woman needs to be educated to empower her and make financially independent.

Additionally, there is no question of comparison between genders at all. We all are unique, with our own capabilities to make the world a better place to live.

Recognitions:

1. Honored as one of the Most Influential Woman Leaders, 2021 by the Global Education Magazine, “Excelligent: Educare, Educere, Education (Issue: August, 2021)”.
2. Designated as Dean, Faculty of Nursing under Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences, Assam in June, 2020
3. Recognized as a “Dedicated Leader: Spearheading Nursing Education to Newer Heights” by Knowledge Review Magazine, 2019 (Vol.7, Issue: 3).
4. Profile was published as cover story of Silicon India Magazine in April, 2019. The article (Issue: April,2019) published in the magazine entitled AINE: North East India’s First Private Nursing College engendering a change in Nursing Education, highlighted AINE’s significant status in the current Nursing era, recognizing it as most promising Nursing Institute of India.
5. Biography enlisted in Directory for Women in Science in Asian Region by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO).

1. Biography enlisted in Asia Pacific Who’s Who, Vol. IV, by Refacimento International.
2. Academic Award for Research work in contribution to health care By GNRC in 2010 By GNRC Hospitals, Assam.
3. Recognition and Sate Excellence Award from Assam Nursing Council for academic achievement on International Nurses day, 2011.
4. Established I^st private Nursing College in North East India, Students of the Institute are constantly making significance performance and consistently securing top three positions of affiliated universities.
5. Established women wellness Centre at Guwahati,Assam that provides free counselling to adolescence.
6. Recognized Guide for Ph.D. Under Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health, Sciences, Govt of Assam, Since 2011 march. And Co guide for Annamalai University and Mizoram University 

"Dr. Unmona is serving the education sector with pride, leading with confidence, and inspiring students to nurture their personalities and potential"

Dr.Unmona Borgohain Saikia, Ph.D., M.Sc. N., M.Sc. (Psychology & Counselling), PGDHHM, CPQIH

Founder and Principal whose dedication and commitment is the key to make the Institution Unique with high standards. Her revolutionary endeavour is to create independent and socially responsible citizens who are skilled in all aspects of life.

Success Mantra

Honesty, Sincerity, Dedication, Perseverance are Leadership Essence