THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government’s introduction of the 6-6-12 shift system in nearly 900 private hospitals across the state, along with the approval of overtime pay, has received widespread support from nurses, many of whom struggle due to poor working conditions—longer hours with little to no extra pay.

The directive, already in place in government hospitals, divides nurses’ work schedules into two six-hour day shifts and one 12-hour night shift. Moreover, any duty exceeding 208 hours a month must be compensated with overtime pay.

Kerala has around 75,000 nurses employed in the private sector and 20,000 in the government sector. By standardizing shift durations, the government hopes to ensure fair compensation for nurses. The move is also likely to create more jobs, as hospital management will either need to hire additional staff to meet the shift requirements or bear the overtime costs.

“The new shift pattern will not only improve working conditions but also generate jobs for more nurses,” said Ajay Viswambharan, general secretary of the United Nurses Association (UNA), one of the nursing organizations that have been advocating for the implementation of the shift system.

Highlighting the poor working conditions many nurses face, he said, “In some hospitals, a single nurse is responsible for up to 20 patients, far above the recommended 1:7 nurse-to-patient ratio. When the patient load is excessive, nurses struggle to finish their duties on time. The reform will ultimately enhance patient care.”

Prolonged shifts spanning eight to 12 hours, low wages, and lack of overtime pay have driven many nurses to seek better opportunities outside the state, said T Subramanian, general secretary of the Kerala Government Nurses Association (KGNA).