Nurses represent one of the most dedicated workforces in the healthcare industry. The Indian healthcare industry offers immense scope for nurses to grow and explore career opportunities. The high demand for nurses in the medical industry encourages many individuals to pursue nursing as a career after completing their 12th. As per a recent survey, India needs around 4.3 million nurses to meet the norms set by WHO. As per WHO statistics, India falls short of ensuring an adequate number of nurses per 1000 persons. It provides a vast opportunity for young nurses to get employment in the near future. (Source indiatimes ) The nurses can pursue either GNM or B.Sc nursing to join any medical facility in an entry-level position. Many students wonder about the difference between the two courses and how to know which course is suitable for them. If you are an eligible candidate for nursing education, you must read the discussion to get the necessary information for making better career choices. 

What Is B.Sc Nursing Course

B.Sc nursing is a nursing course of four years duration. It is considered an undergraduate course. The course is regulated by the Indian Nursing Council. The course makes students eligible for M.Sc nursing and further education. If you aspire to pursue P.hD in nursing, you must study B.Sc nursing. The course trains students for general nursing practices. The nurses are required to take care of ill and diseased people. The course includes the study of nutrition, biochemistry, anatomy, psychology, physiology, and others. Students are trained through both practical and theoretical exposure. The graduated students become eligible to join various medical facilities as registered nurses to assist in patient care and medical support. They help doctors in the operations, take direct care of patients, and intervene in the initial diagnosis and patient management.

What Is GNM Nursing Course

Unlike B.Sc nursing, GNM nursing is a three-year diploma course. The students are required to undergo six months of professional training after completing the three years course. The course makes students eligible to join the nursing profession after completing it. The course trains students in nursing, general health care, and midwifery. The students become eligible for day-to-day nursing care, first aid, basic diagnostic support, assisting in research processes, and other duties applicable in different medical settings. The course falls under the category of paramedics. Compared to B.Sc Nursing, GNM nursing offers limited career exposure to students.  

Which Course Is Better?

Course level

The B.Sc nursing course is a four-year degree course, whereas the GNM course is a three-year diploma course. Both courses are effective in becoming an entry-level nurse. However, if you are interested in continuing your education after the course, the B.Sc nursing will offer you better exposure. 

Compared to the B.Sc nursing course, GNM is more professionally oriented. You would learn similar texts and topics in both courses. But, the GNM course will involve a more practical orientation. It will help students to become technically strong in various nursing domains. 

However, studying B.Sc nursing will allow students to gain more subject knowledge. They will develop strong critical thinking, and the ability to question any present practices. They will be able to understand any domain of nursing, such as pediatrics, nutrition, and others, through theoretical knowledge. Thus, they will be better off suggesting necessary processes to maintain better health.

There are many B.Sc nursing colleges in Bangalore which ensure that students get all the necessary facilities to become trained nurses. That is why the college conducts different practical classes for different subjects such as nutrition, anatomy, physiology, and others. The colleges focus on keeping the student and teacher ratio at 10:1 so that students are involved more directly in practical classes.

Similarly, colleges allocate restricted seats for GNM courses. Their key motive remains to train a smaller number of students and place them successfully in different medical organizations. The GNM students mostly pursue the course to secure employment after completing the course. That is why they are more inclined to become skilled in doing required jobs than studying vast theories.

Course Duration

The GNM nursing course lasts 3.5 years, whereas the B.Sc nursing course lasts four years. After completing three years in GNM nursing, the students must pursue six months of mandatory professional training in any hospital or medical organization. 

Pursuing four years of a B.Sc nursing course becomes challenging for many individuals whose keen interest is earning money. That is why many students prefer the GNM course over B.Sc nursing.

If you are interested in pursuing nursing education from a B.Sc nursing college in Bangalore, you can opt for the diploma course as per your preference. The cost of investment in studying the course is comparatively lower than that of studying B.Sc nursing. This factor alone pushes many individuals to prefer GNM nursing over B.Sc nursing. 

Apart from this, many B.Sc nursing colleges in Bangalore offer scholarship facilities, hostel facilities, and other support for students pursuing B.Sc nursing. Many colleges do not offer scholarship facilities for GNM students as it is a diploma course. These aspects motivate many individuals to regard the B.Sc nursing course with higher prestige compared to that of the GNM nursing course . 

Average Starting Salary

The concept of investing more to earn more works truly with nursing study. A GNM nursing student can earn a starting salary from INR 10,000 to INR 15,000. The B.Sc nursing student can earn from INR 10,000 to INR 25,000. The cost of studying GNM is much less than the cost of studying B.Sc nursing. 

It correlates with the earning opportunity offered by both courses. The B.Sc nursing students get better career progression and exposure with time. However, the career development opportunity of GNM students is limited from a long-term perspective.

If you prefer B.Sc nursing over GNM nursing courses, there are various reasons to do that. But, if you cannot invest much in the study and need to support your family financially, you must choose to study the GNM nursing course. If you are not highly ambitious and not interested in studying further, you should choose the GNM nursing course for a successful career. But, if you aim high and have the capability to score well in exams, you should pursue B.Sc nursing to leverage various options as they come across in your career.