RAWALPINDI, Feb 4: Student nurses at Rawalpindi's autonomous hospitals are being mistreated with no concern for their safety, said the findings of an inquiry commission set up to probe a disciplinary case.

The report of the commission headed by Dr Asma Usmani said the supervision of the nursing students was callous and careless and did not take into account the young tender ages of the students, particularly in view of their emotional immaturity and vulnerability.

Taking note of lawlessness in the nursing students' hostel, the commission observed: "The idea of student nurses managing student nurses is open to ridicule and gives an impression that the students are being grossly mistreated."

The report pointed out that rules and regulations were frequently overlooked and the students even did not bother to observe the mess rules.

Recommending rectifications, the commission noted that responsible middle-aged matrons should be appointed to supervise the affairs of the students.

It said proper rules and regulations needed to be drafted and honestly implemented for the sake of improving the discipline of nursing students. These rules, the inquiry said, would serve to correct the ineffective, uninterested and incompetent administration.

The members of the commission suggested that strict punitive action should be taken against the students found guilty of violating rules, because punishments served as deterrent for others prone to violating the discipline code.

Maintaining proper attendance and records register by the administration was the other recommendation.

The report also called for issuing warning to the nursing school administration, which had a possible role in the discipline breach probed by the commission.

Dr Khalid Randhawa, a member of the commission, told this reporter that he and his colleagues had tried to identify the loopholes in the system and suggested possible rectification.

He said the target before the commission was not to punish any individual but to check such problems in future.

Dr Randhawa said the commission focussed on improvement of discipline of the nursing students.

It may be recalled that the provincial health department had recently transferred the charge of nursing school from the district health department to the administration of autonomous hospitals.

One of the major objectives of the change of hands was to improve discipline among the nursing students while inculcating professionalism among them.