Highlights-
- Daniel Vijayaraj receives the prestigious UK’s Nightingale Nurse Award.
- He becomes the first Indian male nurse to receive the honor.
- He hails from the Keeladi village, which is located near the town of Keezhadi in Tamil Nadu’s Sivagangai district.
The Madhurai native Daniel Vijayaraj has joined the club for winning global recognition. Daniel Vijayaraj has received the prestigious Nightingale nurse Award. With this, he becomes the first male nurse from India to receive this honor. The award was constituted by the National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust in England. He hails from the Keeladi village, which is located near the town of Keezhadi in Tamil Nadu’s Sivagangai district. Vijayaraj’s work has also been recognized by Chief Minister MK Stalin, who personally appreciated him for the honor.
First Indian male nurse to win the honor
The 50-year-old Vijayaraj is the first Indian male nurse to win this honor. Vijayaraj began working at South Tees Hospital in Middlesbrough, England, in 2001. He is now a dialysis and cardioversion specialist as well as a mentor for nursing students. The American College and St Mar’s Higher Secondary School hosted a felicitation celebration for the 50-year-old in Madurai recently.
What motivated him to pursue nursing?
Daniel Vijayaraj’s mother had surgery to remove her uterus while he was in Class IV. The youngster stayed in the hospital ward with his mother and observed a few things that changed his life forever. The sensitive care his mother received from the nurses, as well as their incredible patience in explaining everything to him, inspired him to seek a career in nursing.
“The honor belongs to all-male nurses working around the world”
“Receiving the Nightingale Award was humbling,” he expressed his gratitude after receiving the honor. He further said, “This merely adds to my responsibilities. The honor belongs to all-male nurses working around the world, not just me.”
The role of the nurse differs in England and India
Vijayaraj explained how the role of nurses in England differed from that of their Indian counterparts, saying that in England, nurses’ medical opinions are more important. “The position is more respectable. Even if a doctor releases a patient, we have the right to keep them in the hospital for a longer time. In England, doctors are not permitted to reprimand patients “he stated
