Inspiring Excellence: The Remarkable Achievements of Prof Dr. Unmona Borgohain Saikia

“Life is full of beautiful lessons, we don’t need to read, still teach us, just keep a watch, on what we learned and how we do,” said Unmona Borgohain Saikia, a Nursing Officer, whose story inspired and affected a lot of people. For her most important core value is “on time”. She always tries to be ahead of time. She is passionate, enthusiastic, and consistent. She loves people and trusts people. She is honest in all endeavors.

This article tells the story of  Prof Dr Unmona Borgohain Saikia, what pursued her to do nursing, challenges and achievements of her life.

Introduction:

Prof Dr Unmona Borgohain Saikia is an extrovert and optimistic, the fifth child of her family and the youngest. Though her childhood days were much pampered, her two sisters and two brothers never failed to impose boundaries, so she was not a free bird. Her mother had a pivotal role in instilling enthusiasm and discipline in her to become the ambitious person she is now. 

The only dream, she dreamt was fascinated with was to become a teacher. But the destination did not happen. She moved into nursing, not by choice but by chance. Her elder sister was the one who compelled her to go for B.Sc Nursing as it is a good career where she can learn about health and also take the role of the teacher which she had always been fascinated with in life.

In Unmona’s life, there were several turning points, The first turning point occurred, after Class 12, when she embarked on a Nursing Course it wasn’t easy to continue. Being the youngest, self-care was out of her life skills, so it was quite astonishing for her to handle seriously sick clients. So in 2nd year of B.Sc Nursing, one day, she along with two other friends, packed their things and headed back to their homes. But all three of them returned and completed the course.

The second turning point , after around 3 years of service in the Government hospital, She got the opportunity to study M.Sc. Nursing in SNDT Women’s University Mumbai. During this course, she started to like Nursing, particularly the subject “Guidance, and Counseling”. This subject threw a light in a new direction in her profession. Engrossed with the advancement in the nursing profession in the advanced hospitals in cities like Mumbai Delhi and Kolkata during the educational visit, had made her to dream of preparing young nurses for a better tomorrow.

After Completing her M. Sc. N in 1999, she joined Super Specialty Private Hospital (GNRC Hospitals)as Head of Nursing initially.  As she was young and enthusiastic about taking up responsibilities, Unmona was given the charge as Quality Control Head, where she successfully led and implemented Policy protocols for achieving ISO 9000: 2000 Certification for the organization.

Her zeal for the Nursing profession continues. Under her mentorship, the first-ever Private Nursing college (AINE) was established under the same hospital in 2004 and she took the leadership role as “the Principal” till Feb 2024. During these years, transforming the nursing profession was embedded core in her heart. There she developed a unique model of teaching. Training young girls, and touching their souls were so satisfying in that twenty years of tenure. The institution expanded to greater heights – from B.Sc Nursing Courses to 5 different Nursing Courses, especially Nurse Practioner Critical Care which was launched first time in North Eastern states, India.  Well-qualified graduates of institutes well-settled in India and as well as in abroad. Leaving no stones unturned, she could accomplish her individual professional growth - Ph.D., PGDHHM, M, Sc, Psychotherapy and Counselling, BSI Lead Auditor Course, CPQIH, and NABH Assessor to name a few.

Looking up with a new vision to bigger Horizon: Recently she has again returned to the public sector as the founder and principal of the National Nursing Institute” (AIIMS Guwahati). She needs to focus on a wider and higher Vision and Challenge to understand new policies and protocols and to set up a new Nursing Institute to produce nurses who can adapt to societal changes with resilience.

Challenges and Achievements:

Unmona considers her entrepreneur role as the most significant one. Establishing the first private Nursing College in North East, India two decades back was a really tough time. But she always conceited herself for all her students who are contributing enormously to society and receiving many accolades including the Florence Nightingale award from the Honorable President of India. 

Her other achievements were also significant, were becoming “DEAN of the Govt. University”, while working at a Private Organization, Member of the Senate, SNDT Women’s University Mumbai, and also National Vice President of ANEI (Association of Nurse Executives of India). 

Her Other achievements include Developing an effective Home Care module first time in North East India for Critical Patients' ICU Services at Home, Conducting training and coordinating services for Doctors Nurses, and paramedics.

Her award includes:

• Honored as a member of the Senate of SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai in March 2023.
• Received “ World Excellency Award,2023” in recognition of outstanding efforts in serving civil society by  “World Art & Culture Artists Entertainment” on 12th February 2023. 
• Selected as Fellow member of CEGR ( Centre for Education Growth and Research) Sep 2022
• Awarded (October 2022) for Outstanding service and dedication in the project Conducted by NAINA (New Jersey, USA )in India, During  COVID-19.
• Awarded Asian Admirable Achievers Award 2022, Sep by Rifacimento International
• Received Anuprerona Excellency Award 2022 for decade-long dedicated service, outstanding Contribution in the field of Education, and women's Empowerment in Society.
• Recognized as Top Women in Education  as“ Fostering a New Horizon to Nursing Education” by Women Entrepreneur Magazine  October 2021 
• Recognized as one of the Most Influential Women Leaders 2021 By Excellent Magazine August 2021 
• Recognized as a sustained and prominent Leader in Nursing By The Excellent Magazine in July 2021.
• Appreciation for participation in Covid 19 Vaccination program by Rotary Cub of Guwahati South on May 2021
• Awarded as a Dedicated Leader Spearheading Nursing Education in Newer Heights. By Knowledge Review Magazine. 2019. Vol.7 Issue 3.India
• Recognized as North  East First private Nursing Institute Engendering a change in Nursing and profile published on the cover page in the month of April 2019 
• Biography is enlisted in the Directory for Women in Science in the Asian Region by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• Biography enlisted in the Asia Pacific Who’s Who Vol IV by Refacimento International.
• Academic Award for Research work in contribution to health care By GNRC in 2010 By GNRC Hospitals
• Recognition and State Excellence  Award from Assam Nursing Council for academic achievement on International Nurses Day 2011.

Unmona also faced some challenges like when she joined as a Head of Nursing in 1999 in a super specialty hospital at her place. With her socially amiable nature, she was challenged to bring a change to the nursing staff who were resistant to upgrading new knowledge and skills from the senior nursing staff and even to the extent of menacing her when she started home care services for Critically ill patient first time in her area, no trained nurses were willing to join as it was a very new concept at her place. So in that service, she was taking critical patients so she needed a trained and skilled person, However, she developed proper protocol and training for patient’s families to treat nurses well counselled nurses and their families too, and finally could start. Another challenge was when she started the first Private Nursing college in North East India, she faced a lot of problems from universities and even nursing professionals who were working in Govt sectors. But with her dedication, perseverance, hard work, and focused mind, she could establish and has been running for the last 20 years as one of the best.

Personal Insights:

Unmona would like to say that “career” cannot be separated from “personal life”. It goes hand in hand. She never makes an excuse at work for family issues and she never allows her work to hinder her family responsibilities. She had to sacrifice a lot of her  personal time which eventually made her a better version.

Impact and Vision:

Talking about her leadership style, she said that, she trusts people and she believes that everyone can be transformed by creating a good culture. She said, “Positivity in thought, strategic plans, and continuous guidance are pillars to achieve goals”. She believes that there is no single Leadership theory that makes us better Leaders instead we should have courage and resilience to face whatever challenges take place in the dynamic society and nursing profession and overcome them with innovative strategies.

As she has just joined as “head of upcoming Institute” in a Central Govt organization where the system is already in place, she will focus on quality which will excel in both service and education affairs and planning for unique model of Nursing care for benefit of profession , organization and the public as a whole.  Specific strategies to focus on  Nursing Excellence Certification, Nurse-Led Clinic, and Community Outreach Program in upcoming days.

She is a proficient professional and focused on excellence. The Goal what she had in starting of educational Institute was to prepare independent and confident Nursing professionals who are competent and able to transform the nurses and society as a whole and face challenges with resilience. And nurses who will not only be leading the profession or organization, but also the society.  There must be nursing professionals in the country’s decision-making in the parliament as well as and Controlling body at the centre. After 5 years she is dreaming of a Health care Research Institute which will empower Community partnership in health Care.

Conclusion:

Unmona advises young students by saying that there is no better profession than Nursing, as the Nursing profession combination of Arts and science with diverse subjects from biological science, and social science to statistics and Management. This profession guides us to be as good Citizens first than professionals. There is huge job demand. Wide variety of jobs and duty schedules. High Salary. Opportunity to work internationally. Excellent opportunity for being an Entrepreneur.