New Delhi: Deputy Director General of Military Nursing Service Brigadier S V Saraswati has been bestowed with the National Florence Nightingale Award 2020. President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the award in a virtual ceremony for her immense contribution to the MNS as nurse administrator. National Florence Nightingale Award is the highest national distinction a nurse can achieve for selfless devotion and exceptional professionalism.
Brig Saraswati who hails from Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh was commissioned into the MNS on December 28, 1983. During her stint, she has served in the MNS for more than three and half decades, especially in perioperative nursing.
Serving to the nation as a renowned operation theatre nurse, Brig has assisted in more than 3,000 lifesaving and emergency surgeries and has also trained residents, operation room nursing trainees and auxiliary staff in her magnificent career. She has also prepared patient teaching materials and improvised drape kits and suture packing for cardiac surgeries.
Brig Saraswati added honour to the nation while representing the MNS in various national and international forums and conducting various outreach activities for the troops.
She has also trained more than a thousand soldiers and families in basic life support. She has also rendered her services at various pan-India army hospitals and United Nations Peace Keeping Forces in Congo and has held various levels of clinical and administrative appointments prior to assuming the present prestigious appointment of Deputy Director-General of MNS.
In recognition of her meritorious and distinguished service in the nursing profession to the soldiers and their families, she was awarded General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Commendation (2005), United Nations Medal (MONOC) (2007) and Chief of the Army Staff Commendation (2015).
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