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KJ Somaiya Nursing Innovation Contest 2026: Solutions for Patient Care and Safety Developed by Students Across Maharashtra
This wasn’t just a problem for the Mumbai college student who envisioned the lack of safety and protection for infusion hubs during routine care. She made a solution. Her solution was among the more than 42 submissions from nursing colleges in Maharashtra. It was the winner at the First K. J. Somaiya School of Nursing Innovation Contest 2026 held on May 19, 2026, at Somaiya Ayurvihar Campus, Mumbai.
The event was conducted in association with The Trained Nurses Association of India (TNAI), Maharashtra State Branch, on the theme ‘Innovate to Heal, Steer to Transform.' Under this theme, undergraduate nursing students, postgraduates, professional nursing staff, and the nursing teaching faculty presented innovative and implementable solutions to various healthcare problems.
Why This Innovation Contest Matters for Nursing Students
Historically, nursing education in India has placed a heavy emphasis on developing clinical skills. This program goes beyond that, it embodies the capacity to identify issues in real-world nursing scenarios and develop solutions.
The goal has been articulated well by Prof. Avani Harshad Oke, Principal, K J Somaiya School & College of Nursing. She emphasises that health professionals who work closest to the patient often understand best the operational gaps and the needs that remain unaddressed in the care system. She states that the college is aiming to create a setting in which students’ knowledge and skills are used for the greater good and have a significant impact beyond the academic realm.
For students pursuing, or aspiring to, a B.Sc. Nursing or M.Sc. Nursing, this contest reflects the changing trends in nursing education. No longer are institutions evaluating students purely on the acquisition of clinical skills. The ability to observe, question, and take action is also being evaluated.
Winning Team: Innovation from the Bedside Up – Undergraduate Category
P D Hinduja College of Nursing, Mumbai, is represented by Ms Dena John and Ms Sneha Sivichan, winners of the undergraduate category for their innovation "Curo-Shield". This device is a protected, automated system for disinfecting, safeguarding from exposure and then resealing IV hubs, aimed at preventing infection and safeguarding patients in clinical environments.
Intravenous site infection is an established problem in hospital care. The creation of an automated protection system for IV hubs is a reflection of clinical and IV engineering system thinking, which is being integrated, in a more deliberate fashion, into nursing education systems.
Professional Nursing and Postgraduate Category
The solution proposed by Mr Karnellya Ohol and Prof Janaki Shinde of D Y Patil College of Nursing, Kolhapur, "By the Nurses, For the Nurses", consists of a technology-driven system to facilitate effective nursing shift handovers and drug calculations at the bedside, thus reducing errors in the clinical workflow.
Dr Santosh Narayankhedkar, Dean of Academics and Research, and Dr Vivek Sunnapwar, Principal of K J Somaiya Institute of Technology, were the adjudicators for the two submissions.
What Happens After The Contest: Mentorship and Incubation
One part of the process is winning the contest. The part that turns the idea into a product is what our program does better than others. About 10 chosen teams have been connected to the entire Somaiya innovation system. This includes the Riidl Incubation Centre at Somaiya Vidyavihar University, as well as engineering institutions for technical mentorship and guidance in developing prototypes. The teams are also being provided with IP support, including copyright and patent protection.
Dr Vivek Sunnapwar noted that this contest aims to make nursing students and professionals realise that they can be much more than caregivers. They can be the visionaries and shapers of the future healthcare system.
For those students who wonder about the steps required to take a college project and transform it into a full-fledged real-world product, the innovation contest, the incubation support, and IP guidance provide a clear, fully backed set of steps.
About K J Somaiya School & College of Nursing
K J Somaiya School & College of Nursing was established in 1994. The Indian Nursing Council recognises K J Somaiya School & College of Nursing, and it is affiliated with the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS). The School and College of Nursing offer a 3-year Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) and a 4-year B.Sc. Nursing, and a 2-year M.Sc. Nursing with specialisation in Critical Care, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Mental Health Nursing.
Training is imparted in the 550-bedded K J Somaiya Medical College Hospital, and the institution maintains a 100% placement for students in the top corporate hospitals. Innovation Contest 2026 is a clear example of the college's integration of problem-based learning approaches into the curriculum and real-world clinical scenarios. The college trains students to look beyond the care of the patient and work towards improving the healthcare delivery system.
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