Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased globally, particularly among on... more Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased globally, particularly among oncology patients. This study investigated the knowledge, experience and attitudes of oncology nurses towards CAM. A quantitative study was conducted in tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, where 132 oncology nurses were surveyed. The survey revealed that more than 50% of nurses had never heard about many of the CAM therapies used in Pakistan. Approximately 65% of the nurses had knowledge about prayer and less than 30% had experience of CAM education or training. In addition, the majority of nurses had seen patients using CAM and felt that their health status could be enhanced with the use of CAM. This study showed that oncology nurses had a positive experience of and attitude towards CAM, although they needed to enhance their knowledge of it to maximise patient satisfaction and quality of care.
Objective. To determine the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts and to identify demograp... more Objective. To determine the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts and to identify demographic variables and mental health correlates such as anxiety/depression and domestic violence among pregnant women in an urban community in Pakistan. Design. Cross-sectional data from a prospective cohort study are presented. Setting. Women enrolled in an antenatal care clinic and followed to delivery in an urban area of Pakistan. Population. Cohort of pregnant women in Pakistan. Methods. A total of 1,369 pregnant women were enrolled and interviewed regarding various maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes, and were asked specific questions about suicidal thoughts and attempts and administered the Aga Khan University Anxiety Depression Scale at 20–26 weeks of gestation. Main outcome measures. Suicidal thoughts and attempts, verbal, sexual or physical abuse. Results. Overall, 148 of the 1,369 (11%) women studied had considered suicide. Of these, 148 women, 67 (45%) had attempted suicide. In all, 18% of the women were classified as having depression/anxiety, almost half (48%) reported experiencing verbal abuse and 20% reported physical/sexual abuse. Women who had anxiety/depression or had experienced verbal or physical/sexual abuse were significantly more likely to have had suicidal thoughts and attempts. Conclusions. Women at the greatest risk for having suicidal thoughts or a suicide attempt were those who were depressed/ anxious and had experienced some form of domestic abuse. With the high prevalence of these conditions, attention should be given to the establishment of effective mental health treatment programs for pregnant women.
Aim To identify mental health needs in local communities, and provide and evaluate nurse-led serv... more Aim To identify mental health needs in local communities, and provide and evaluate nurse-led services to promote community mental health in Karachi, Pakistan. Method Using an action research approach, mental health nurses implemented activities to promote mental health and psychiatric rehabilitation in 15 urban communities in Karachi. The activities were planned and implemented in collaboration with a community-based social welfare organisation. Findings Community mental health interventions were implemented by a multidisciplinary team including nursing educators and postgraduate nursing students. Positive transformation of the mental health of clients in the community was found. Conclusion The challenges in identifying, diagnosing and rehabilitating clients with mental health needs in the community in Pakistan is acknowledged, and the benefits of enhanced support for clients and their families provided by community mental health nurses are described.
Background: Herbal remedies are getting popular among the people across the globe. It is estimate... more Background: Herbal remedies are getting popular among the people across the globe. It is estimated that approximately half of the population in many developed and developing countries frequently use some form of alternative medicines particularly herbal medicine. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted to assess the beliefs and perceptions regarding the use of herbal remedies among the users and sellers of herbal remedies. Methods: A cross sectional survey using a qualitative approach for data collection i.e. interviews were conducted among 20 patients and their attendants, including both adult male and females visiting the outpatient clinics at one of the private tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan. Separate interviews were conducted from five herbal shopkeepers and five homeopaths running separate clinics. Verbal consent was taken before the interviews from the study participants. Results: Majority of the patients and their attendants' believed that herbal remedies are more effective than the modern medicinal approaches. They are pure; carry fewer side effects, cheap and easily available. People come for the herbal treatments as a last resort when they can not find cure from allopathic medicine. The shopkeepers were found to be knowledgeable regarding the dose, effect, uses and accessibility of these herbs nonetheless the knowledge was mainly experiential based. Conclusion: Evidence-based Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) should be promoted as it is popular among the general population, is cost-effective and the outcomes of the treatments could be very efficacious. The state regulatory authorities should play a crucial role in terms of recognition of CAM, financing and appreciating training and research in this field.
The disparity of men and women in certain societies, such as Pakistan, is a growing concern. The ... more The disparity of men and women in certain societies, such as Pakistan, is a growing concern. The disparity, unchanging mind-set, and definitions rooted in traditions do not free individuals from the socially bound gender identities. In such circumstances, educational institutions can become a way of transforming social structures. Considering female nurses in Pakistan as a case study, this paper explores the notion of 'empowerment' and the factors responsible for empowerment or disempowerment of female nurses. The study also evaluates the role of a leading nursing institution in Pakistan namely the Aga Khan University-School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM) in empowering female nurses. The data is collected through five focus group discussion among forty-five alumni of AKU-SONAM. The findings of the study presents an 'inside-out' understanding of the term 'empowerment' by female nurses of Pakistan and; enlists the challenges faced by women in Pakistan in becoming and working as nurses. The study also put forward recommendations for nursing professional bodies such as Pakistan Nursing Council and Pakistan Nursing Federation and other nursing institutions in Pakistan. The paper would serve as a guide to enhance further development in nursing and women empowerment.
Introduction: Surgery is a major event in an individual's life. The complete surgical episode is ... more Introduction: Surgery is a major event in an individual's life. The complete surgical episode is known as perioperative period. Perioperative nursing in general includes three phases; pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative. The first and initial phase (pre-operative) involves the rendering of nursing care to the patients who are planned to undergo surgery (Spry, 2005) [1]. It was evident through literature that during this phase, assessment and education of the patient is the prime responsibility of health care providers to minimize the risk during the surgery and to have better outcomes of the patients. Hence, a seven weeks project was initiated at surgical care units of Aga Khan University Hospital, Ka-rachi, Pakistan. In this project, based on the need assessment, education sessions were conducted for the health care workers which were followed by the distribution of flash cards for their references. In addition, file review and pre operative patient's interview was conducted for the outcome evaluation. Purpose: To create awareness among healthcare workers to minimize the risk of morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing surgery and to reinforce nurses of surgical areas for the accurate assessment and education of patients, undergoing surgery. Methodology: All three surgical care units of the University teaching hospital were selected as project site and to conduct the project, permission and verbal consent was obtained from manager of these units. A total of 30 patients undergoing surgery were included in the project and were followed for their complete pre-operative assessment and education by nurses and other health care workers. For the data collection, a tool for pre operative assessment and education was developed. Based on the assessment , altogether three educational sessions were conducted for all health care workers working in the surgical care areas. Data was tabulated in Excel and percentages were calculated to analyze the data of before and after the education sessions. Results: Results revealed that education sessions increased the health care worker's knowledge for assessing all the necessary components of a patient before surgery. Additionally, these sessions enhanced nurses' awareness regarding the risks the patients might undergo before and after the surgery and how to prevent those risks through a thorough assessment and education of preoperative patients. Conclusion: Nurses and other health care providers should perform a complete and thorough assessment and provide necessary education to patients' undergoing surgery in order to reduce the bounce back rate from operating room and to avoid any kind of risk for their patients undergoing for any surgical procedure.
Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased globally, particularly among on... more Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased globally, particularly among oncology patients. This study investigated the knowledge, experience and attitudes of oncology nurses towards CAM. A quantitative study was conducted in tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, where 132 oncology nurses were surveyed. The survey revealed that more than 50% of nurses had never heard about many of the CAM therapies used in Pakistan. Approximately 65% of the nurses had knowledge about prayer and less than 30% had experience of CAM education or training. In addition, the majority of nurses had seen patients using CAM and felt that their health status could be enhanced with the use of CAM. This study showed that oncology nurses had a positive experience of and attitude towards CAM, although they needed to enhance their knowledge of it to maximise patient satisfaction and quality of care.
Objective. To determine the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts and to identify demograp... more Objective. To determine the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts and to identify demographic variables and mental health correlates such as anxiety/depression and domestic violence among pregnant women in an urban community in Pakistan. Design. Cross-sectional data from a prospective cohort study are presented. Setting. Women enrolled in an antenatal care clinic and followed to delivery in an urban area of Pakistan. Population. Cohort of pregnant women in Pakistan. Methods. A total of 1,369 pregnant women were enrolled and interviewed regarding various maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes, and were asked specific questions about suicidal thoughts and attempts and administered the Aga Khan University Anxiety Depression Scale at 20–26 weeks of gestation. Main outcome measures. Suicidal thoughts and attempts, verbal, sexual or physical abuse. Results. Overall, 148 of the 1,369 (11%) women studied had considered suicide. Of these, 148 women, 67 (45%) had attempted suicide. In all, 18% of the women were classified as having depression/anxiety, almost half (48%) reported experiencing verbal abuse and 20% reported physical/sexual abuse. Women who had anxiety/depression or had experienced verbal or physical/sexual abuse were significantly more likely to have had suicidal thoughts and attempts. Conclusions. Women at the greatest risk for having suicidal thoughts or a suicide attempt were those who were depressed/ anxious and had experienced some form of domestic abuse. With the high prevalence of these conditions, attention should be given to the establishment of effective mental health treatment programs for pregnant women.
Aim To identify mental health needs in local communities, and provide and evaluate nurse-led serv... more Aim To identify mental health needs in local communities, and provide and evaluate nurse-led services to promote community mental health in Karachi, Pakistan. Method Using an action research approach, mental health nurses implemented activities to promote mental health and psychiatric rehabilitation in 15 urban communities in Karachi. The activities were planned and implemented in collaboration with a community-based social welfare organisation. Findings Community mental health interventions were implemented by a multidisciplinary team including nursing educators and postgraduate nursing students. Positive transformation of the mental health of clients in the community was found. Conclusion The challenges in identifying, diagnosing and rehabilitating clients with mental health needs in the community in Pakistan is acknowledged, and the benefits of enhanced support for clients and their families provided by community mental health nurses are described.
Background: Herbal remedies are getting popular among the people across the globe. It is estimate... more Background: Herbal remedies are getting popular among the people across the globe. It is estimated that approximately half of the population in many developed and developing countries frequently use some form of alternative medicines particularly herbal medicine. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted to assess the beliefs and perceptions regarding the use of herbal remedies among the users and sellers of herbal remedies. Methods: A cross sectional survey using a qualitative approach for data collection i.e. interviews were conducted among 20 patients and their attendants, including both adult male and females visiting the outpatient clinics at one of the private tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan. Separate interviews were conducted from five herbal shopkeepers and five homeopaths running separate clinics. Verbal consent was taken before the interviews from the study participants. Results: Majority of the patients and their attendants' believed that herbal remedies are more effective than the modern medicinal approaches. They are pure; carry fewer side effects, cheap and easily available. People come for the herbal treatments as a last resort when they can not find cure from allopathic medicine. The shopkeepers were found to be knowledgeable regarding the dose, effect, uses and accessibility of these herbs nonetheless the knowledge was mainly experiential based. Conclusion: Evidence-based Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) should be promoted as it is popular among the general population, is cost-effective and the outcomes of the treatments could be very efficacious. The state regulatory authorities should play a crucial role in terms of recognition of CAM, financing and appreciating training and research in this field.
The disparity of men and women in certain societies, such as Pakistan, is a growing concern. The ... more The disparity of men and women in certain societies, such as Pakistan, is a growing concern. The disparity, unchanging mind-set, and definitions rooted in traditions do not free individuals from the socially bound gender identities. In such circumstances, educational institutions can become a way of transforming social structures. Considering female nurses in Pakistan as a case study, this paper explores the notion of 'empowerment' and the factors responsible for empowerment or disempowerment of female nurses. The study also evaluates the role of a leading nursing institution in Pakistan namely the Aga Khan University-School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM) in empowering female nurses. The data is collected through five focus group discussion among forty-five alumni of AKU-SONAM. The findings of the study presents an 'inside-out' understanding of the term 'empowerment' by female nurses of Pakistan and; enlists the challenges faced by women in Pakistan in becoming and working as nurses. The study also put forward recommendations for nursing professional bodies such as Pakistan Nursing Council and Pakistan Nursing Federation and other nursing institutions in Pakistan. The paper would serve as a guide to enhance further development in nursing and women empowerment.
Introduction: Surgery is a major event in an individual's life. The complete surgical episode is ... more Introduction: Surgery is a major event in an individual's life. The complete surgical episode is known as perioperative period. Perioperative nursing in general includes three phases; pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative. The first and initial phase (pre-operative) involves the rendering of nursing care to the patients who are planned to undergo surgery (Spry, 2005) [1]. It was evident through literature that during this phase, assessment and education of the patient is the prime responsibility of health care providers to minimize the risk during the surgery and to have better outcomes of the patients. Hence, a seven weeks project was initiated at surgical care units of Aga Khan University Hospital, Ka-rachi, Pakistan. In this project, based on the need assessment, education sessions were conducted for the health care workers which were followed by the distribution of flash cards for their references. In addition, file review and pre operative patient's interview was conducted for the outcome evaluation. Purpose: To create awareness among healthcare workers to minimize the risk of morbidity and mortality of patients undergoing surgery and to reinforce nurses of surgical areas for the accurate assessment and education of patients, undergoing surgery. Methodology: All three surgical care units of the University teaching hospital were selected as project site and to conduct the project, permission and verbal consent was obtained from manager of these units. A total of 30 patients undergoing surgery were included in the project and were followed for their complete pre-operative assessment and education by nurses and other health care workers. For the data collection, a tool for pre operative assessment and education was developed. Based on the assessment , altogether three educational sessions were conducted for all health care workers working in the surgical care areas. Data was tabulated in Excel and percentages were calculated to analyze the data of before and after the education sessions. Results: Results revealed that education sessions increased the health care worker's knowledge for assessing all the necessary components of a patient before surgery. Additionally, these sessions enhanced nurses' awareness regarding the risks the patients might undergo before and after the surgery and how to prevent those risks through a thorough assessment and education of preoperative patients. Conclusion: Nurses and other health care providers should perform a complete and thorough assessment and provide necessary education to patients' undergoing surgery in order to reduce the bounce back rate from operating room and to avoid any kind of risk for their patients undergoing for any surgical procedure.
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Papers by Nasreen Lalani