Community mental health nursing-an innovation through faculty practice in Pakistan

The concept of community mental health prevention and promotion are vital components of integrated health care; however it is not very well established in most of the developing countries like Pakistan.Mental health nurses from a private university teaching hospital planned their mental health promotion activities through performing home visits in collaboration with a community based social welfare service in Karachi, Pakistan over the period nearly two years. The purpose of those 20 months visits was to promote clients mental wellbeing along with addressing their physiological needs by introducing the concept of early identification of health seeking behaviours and promoting Psychiatric rehabilitation in the identified families of the given population in Karachi.This paper recognizes the innovative and pioneering work in community mental health care promotion led by the mental health Nursing Team of Aga Khan University, in Pakistan. Also, this write up identifies the evolving role of a mental health nurse in Pakistan, principally in community setting, where not only early recognition but rehabilitating clients with mental health issue is still a big challenge. Thus, this article distinguishes an expanded role of a mental health nurse as a nursing counselor, family educator and human rights advocator in Pakistan

study of knowledge assessment and competence in asthma and inhaler technique of nurses employed at university teaching hospital

Current effective treatments available for asthma are mainly the inhalers. Nurses play a vital role in imparting correct knowledge of asthma care and teaching inhaler techniques to patients. The aims of the study were to, a] determine the knowledge of nurses regarding asthma and its management and b] evaluate the competence of nurses to use inhalers. A simple random sample of registered nurses was taken from the medical surgical units of the hospital. Data was collected by using pre and post test asthma questionnaire and a nine step inhaler skill checklist. The pre-test data shows 40-50% of RNs lacked the knowledge of causes, sign and symptoms and the management of asthma. More than 30% were not able to demonstrate the correct inhaler technique of MDIs. Evaluation after several teaching sessions shows 80-90% improvement in the knowledge and competence of nurses to use inhalers. Continuous training programs and workshops are needed to improve the knowledge of nurses about asthma, their competence to use inhalers and to demonstrate to patients

Specific problems in the treatment of omphalocele and gastroschisis: management strategies most suited in our set-up

Omphalocele and gastroschisis can be managed conservatively as well as surgically. The mode management is influenced by the extent of anatomical defect and associated congenital abnormalities. Forty-five patients with gastroschisis and omphalocele managed at Children's Hospital PIMS were reviewed, and survival rates of surgical and conservative managements were compared. The mortality rate of much managed surgically was found to be these higher [42.8%] as compared to those managed conservatively [29.4%]. We advocate canservative treatment for these patients in our community due to lack of adequate resource