Nurses In Pakistan Research Articles

Role of Perceived Stress in Depression Among Trainee Nurses In Pakistan

Stress has been defined as a threat to one’s quality of life and physical and psychological well-being. Nursing students are more likely to suffer from stress due to the nature of their work, which may play a significant role in the development of psychological illnesses specifically depression. Objective: To find the role of perceived stress in depression in trainee nurses in Pakistan. Methods: The correlational research design was used in this study and the sample was selected by using purposive sampling technique. 555 female trainee nurses of age between 19 to 30 years (mean age of 21.41 years; SD= 2.25) participated in this study. Perceived stress was assessed using Urdu version of Perceived Stress Scale, while for Depression, indigenously developed Siddiqui-Shah Depression Scale was utilized. Results: The findings discovered that perceived stress plays a significant role in depression [R2=.30, β= .55, F (1, 553) = 245.54, p<.00]. Conclusions: Globally, Nurses are taken as a vital part to healthcare system, including Pakistan where mental health issues among the population are noteworthy. The study concluded that perceived stress predicts depression among hospital trainee nurses. The findings may also have substantial implications in the imminent interventions to preclude nursing students experience stress and its inverse impacts of psychological nature.

AWARENESS AND ATTITUDE REGARDING PAIN MANAGEMENT AMONG NURSES WORKING IN MAJOR HOSPITAL DEPARTMENTS

Pain management is a critical aspect of nursing care, yet the awareness and attitudes of nurses regarding this issue remain understudied, particularly in the context of Pakistan. Objective: This study evaluated nurses' understanding and attitudes regarding pain management in central hospital departments. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Nishtar Hospital, Multan, Pakistan, from March 2023 to March 2024. Using convenient sampling, 300 nurses from various hospital departments were included, including internal medicine, paediatrics, outpatient, surgical unit, ICU, and emergency. A 25-item questionnaire comprising polar and Likert scale questions was utilised to assess knowledge and attitudes. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse the data, and mean scores were compared using appropriate statistical methods. Results: Of the participants, 67.3% (95% CI: 61.4%, 70.9%) demonstrated good knowledge about pain management, with a mean score of 7.07 ± 1.66. Furthermore, 50.6% (95% CI: 45.7%, 55.3%) exhibited a positive attitude, with a mean score of 48.2 ± 6.08. While no significant difference in mean knowledge scores was observed between genders (p = 0.754), a statistically significant difference was found in mean attitude scores (men: 49.03, women: 47.22, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Despite possessing good knowledge, nurses in Pakistan display a comparatively less favourable attitude toward pain management, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address attitude-related barriers.

Role of Emotional Intelligence in Life Satisfaction among Hospital Nurses in Pakistan

Emotional intelligence is a skill involving understanding, perceiving, managing, and utilizing information. Nurses with high emotional intelligence may have high life satisfaction which can enhance their productivity in the workplace by effectively managing emotions. Objective: To explore the role of emotional intelligence in life satisfaction among hospital nurses in Pakistan. Methods: A correlational study was conducted involving purposive sampling of 511 registered female nurses, aged 20 to 45 in Karachi and Hyderabad, Pakistan. Life satisfaction was assessed using a subset of the ICP-Subjective Wellbeing Scale while for Emotional Intelligence, Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) was used. Ethical considerations were stringently adhered to throughout the study, maintaining participant confidentiality and ensuring adherence to research norms. Results: The results revealed a significant predictive relationship between EI and life satisfaction in female hospital nurses [r = .199; R2=.040, F (510) = 20.994, p<.000]. Conclusions: Globally, Nurses are considered vital to healthcare system, including in Pakistan where mental health issues among them are notable. The study concluded that emotional intelligence predicts higher life satisfaction among hospital nurses.

Experiences of Prometric Endeavor Nurses in Pakistan; A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Background: The landscape of global health professional certification is increasingly dominated by computer-based testing (CBT), such as the Prometric exams, which assess the competencies of nursing candidates for international practice. These exams are pivotal for nurses in Pakistan aiming for employment abroad, presenting unique challenges and opportunities that reflect both the individual and systemic dimensions of professional certification. Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences of nurses in Pakistan who have undertaken Prometric exams, focusing on the challenges faced, strategies employed for preparation, and the motivational factors influencing their journey. It sought to provide insights into the complexities of navigating international nursing certification processes. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study design was implemented from May to October 2023, involving semi-structured interviews with 13 nursing graduates in Peshawar, Pakistan, who had participated in Prometric exams. Participants were selected using non-probability purposive sampling. Data analysis was conducted using a modified thematic analysis of Braun and Clarke’s framework, allowing for the identification of themes, sub-themes, and codes related to exam experiences. Results: The study's demographic analysis revealed a predominance of male participants (76.92%) with the majority holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (84.61%). Five main themes were identified: Challenges Faced, Strategies Followed, Insight into Prometric Exams, Suggestions for Future Nurses, and Inspiration Figure. These themes encompassed a range of sub-themes including test center allocation limitations, effective preparation methods, understanding exam patterns, and the crucial role of personal and professional support networks. Notably, challenges such as content preparation, language barriers, and socioeconomic factors were highlighted, alongside strategies for overcoming these hurdles. Conclusion: Nurses in Pakistan facing Prometric exams encounter a spectrum of challenges that require multifaceted strategies and support systems for successful navigation. The study underscores the importance of comprehensive preparation, informed decision-making regarding exam and country selection, and the cultivation of resilience and motivation. Future research should expand to include a broader range of health professionals and adopt mixed-methods approaches to deepen the understanding of international certification processes.

Attributes of Low Back pain among Physical Therapists and Nurses in Pakistan

Low back pain is localized between the region of the 12th rib and less to the gluteal folds either radiating or not radiating to the lower limb. The prevalence of low back pain in Pakistan is about 41.4 percent. But all over the world, the Physical therapist's rate of work-related musculoskeletal problems is about 57 percent. Objective: To determine the attributes of low back pain among physical therapists and nurses in Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done from August 2023 to January 2024, throughout Pakistan. A sample size of 661 was divided into two groups. The sampling technique was non-probability purposive sampling. There were two measurement tools used Visual Analog Scale and the Oswestry Disability Index scale to rule out pain and the level of disability. The data were analyzed through SPSS version 23.0 software. Results: The total number of participants was 661, of which 247 were physical therapists and 414 were nurses recruited from all over Pakistan. The pain was measured through the VAS and disability was measured by ODI. The Physical therapists felt mild pain in about 123(49.79%), and they faced no disability in about 127(51.41%) and nurses felt moderate pain in about 212(51.20%) and they have not faced disability in about 306(73.91%). Conclusions: Our study concluded the prevalence of low back pain is found in both nurses and physical therapists but the level of pain is higher in nurses as compared to a physical therapist due to the lack of ergonomics knowledge among the nurse population.

Emotional Intelligence as Predictor of Mental Health in Hospital Nurses, Pakistan

Background: Emotional intelligence is a tool, as is the ability to understand, perceive, manage and utilize information. Therefore, an emotionally intelligence people could control their stressors and improve the individual’s productivity at the workplace. Emotional intelligence is a tool, as is the ability to understand, perceive, manage and utilize information. Therefore, an emotionally intelligence people could control their stressors and improve the individual’s productivity at the workplace. Objective: To explore the relationship of emotional intelligence and mental health in female hospital nurses in Pakistan. Methods: The correlational design was used in this study. The sample comprised of (N=217) hospital nurses with the age range of 20 years to 45 years (Mean age=29.98; SD=6.37) were selected through systematic randomization procedure from different public hospitals of Hyderabad. The data collection was gathered about 8 months from January 2019 August 2019. The demographic Form, Trait Emotional Intelligence, Pakistani Urdu translated version (TEIQue-SF) & Aga Khan University Anxiety Depression Scale were used. Results: The results showed a significant predictive relationship of emotional intelligence with mental health of hospital registered female nursing (R²= .374, p< .001). Conclusions: The hospital nurses (who have high emotional intelligence) suffer less from mental health problems and are at low risk of anxiety and depression Methodology: The Correlational design was used in this study. The sample comprised of (N=217) hospital nurses with the age range of 20 years to 45 years (Mean age=29.98; SD=6.37) were selected through systematic randomization procedure from different Public hospitals of Hyderabad. The data collection was gathered about 8 months from January 2019 August 2019. The demographic Form, Trait Emotional Intelligence, Pakistani Urdu translated version (TEIQue-SF) & Aga Khan University Anxiety Depression Scale were used. Results: The results showed a significant predictive relationship of emotional intelligence with mental health of hospital registered female nursing (R²= .374, p< .001). Conclusion: The hospital nurses (who have high emotional intelligence) suffer less from mental health problems and are at low risk of anxiety and depression. Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Mental Health, Hospital Nurses

Compliance with Standard Precautions and Associated Factors among Critical Care Nurses in Peshawar, Pakistan and Kunming, China: Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES To find the level of compliance and the associated factors of compliance with standard precautions among registered nurses. METHODOLOGY Cross-sectional study was conducted during March and August 2020 in four hospitals, two from each country; Pakistan and China. Data was gathered through a modified version of the adopted questionnaire from 424 registered nurses, selected by a simple random sampling technique. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 26. RESULTSThe overall compliance with SPs among registered nurses in Pakistan was 57.1%, and among the respondents from China was 75.2%. Gender, age and working area were associated with the compliance of SPs. Female nurses from China are 1.72 times less compliant, while the increasing age of Pakistani nurses increases the risk for non-compliance with SPs by 1.7 times. Participants working in Emergency Department in Pakistan were 2.07 times less compliant than those working in Intensive Care Unit/Coronary Care Unit (ICU/CCU). Lack of training increases the risk of being 2.9 times more non-compliant. For Chinese Nurses, less knowledge and a lack of resources were associated with non-compliance in both countries nurses. CONCLUSION Noteworthy numbers of nurses were found non-compliant with standard precaution practices in both study populations. Therefore, strategies like regular training on standard precautions, availability of Personal Protective Equipment and policymaking may improve compliance with SPs practice.

Addressing the Issue of the Decline in Nurses in Pakistan

Addressing the Issue of the Decline in Nurses in Pakistan

Exploring Productivity of Nurses in Pakistan’s Health Sector

The purpose of the research was to explore the factors that affect the productivity of nurses in public and private hospitals. The research design was quantitative descriptive. The population consisted of all categories of nurses working in private hospitals in Lahore. A convenient sampling technique was used and a sample of 120 was taken from hospitals. A questionnaire was developed by the researchers, consisting of the factors related to the job which may affect the productivity of the nurses. These factors included the supervisor’s relationship with employees, salary and benefits, job involvement, job stress and the physical and cultural environment of the nurses. Results showed that job stress was the best negative predictor of job productivity of the nurses. Implications for the hospitals were discussed.

PHYSICIANS' COMPETENCE IN TERMINATING CPR IN CARDIAC ARREST CASES AND FACTORS INFLUENCING THIS TERMINATION

The study aimed to evaluate the competence and knowledge of the cardiac arrest team regarding CPR termination and the factors that influence this termination. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Cardiology, Shifa International Hospital April 2022-April 2023). A total of 300 cardiac arrest team members (physicians and nurses) designated to perform advanced cardiac life support were included in the study. Questionnaires were distributed among the participants inquiring about their competence and knowledge about terminating CPR. Of 100 physicians, 40 (40%) were not competent enough to decide on CPR termination. 10% of physicians and 5% of nurses agreed to be aware of the ERC termination guidelines, and only one physician and one nurse could state the contents. The majority of the participants reported terminating resuscitation if the patient was older than 90 years, absent direct pupillary reflex, true asystole, and witnessed cardiac arrest without bystander resuscitation in 10 minutes. Based on the results, the physicians and nurses in Pakistan are not competent in decision-making regarding CPR termination in cardiac arrest patients and are unaware of the factors and guidelines while making such decisions.

Violation of Professional Behavior Towards Nurses in Pakistan: An Ethical Violation in Healthcare Settings

Professional behavior violation is a ravaging issue worldwide. Incidents of violation of professionalism toward nurses are common in every healthcare setting either in public or in private sectors. Nurses are more vulnerable to workspace violence due to the nature of the job and tasks performed by them in healthcare settings. Lack of respect towards the nursing profession in Pakistani society is a significant contributing factor in violation of professional behavior in the workplace toward nurses. 
 An ethical violation is a conduct that is against the code of ethics and policy of the institute. There are many categories of ethical violation in workplace but the nurses are facing mostly sexual harassment, safety violation, discrimination, professional boundaries violation, abusive and threathening behviour on daily basis. There are many reported cases in which nurses experience rape, unwanted sexual deeds, workplace bullying, and physical violence from patients, their family members and other paramedical staff which leads to the psychologically and physically detrimental effects on the health as well as on the career of the nurses. Yet nothing specific has been done to control the ethical violation at the healthcare settings in Pakistan. In Pakistan on the basis of the job description and direct contact of the nurses with patients and their family members, many incidents are yet disclosed because of the lack of security and threatening behavior toward the nurses in Pakistani society. There should be a strict penalty for those who are incriminated in any type of delinquency to help out the nurses to get through from the ethical violation efficiently and in a decent way. A protective and respectful work environment will give life to the nursing profession and improve the image of the nurses in healthcare settings.

WhatsApp-Delivered Intervention for Continued Learning for Nurses in Pakistan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Randomized-Controlled Trial.

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated support for continued learning in frontline practitioners through online digital mediums that are convenient and fast to maintain physical distancing. Nurses are already neglected professionals for support in training for infection control, leadership, and communication in Pakistan and other developing countries. For that reason, we aimed to deliver a WhatsApp-based intervention for continued learning in nurses who are currently working in both private and public sector. A 12-week intervention was delivered to 208 nurses (102 in the control group and 106 in the intervention group) who had been employed in the clinical setting during data collection. The analysis reveals that nurses in the intervention group show significantly better results for learning in “infection prevention and control” and “leadership and communication.” Results of a content analysis based on participant's feedback also confirm that the WhatsApp-based intervention is a valuable tool for education. This study highlights the effectiveness of online-based digital interventions as a convenient training tool for awareness and management of infectious diseases, leadership, and communication during COVID-19 and beyond. Furthermore, this study emphasizes that group interventions with other healthcare practitioners and the role of on-going longer WhatsApp-based interventions can become integral tools to support continued learning and patient safety practices.

1646 Breast Cancer Awareness Among Female Nurses in Pakistan: About Time to Scrub Off Assumptions!

Abstract Aim The main aim of this research is to assess whether the clinical experience influence the knowledge, attitude and practices of female nursing staff and nursing students regarding breast cancer and to provide a baseline for monitoring trends of breast cancer awareness in them. Method A cross-sectional study of 280 female nurses was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. A pre-tested structured questionnaire with additional variables like cultural barriers to seeking medical help was used.1 The scores for outcome variables including knowledge, attitude and practices were pre-defined. Data was analyzed using SPSSv23. Results Of the 280 participants, with a p-value of 0.018, nurses aged more than 30 years, faced more practical, financial, emotional, and service barriers as compared to women younger than 30 years of age. By application of Chi-square test, there was a significant correlation between marital status and cultural barriers to seeking medical help, showing that single women (58.7%) shy away from talking about breast cancer considering it a taboo (p-value 0.028) whereas, more married nurses (59.2%) were apprehensive that they might be considered at fault by the society. (p-value 0.038) Conclusions Our study recognizes the need for delivering effective information to the female nurses regarding breast cancer in the biggest hospital of the capital city. Educating patients is likely to be effective if the female nurses play their part and have correct attitudes towards breast cancer practices. Therefore, we recommend arrangement of special courses and seminars for all healthcare professionals including the nursing staff.

Impact of knowledge sharing at work place on individual work performance of nurses in Pakistan

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the impact of knowledge sharing (KS) at work place on the individual work performance (IWP) of nurses.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional quantitative approach based on a survey questionnaire was used to collect data from currently working 256 nurses in 6 general public sector hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Equal sized convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample from the intended population. Multiple regression was applied to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe results indicated that the elements of IWP (task and contextual performance) were positively correlated with and influenced by two facets of KS (KS propensity and KS behavior). A cohesive sharing culture among nurses must be established at their respective work places to foster the delivery of quality care services and to improve their performance.Practical implicationsThe study findings suggest that health-care institutes must consider the importance of KS to boost up the sharing culture among all levels (s) of employees by establishing an interconnected learning environment for improved work performance.Originality/valueKS plays a vital role in the learning and development of employees by enhancing their work performance. The extant literature showed that there was a dearth of studies that determined the impact of KS at work place on the IWP of nurses. As KS has unique and challenging factors in Pakistan, therefore, the investigation of its impact on nurses’ work performance would be worthy.

Training characteristics and employees' performance among the nurses in Pakistan

PurposeThis paper aims to explore the training characteristics and employees' performance among the nurses in Pakistan.Design/methodology/approachThe study employed cross-sectional data through random sampling of trained health nurses from the Government sector hospitals of Pakistan. The survey questionnaire is applied as the primary tool to acquire data. In total, the authors utilized 306 valid cases to infer the final results.FindingsThe structural equation modeling (SEM) underlines a positive and significant impact of cognitive ability and performance goal on employees' performance. On the other hand, there is an insignificant impact of motivation to learn on performance among the nurses of Pakistan.Practical implicationsBroadly, the findings of the study would provide some new insights to understand the performance of nurses in the health care sector through the outcomes of the training characteristics. Further, the results would be a way out to make a better quality of health care enhanced with the support of training. It may contribute to the growth in quality of work and improve work productivity by boosting up and uplifting training characteristics. The research arena would enrich the inclusive theoretical framework of performance and contribute to the domain literature and methodological validation.Originality/valueThe study confirms the role of training characteristics towards performance among the nurses of the public health sector of Pakistan. The investigation would further validate the impact of cognitive ability and the motivation to learn and performance goals on performance globally.

Work environment and performance among nurses: a significant way to overcome violation of human rights in the health sector

Purpose The study aims to purpose the role of the work environment (WE) towards employees’ performance (EP) in Pakistan’s health sector. Design/methodology/approach Data-wise, the study is cross-sectional and random sampling was used to glean the response from the trained health nurses in Pakistan. The survey questionnaire was used as a primary tool to collect the data. In total, 306 usable samples as used to infer the final consequences. Findings The structural equation modeling through AMOS 26.0 for windows resulted in a positive and significant effect of an organizational learning culture, supervisor support on EP. On the other hand, the impact of peer support on EP is not significant among the nurses in Pakistan. Practical implications The policymakers and planners in the health sector and government may address unemployment – are willing to join the health sector. Better performance through the WE would provide equity in health and would not violate fundamental human rights. This work may help human resource management bring advancement in organizational and social determinants of health equity and practical interventions to overwhelm health-care barriers. Originality/value The study overcomes the gaps in terms of the cross-sectional survey to measure nurses’ performance in Pakistan.

Negative Events at Workplace and In Role Performance: Implications of Affective Events Theory (AET)

In health care centers front line nurses are the major people who are responsible for treatment of the patients thus they need highly supportive organization to perform their tasks efficiently and effectively. Workplace bullying has negative outcomes for any type of organization/employee. Thus this needs to be controlled by the management of the concerning organization. Therefore current research is designed to identify the outcomes of workplace bullying for in role performances of specialized nurses in Pakistan. Psychological distress is also great interest of researcher to use it as mediator among workplace bullying and in role performance. By using convenient sampling technique 200 nurses were selected as sample of current study. In current research self-administered questionnaires are used to collect the data. Latest version of SPSS has been deployed for analysis of data. Further MACRO Process by Preacher and Hayes was used to test the mediation of the current research. Findings revealed that workplace bullying has drastic results for in-role performance of the specialized nurses and it is also found that psychological distress mediates the relationship among workplace bullying and in role performance. The respondents who have explicit presentation, who fill in as specific nursing administrations suppliers' the outcome of this investigation attested that there is an association between workplace bullying, job autonomy. Besides, results exhibited that movement freedom can play positive task to redesign on in role performance. It is furthermore investigated that psychological distress as an arbiter in this examination. There is critical negative relationship among workplace bullying and on in role performance. The association between work place bullying, workers’ in job autonomy and furthermore demonstrated that activity independence can play positive job to upgrade on in role performance.

Does Person-Job Fit among Nurses Really Matters? An Empirical Study: Effect of P-J Fit on Job Outcomes of Nurses of Pakistan with Agreeableness as a Moderator

The purpose of this study is to find out that whether the jobs of nurses in Pakistan are fulfilling their necessary requirements or not. This issue is being analyzed by the relation of Person-Job (P-J) Fit with three different Job Behaviors and the whole relation is being tested under the moderation of Agreeableness, which is a personality trait of Big 5 Model. A survey method is deployed, questionnaires are used to obtain data. 120 Nurses were accessed from different hospitals of Islamabad/Rawalpindi. Data was analyzed through statistical tests and regression analysis. Findings of the study highlight that P-J fit is related positively to job satisfaction of nurses and negatively to their Turnover Intentions. Where no significant impact of agreeableness as a moderator is found for this study. The Sample size was too small (120 participants). This may restrict the generalizability of the studies. In Pakistani context, only a limited study has been conducted on nurses. Thus, this piece of research will play a significant role in enhancing and boosting the confidence of deprived nurses of Pakistan by identifying the causes of negative job outcomes and help in mitigating those triggers.

Interpersonal Communication, Teamwork Effectiveness, and Organizational Commitment in Pakistani Nurses

The current study was focused on identifying how interpersonal communication affects teamwork effectiveness and organizational commitment in nurses. The sample of (N = 150) nurses were recruited through purposive sampling technique from a public hospital of Lahore. To test the study assumptions, Socio- Communicative Orientation Scale (Richmond & McCroskey, 1990), Teamwork Effectiveness Self-Assessment Questionnaire (Sterling & Selesnick, 1988), and Organization Commitment Scale (Allen & Meyer, 1990) were used. Results showed that interpersonal communication was directly proportionate to teamwork effectiveness and all measures of organizational commitment. Whereas, team effectiveness was partially linked with dimensions of organizational commitment. Furthermore, findings showed that organizational commitment (affective commitment and normative commitment) was predicted by measures of interpersonal communication that is assertiveness and responsiveness. Interpersonal communication may play a leading role in developing organization commitment, therefore, efforts should be made to improve and enhance the interpersonal communication skills of nurses in Pakistan.

Impact of Fear of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Nurses in Pakistan

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the mental, emotional and psychological health of Frontline nurses. This study examines the impact of fear of COVID-19 on nurses’ turnover intention, secondary trauma, and psychological distress. Additionally, we explore the possible moderating variable, i.e., leadership support that may compensate for the negative impact of fear of COVID-19 on the nurses’ turnover intention, secondary trauma, and psychological distress. Initially, 700 nurses were contacted; however, the response of 380 nurses was received. It is found that fear of COVID-19 significantly affects nurses mental health. We concluded that hospital administrations should support, encourage and motivate Frontline nurses to reduce negative emotional and mental health issues.