Journal of Nurses and Midwives Pakistan

Engagement of Community Midwives in Flood-Affected Areas of Sindh

Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: This article aims to highlight the work and efforts of midwives in the Province of Sindh, especially in the districts of Thatta and Sujjawal. These midwives worked tirelessly to identify pregnant women living in camps, to book them and provide antenatal care, laboratory and ultrasound facilities, to make early referrals of high-risk pregnancies, and most importantly conduct safe and clean deliveries.

Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study conducted at the campsites of Thatta and Sujjawal from August to December 2022. Three teams were working simultaneously, one at the site, the other running mobile service units, and one at Al Farabi Hospital. Data was collected from each team, compiled, and analyzed using MS Excel version 16.

Results: A total of 1280 new antenatal bookings were made of pregnant women residing in the flood-affected areas of Thatta and Sujawwal. 284 deliveries took place during this 5-month period of which 77% were conducted at Al Farabi Hospital.

Conclusion: Certified community midwives are in a unique position to act as first responders during emergency response. With adequate training and professionalization in disaster response, midwives can serve as an army to provide emergency care to women and infants in need during disasters.

The Importance of Community Midwives for Delivery of Family Planning Services in Pakistan

Sidra Ahmed, Zehra Somjee, Shabana Kanwal, Shaheen Zafar, Shershah Syed — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: The objective of this study is to present contraception usage in Koohi Goth Women’s Hospital and to highlight the leading role of midwives in effectively counseling patients to use modern methods of contraception, consequently, working towards sustainable development goals.

Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study conducted at Koohi Goth Women’s Hospital, Landhi, Karachi from January to July 2022. All women of childbearing age who were counseled for and received contraception were included in the study.

Results: The most common contraceptive method of choice was long-term contraception with an intra-uterine copper device with an average insertion rate of 57.1% per delivery. 2nd most common method of choice was condoms for men and contraceptive surgery (bilateral tubal ligation) for women. This is far more than the overall contraceptive prevalence rate (34%) in Pakistan.

Conclusion: Midwives can play an essential and leading role in promoting contraceptive use, play a role in working effectively towards sustainable development goals, and minimize unmet needs for family planning.

Mothers’ knowledge regarding the relationship between dental pain and early childhood caries in association with bottle-feeding Practices

Amaila Fazal, Adil Hassan, Ramsha Alam — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: All the previous studies were concerned with determining the prevalence of dental pain and dental caries among children. Hence, this study aimed to accumulate data concerning the mothers’ knowledge regarding the relationship between dental pain and early childhood caries in association with bottle feeding practices.

Methodology: This was a validated, self-administered questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted among the general population of Karachi consisting of parents specifically mothers or caregivers of children aged 1-5 years. The ECC symptoms in children were characterized and mothers’ knowledge was assessed for the ECC.

Results: Most caregivers were postgraduate (36%), middle-class (55%), and mothers (76%), and lived in a joint family system (61%). It was found that 45% of participants had extremely frequent bottle-feeding practices and the majority of the parents/ caregivers were highly knowledgeable (72%) regarding the symptoms of ECC concerning the frequency of bottle feeding (P-value = 0.001). Further, multivariate regression analysis significantly indicated that participants having education till college level and above (P-value = 0.001), participants who were students (P-value = 0.014) or were engaged in part-time jobs (P-value = 0.007), and mothers (P-value = 0.008) or grandparents (P-value = 0.007) as the main caregiver were more knowledgeable about the ECC symptoms.

Conclusion: Although the current study revealed high knowledge of ECC among the participants. Despite this, the parents of children with ECC face a severe knowledge gap, which is interfering with the selection of proper oral hygiene aids for their children.

Exploring the Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress Reduction among Nursing and Midwifery Professionals

Syeda Farah Batool, Neha Amber, Wardha Kaleem, Ayesha Maryam — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: This study delves into the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in reducing stress among nursing and midwifery professionals. Stress is a prevalent issue in the healthcare sector, affecting the well-being and performance of nurses and midwives. This study aims to explore the lived experiences and perceptions of nursing and midwifery professionals who participated in MBIs to manage their stress levels.

Methodology: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of participants, and thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the data.

Results: The findings reveal the multifaceted impact of MBIs on stress reduction, including enhanced self-awareness, improved coping mechanisms, and better emotional regulation. Moreover, the study uncovers the challenges and barriers faced by participants in integrating mindfulness practices into their daily lives.

Conclusion: Overall, this research sheds light on the potential of MBIs as a holistic approach to promote the well-being of nursing and midwifery professionals in the face of workplace stressors.

Assessing the Influence of Stress, Fatigue, and Sleep Quality on Shift-Working Female Nurses in Karachi

Ramsha Alam, Fiza Abdul Rasheed, Syed Faizan Qadri — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Numerous studies have shown the relationship between shift work and diseases, such as coronary disease, depression, hypertension, and breast cancer. Similarly, sleep-related health affects overall work performance in shift work nurses. This study aimed to evaluate the association between stress and sleep satisfaction among shift work nurses in Karachi.

Methodology: Employing a descriptive correlation design, self-administered surveys were used to collect data on distress, fatigue, and sleep quality from 311 nurses in Karachi between July 2023 and January 2024.

Results: Elevated fatigue levels were associated with higher reported stress levels, diminished overall health, and decreased sleep satisfaction (p-value=<0.001). The sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQ). Its scores showed significant correlations with fatigue, health status, and stress (p-value=<0.001).

Conclusion: The current study findings highlighted a connection between stress and sleep satisfaction among shift-working nurses in Karachi. Hence, it is implicated that shift working nurses should adopt stress management strategies which might lead to improved health and sleep quality for nurses.