Web Desk
KARACHI: The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) hosted its inaugural Surgical Nursing Conference, bringing together national and international nursing leaders, surgeons, healthcare professionals, educators and researchers to discuss developments in surgical nursing and strengthen its contribution to safe, high-quality surgical care.
Organised jointly by AKUH’s Department of Surgery and Division of Nursing Services, the conference provided a platform to share clinical expertise, research and emerging practices under the theme, “Advancing Surgical Nursing Practice Across the Continuum of Care: Quality, Safety, and Innovation.” It focused on promoting evidence-based practice, encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration and supporting the professional development of surgical nurses.
The programme featured sessions on the state of surgical nursing in Pakistan, evidence-based practice, and the role of artificial intelligence and digital health in perioperative care. It also included oral research presentations, poster presentations, a multidisciplinary panel discussion on continuity of care and an interactive debate on the impact of AI on surgical nursing.
Emphasising the importance of nursing excellence in delivering quality surgical care, Dr Farhat Abbas T.I., S.I., CEO, AKUH Health System, Pakistan, said, “At AKUH, we recognise that skilled and knowledgeable nurses are central to safe, high-quality surgical care. Supporting their professional development and strengthening nursing practice are essential to improving patient care and outcomes.”
Highlighting the importance of advancing surgical nursing as a specialised field, Ms Khairunnissa Hooda, Chief Nursing Officer, AKUH, said, “Surgical nursing is an evolving speciality that requires nurses to develop advanced skills and competencies alongside advances in surgical care. Beyond providing care, surgical nurses play an important role as patient advocates, clinical leaders and champions of evidence-based practice. Continued professional development is essential to strengthening their contribution to safe, high-quality, patient-centred care.”
Dr Saleem Islam, Chair, Department of Surgery, AKUH, highlighted the contribution of skilled surgical nurses to patient outcomes and the importance of sharing clinical practices across institutions, saying, “Our surgical outcomes compare favourably with those of US hospitals in the ACS NSQIP database. The exceptional nursing care our patients receive is an important part of that achievement, with highly skilled nurses integral to our team-based approach. This conference grew out of that recognition: an opportunity to share our surgical nurses’ work with other institutions and learn from them in return.”
The conference marked an important step towards strengthening the recognition and professional development of surgical nursing in Pakistan, while reinforcing the contribution of skilled nursing teams to safer surgical care and better patient outcomes.
rafiq@biztoday.news
