Review Article
Palliative Care in Nursing - Where are we in Pakistan?
Punjwani R1*, Khatoon A2, Dias JM3, Kurji ZA4, Siddiqui DF5, Bana S6and Baig-Ansari N7
1Nursing Education, Indus Children Cancer Hospital, ST-1/C, Block-10, Ayesha Manzil, Federal B Area, Karachi, Pakistan
2Infection Control, Indus Children Cancer Hospital, ST-1/C, Block-10, Ayesha Manzil, Federal B Area, Karachi, Pakistan
3Program & Blended Learning, Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan
4Aga Khan University School of Nursing and Midwifery, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan
5The Indus Hospital Research Center, The Indus Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
6Nursing Services, Indus Children Cancer Hospital, ST-1/C, Block-10, Ayesha Manzil, Federal B Area, Karachi, Pakistan
7Senior Epidemiologist, The Indus Hospital Research Center, The Indus Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
- Corresponding Author:
- Punjwani R
BScN, Manager Nursing Education
Indus Children Cancer Hospital
ST-1/C, Block-10, Ayesha Manzil
Federal B Area, Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92 0345249905
E-mail: Rehana_punjwani@yahoo.com
Received Date: October 19, 2015 Accepted Date: October 29, 2015 Published Date: November 02, 2015
Citation:Punjwani R, Khatoon A, Dias JM, Kurji ZA, Siddiqui DF, et al. (2015) Palliative Care in Nursing - Where are we in Pakistan?. J Palliat Care Med S5: S5002. doi:10.4172/2165-7386.1000S5002
Copyright: ©2015 Punjwani R, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Palliative care is an integral component of cancer care. Developing countries like Pakistan are still struggling with the initiation and implementation of WHO pillars for establishing palliative care services In Pakistan palliative care is a low priority issue with many other competing health and developmental issues. With the rising rates of cancer incidence, the national cancer plan was initiated in 2002, but the progress is very slow .This article focuses on the availability of palliative care services to population with special focal point on nursing training and education .The article reviews in depth the present curriculums of nursing education on palliative care. As per authors knowledge there is no existing graduate or undergraduate level of structured program. There has been no discussion in Pakistan nursing council, the licensure body in Pakistan to develop comprehensive curriculum for palliative care nursing. The empowerment process of Pakistani nurses to become active palliative care nurses begins with education and knowledge enhancement. Considering the present scope of palliative care there is an immense need of training, teaching and structured services in Pakistan.
