In a first for Pakistan and big milestone for the nursing fraternity in the country, Dr Rozina Karmaliani, dean of the Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, AKU-SONAM, becomes the first Pakistani nurse to be inducted as fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, FAAN.
AAN is one of the largest international organisations of nursing, catering to the generation and dissemination of nursing knowledge for improved healthcare outcomes and nursing practices worldwide. Their fellowship is the highest honour bestowed on nursing professionals for the impact they have made on health care through education, practice, research, and policy – for championing health and wellness, locally and globally.
The nomination and selection of members is done through a rigorous process after which the inductees are expected to make global impact on future healthcare policies.
Among nearly 3,000 fellows of AAN worldwide inducted over the past 50 years of its existence, Dr Karmaliani is the first and only member within Pakistan and the Central and South Asian regions, putting the country on the map in the field of nursing. She is the second AKU alumna to become part of this prestigious pool, the first being Dr Salimah Meghani from the University of Pennsylvania, United States.
“I am truly honoured to be representing Pakistan on such an important global platform. With the rapidly shifting trends in health care, it is crucial for nurses from the developing world to have a seat at the table where important policy dialogues and decision-making takes place, so they can have a bigger impact on healthcare outcomes and nursing practice on this side of the world,’ commented Dr Karmaliani.
Being a long-time member of the Aga Khan University and the first alumna dean of the School, Dr Karmaliani has served the institution in various leadership, research and academic capacities over the past three decades of her association with the AKU.
She will be recognised for her contributions to health care, and officially inducted into the academy at its annual Health Policy Conference taking place on October 29, 2022, in Washington, DC.
Another honour
The simulation programme initiated by the Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery (AKU-SONAM) has been awarded the Core Four Healthcare Simulation Standards endorsement by the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) for excellence in applying the INACSL’s Core Four Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice: Pre-briefing: Preparation & Briefing, Facilitation, Debriefing, and Professional Integrity.
The School is the first in Pakistan and one of nine globally to have the honour at the first edition of INACSL Awards, said a statement issued on Thursday.
During the award ceremony, Zohra Kurji, assistant professor and simulation programme lead at the AKU-SONAM, was presented with the Frontline Simulation Champion Award of Excellence 2022. She is the first nurse from the South Asian region to receive this recognition for driving the simulation programme at SONAM.
The INASCL award was accepted by Dr Rozina Karmaliani, dean of AKU-SONAM at the INACSL Conference 2022 held in Milwaukee, USA. This year’s conference focused on the theme ‘Stronger Together’ and hosted over 700 nursing simulation champions from around the world. “The INACSL endorsement gives us greater confidence in our strategic direction focusing on innovation and transformation of clinical education. At AKU-SONAM, we are committed to delivering a world-class educational experience through advanced simulation preparing our students to become leaders in healthcare,” said Dr Karmaliani.
The Centre of Innovation in Medical Education (CIME) at the AKU provides the state-of-the-art infrastructure for simulation facilities ranging from patient-care wards to the mock operation room, obstetrics & gynaecology, paediatric resuscitation room, dental lab, catheterization lab, surgical suite, and beyond.