Amid COVID-19’s early chaos, nurses were hailed as heroes—but a new meta-analysis published in the Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences reveals a troubling side of this praise: about 39% experienced anxiety, and 36% faced depression. This analysis of nearly 40,000 nurses shows they suffer higher distress rates than other healthcare workers, spotlighting a pressing need for targeted support. Key Takeaways: Elevated Prevalence Anxiety reached 38.5%, and depression 35.5%. These figures exceed rates seen in broader healthcare teams. Workload & Emotional Toll Frontline nurses endured relentless patient contact, evolving protocols, and intense emotional strain. Critical Vulnerability – Early data suggest female nurses faced the highest mental health risk, pointing to the importance of gender-specific support strategies. Practical Steps : Implement...
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Managing Nurses’ Duty Roster Version 3 (January 2019) Developed By: Khalil Ahmed Head Nurse, CCU, IH, PIMS, Islamabad Description: The purpose of developing these SOPs was to create uniformity and clarity in the policies regarding nurses’ duty roster. This document has brought the already practised rule into written form. The first version of the SOPs was introduced in Emergency and Accident Center, PIMS in 2014. Further improvements have been brought in the subsequent versions. Constructive feedback would be appreciated. A sample duty roster which incorporates some of these rules is attached. SOPs Rationales 1. Days off available in a month: 1.1. Weekly off: A nurse will be eligible to avail weekly days off equal to the number of Sundays in a month. Because every Sunday is an official day off, therefore, all nurses are eli...