Volunteer Name: Dr. Shahirose Sadrudin Premji
Location: Karachi, Pakistan
Host Institution: Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi
Role: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Consultant
Duration of Assignment: 5 weeks
Drawing on her 19 years of experience as a neonatal nurse practitioner in Ontario and Alberta, Dr Shahirose Sadrudin Premji of Calgary was asked to assist the Internal Audit Department in undertaking a review of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at AKUH in Karachi, Pakistan, over a five week period. She reviewed processes such as admissions, documentation, patient transfer and discharge. The review process entailed observation, examining policies and procedures, reviewing charts and records, interviewing NICU team members and parents of patients – a detailed process necessary to maintain the hospital’s high standards.
The result was a report outlining the strengths, opportunities, threats and recommendations for the NICU management team and the Internal Audit Department. The final report provided recommendations for managing existing and emerging risks, enhancing efficiencies, improving patient safety, strengthening technology systems and software and improving financial performance. It was an intense process and the experience enabled Shahirose to gain new knowledge about a comprehensive audit assessment.
This TKN experience and her other past volunteer engagements with Aga Khan University have resulted in a strong track record of volunteerism for Shahirose. In June 2016, she received the Jeanne Mance Award, the highest award conferred by the Canadian Nurses Association. In addition to professional growth, Shahirose experienced personal and spiritual fulfillment. “These opportunities are a blessing and should be embraced,” she says. “I often feel that I take away more than I give.”
