EVALUATION OF NURSES' ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES TOWARDS SAFE ABORTION CARE IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Unsafe abortion remains a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in Pakistan. Nurses play a critical role in post-abortion care (PAC), yet their attitudes and practices toward safe abortion services remain understudied. This study evaluated nurses' attitudes and practices regarding safe abortion care in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 300 female nurses working in obstetrics, gynaecology, emergency, and medical/surgical wards of Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Data were collected using a structured 30-item questionnaire assessing attitudes (15 items) and practices (15 items) on a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were computed using SPSS version 25.

Results: Regarding attitudes, 40% of nurses agreed that safe abortion is necessary for women's healthcare, while 39.6% disagreed. Nearly half (45.3%) supported regular ethical training on abortion. Regarding practices, 45.7% had received formal training on safe abortion, but only 37% provided non-judgmental counselling. Resource inadequacy was reported by 43.7% of nurses. A significant attitude-practice gap was identified across multiple domains.

Conclusion: Nurses demonstrated polarized attitudes and suboptimal practices regarding safe abortion care. Targeted training, ethical guidance, and institutional support are urgently needed to improve reproductive health services.