Summer 2010, Vol. 3, Issue 1 - Aga Khan University

distinguished Alumnitaking nursing a step BeyondSalimah Walani, RN ’87, holds aMaster of Science in Nursing fromSimmons College and a Master ofPublic Health from Harvard School ofPublic Health, both in Boston.Currently, she is a PhD candidate atNew York University, where she isworking on her doctoral dissertation.She recently received a grant from theSigma Theta Tau Honor Society ofNursing, Upsilon Chapter to conducther research.Salimah was a faculty member atAKU-SON before moving to NewYork. After relocating to the US, sheworked for the New York CityDepartment of Health as an epidemiologistand consultant public healthnurse, focusing on tuberculosis outbreakwork. She then worked as thedirector for a mobile health initiativefor school children in Brooklyn, NY, aprogramme under New YorkUniversity. At present, she teachesgraduate nurses at Felician College.While working for these programmes,Salimah developed aninterest in global health. Her outreachactivities took her toNicaragua and India, where she waspart of a team of nurses that conductedhealth assessments and educationalsessions for school childrenin under-served communities.Salimah served the National AgaKhan Health Board for USA from2005 to 2009, which allowed her toplay a leading role to develop RemoteHealth Access for HealthProfessionals, a collaborative programmebetween Ismaili health professionalsin the US and Aga KhanHealth Services in East Africa.What factors motivated you tochoose nursing?I have a totally unconventional storyof why I chose nursing as my profession– I got attracted to the buildingand the courtyards of the AKU-SON.When I joined AKU, the hospital andthe medical school were still underconstruction and the School ofNursing seemed like an oasis in thedesert with its beautiful red buildingand lush green gardens. I just wanteda taste of living and studyingthere – the rest is history.How do you think your educationat the AKU helped you in yourcurrent role?During my education and then in myfaculty role at AKU-SON, I was fascinatedby the extensiveness ofAKU’s vision, operations and itsactual and potential impact on society.Thus, even though I have workedin a variety of health care settings inthe New York area, I tend to gravitatetowards academic institutionsand love teaching.What do you believe is the impactof your work? How are peoplebenefiting from it?I am currently conducting my doctoraldissertation on employmentoutcomes of internationally-educatednurses (IENs) in the US. Ithink this study and my futureresearch in this area will have atremendous impact on policiesrelated to the treatment of IENs inthe US labor market.Furthermore in my faculty role,I think the global perspective that Ibring into my teaching has had aninfluence on how my studentsdefine their roles as nurses in thisera of globalisation.How do you think the AKU alumniand the University can worktogether to achieve common goals?Any message to the other AKUalumni?Let’s stay connected. I recognise thatwith alumni spread all over the world,it is hard for the University and us,the alumni, to engage in projects, butin this digital age, there are so littlebarriers that if we tried, we can overcomethem with a “click”.What role do you envision for AKUqualified nurses within an internationalcommunity of nurses?AKU nursing alumni have alreadymade advances to improve nursingin countries such as, Afghanistan,Tanzania, Syria, Kenya, and Egypt,and I am sure I am missing some. Iforesee that AKU-educated RNswill have a greater role in promotingprogrammes of higher nursingeducation in the Middle East. I alsoconclude from my communicationwith the nursing alumni in the US,that many of us who have leftPakistan are craving to find a rolein AKU initiatives – it is just amatter of time.The Editorial Board seeks nominationsfor distinguished alumni from allAKU schools and programs for thissection. Please send a short profile ofyour nominee to: alumni@aku.edu.9