A study of how newly qualified nurses view their role in maintaining patients hygeine.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to try and find out how newly qualified nurses view their role in maintaining patients' hygiene. The study sought to investigate these nurses' attitude to this role since it is one of the major nursing roles. A nurse is required both during training and after, to make the patients' beds and give bed baths and change soiled linen or bedding,give bedpans and generally maintain a clean environment around patients. From the literature reviewed this is the least liked role in patient care among nurses, because it involves extremely intimate and intensive interaction with the patients on the part of the nurse. The literature further¬more adds that this role might potentially contribute to stress and strain on the nurse, a factor likely to result in nurse-patient discord. The study groups consisted of newly qualified nurses, both enrolled and registered, who worked in adult wards and paediatric wards at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka. The instrument used for data collection was a self-devised questionnaire. Data were analyzed manually and presented in tables with corresponding percentages. The results of the study showed that newly qualified nurses have a negative attitude towards their role of maintaining patients' hygiene. Some of the predisposing factors identified were:- 1.Lack of dedication and professional commitment by nurses. 2.Lack of needed facilities to carry out these procedures effectively, due to the prevailing poor economic situation in the Country. 3.Lack of interpersonal skills and poor communication skills thereby making nurses resent tiny procedures that bring them close to the patient. The study also recommends suggestions for improving the views of nurses or maintaining patients' hygiene. It is therefore necessary for those concerned to consider the nurse-factors, administrative and supervisory factors contributing to the negative view of these roles in question.