International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp: (59-67), Month: April 2020 - September 2020, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Caring for mental health service users on a general ward: a phenomenological approach Sithembele Magqadiyane Clinical Training Specialist Life Group Healthcare, St Mary‟s Private Hospital, Mthatha, 5099, South Africa Email: smagqadiyane@gmail.com
Abstract: Caring for mental health service users is a public concern especially in situations where these types of patients have to be managed in a general ward. Government is committed to establish measures that would enhance the standard of caring for mental health service users in a general ward setting. This study intended to explore and describe the lived experiences of nurses who care for the mental health service users in public hospital in Libode in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological research design to explore and describe the lived experiences of nurses who care for the mental health care users in general wards at a district hospital. Semi-structured individual interviews (n =6) were used to collect data from the se nurses. These interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim and Collaizzi’s process of qualitative data analysis was applied for data analysis. This study reported both positive and negative experiences. Positive experiences included the rescue of mental health care users and cooperation among nurses. Negative experiences included the combination of chronic ill patients with known aggressive and unpredictable mental health care users; shortage of staff; unsecured fencing for mental health care users; lack of support from managers and feeling unappreciated were reported. In conclusion, necessary prioritisation of all aspects of services in the management of mental health care users should be adhered to. Secondly, paying attention to all nurses’ needs regarding the circumstances they undergo when managing mental health service users should be adhered to. Keywords: Caring, Mental Health Service User, Nurses.
1. INTRODUCTION Caring for mental health care users is a public concern especially in situations where these types of patients have to be managed on a general ward setting (Biringer, Davidson, Sundfor, Ruud & Borg, 2016). This caring for mental health service users vary according to scope of practice professional nurses‟ expertise and the setting where these types of patients are managed (Adnoy, Eriksen, Arman, Davidson, Sundfor & Karlsson, 2014). There are various policies and guidelines that provide standards that has to be followed during the care for mental health service users. Many health facility settings fail to comply with these standards because of various issues such as institutional infrastructure where these mental health service users are to be cared and human resource factors like shortage of professional nurses with basic psychiatric training (Wright, Rowley, Chopra, Gregoriou & Waring, 2016). Due to these circumstances, it is believed that there are still more investigations to be undergoing. A number of studies revealed that professional nurses with or without basic training in mental health face challenges in caring these types of patients (Donisi, Tedeschi, Wahlbeck, Haaramo & Amaddeo, 2016). These professional nurses seemed to lack knowledge that mental illness conditions are treatable though not curable. This is due to the fact that some of these professional nurses had not received psychiatric training. Such professional nurses seemed comfortable rendering care to those medically ill patients who did not have a history of mental illness (Donisi et al, 2016). Situation of this nature requires experienced and psychiatric trained nurses to manage mental health service users. This seemed to be a long term plan and government cannot manage these challenges in a short period (Sobekwa, 2015).
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