Reflections on the Concomitants of the Restrictive Visitation Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Ubuntu Perspective.

Fhumulani Mavis Mulaudzi,Rafiat Ajoke Anokwuru,Moselene A R Du-Plessis,Rachael T Lebese

doi:10.3389/fsoc.2021.769199

Fhumulani Mavis Mulaudzi, Rafiat Ajoke Anokwuru + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.769199

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Abstract

Caregiving is a prominent concept in the Ubuntu philosophy, and caring and visitation of the sick is regarded as an example of Ubuntu. The restrictive visitation policy adopted in the hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the exhibition of this concept among patients, nurses, and families. The narrative inquiry was used to explore the reflections of the participants on the impact caused by the non-visitation policy experienced during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. The narrative inquiry approach allowed the participants to tell their story as it is unique to them. The study used purposive sampling technique to select five participants for the webinar. Three themes emerged from the narrated stories which are 1) moral anguish of the caregivers; 2) mental health instability, and 3) erosion of trust in health care practitioners (HCPs). The non-visitation hospital policy was intended to reduce the danger of spreading COVID-19 within and outside the hospital; however, the care provided was devoid of the values of Ubuntu such as mutual respect, relational, responsibility, reciprocity, and interconnectedness. In retrospect, a case-by-case application of the policy would reduce the non-desirable effect of the policy on the patients, nurses, and patients' family members.

Highlights

The novel and virulent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus was discovered in China in November 2019, spread rapidly around the globe, and became a worldwide pandemic storm (Ning et al, 2020)
Studies have documented the impact of the non-visitation policies on patients and their families (Kandori et al, 2020; Raphael et al, 2021) and questioned its lawfulness in the case of children (McQuoid-Mason, 2020), but none have documented the experience of nurses, patients, and families in terms of the African philosophy of Ubuntu on restrictive visitation policy during the pandemic
This paper explored the experiences of caregivers and care receivers in terms of the African philosophy of Ubuntu and the restrictive visitation policy during the pandemic

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The novel and virulent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) virus was discovered in China in November 2019, spread rapidly around the globe, and became a worldwide pandemic storm (Ning et al, 2020). During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care systems in South Africa and around the world adopted restrictive visitation in a bid to reduce the death rates from infections and manage available hospital resources (McQuoid-Mason, 2020; Weiner et al, 2021; Zeh et al, 2020). In South Africa, the cancelling of hospital visitation was a setback to the practice of the African philosophy of Ubuntu Studies have documented the impact of the non-visitation policies on patients and their families (Kandori et al, 2020; Raphael et al, 2021) and questioned its lawfulness in the case of children (McQuoid-Mason, 2020), but none have documented the experience of nurses, patients, and families in terms of the African philosophy of Ubuntu on restrictive visitation policy during the pandemic

METHODS

Participants

FINDINGS

Discussion of Findings

ETHICS STATEMENT