Abstract
BackgroundProfessional nurses are responsible for the provision of care, treatment and rehabilitation of all mental healthcare users (MHCUs) in the institutions for mental healthcare. However, professional nurses find themselves in difficult circumstances under which they must provide quality healthcare services to MHCUs.ObjectivesThe study explored and described the challenges experienced by the professional nurses working in a mental healthcare institution in Limpopo province of South Africa.MethodA qualitative approach was used to explore and describe the challenges faced by professional nurses working in a mental healthcare institution. The study was conducted from July 2016 to December 2016. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data were obtained through individual in-depth interviews with professional nurses between the ages of 26 and 50 years. Data collection continued until data saturation, which occurred after interviewing 18 participants. Tech’s open coding method was used to analyse data in this study.ResultsFour themes emerged from data analysis, namely: inadequate safety measures, inadequate resources, impact of high workload and shortage of staff. The themes were further sub-divided into sub-themes.ConclusionThe study revealed several challenges that professional nurses face in mental healthcare institutions which might be a barrier to the provision of quality healthcare. Conducive working environments should be established to enable professional health nurses to provide quality nursing care, thereby promoting the health of MHCUs.
Highlights
Introduction and backgroundNurses are at the forefront of admitting, treating and managing mental healthcare users (MHCUs) with different mental disorders in mental health institutions and are exposed to different challenges in their work environments (Sobekwa & Arunachallam 2015:4)
The study revealed several challenges that professional nurses face in mental healthcare institutions which might be a barrier to the provision of quality healthcare
The findings revealed that participants were always in fear of being attacked by MHCUs at any time because there are no security personnel inside the wards to protect them from being hurt by their patients: ‘I don’t feel safe working in this environment
Summary
Nurses are at the forefront of admitting, treating and managing mental healthcare users (MHCUs) with different mental disorders in mental health institutions and are exposed to different challenges in their work environments (Sobekwa & Arunachallam 2015:4). A study conducted in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa revealed that psychiatric nurses working in acute psychiatric wards work under stressful situations, which results in increased levels of burnout and frustration. It was further revealed in the same study that nurses experience complex challenges in the psychiatric wards because they are always faced with aggressive and unpredictable patients (Joubert & Bhagwan 2018:54).
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