Improving the implementation of nursing care process in Wacha Primary Hospital, Kafa zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Nursing care Process is a systematic method which utilizes scientific reasoning, problem solving and critical thinking to direct nurses in caring for patients effectively. Despite the important role nursing process plays for the betterment of the health care, its implementation status is far below expected, particularly in developing countries. Similarly, the baseline assessment in this project showed that the implementation of nursing care process in wacha primary hospital was poor. Thus, after the intervention was made the implementation of the nursing care process completeness improved in the hospital. Objectives: To improve the implementation of nursing care process completeness from 10 % to 65% in medical and surgical wards of wacha primary hospital, by the end of May 2018. Methodology: A facility based pre- post interventional study was conducted from March 1 to May 30, 2018 in Wacha Primary Hospital, Kafa Zone, South Nation Nationalities People of Republic, Ethiopia. A total of 100 Medical Records were reviewed ba s e d on HPMI gui de l i ne of Et hi opi a (50 at baseline and 50 at the end of the study by simple random sampling method) to compare the nursing c a r e Process implementation status during pre and post-intervention periods. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Result: The percentage of patient cards with complete nursing care process increased from 5(10%) to 40(80%) after intervention made. Nursing admission assessment from 3(6 %) to 41(82%), Nursing diagnosis from 5(10%) to 41(82%); Nursing care plan from 6(12%) to 40(80%); Nursing implementation from 7(8%) to 40(80%) and Nursing evaluation from 5(10%) to 40(80%), with all changes showing there is an improvement. Conclusion and Recommendations: Effective implementation of the nursing care process leads to improve quality of care for the patient and stimulates the construction of theoretical and scientific knowledge of nurses on the best clinical practice. Continuous internal supportive supervision of nurses followed by on job training can strengthen the implementation of the nursing care process. Wacha primary hospital senior management team should consider strengthening the internal supportive supervision to improve the nursing process in their health facility.