Challenges and Coping Mechanisms of Nurses Working in Intensive Care units of Governmental and Non Governmental Hospitals of Addis Ababa City from 2011-May2012.
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Date
2012-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Introduction: The interplay of high technology and high acuity in critical care makes the intensive careunit (ICU) environment one of the most complicated for healthcare facilities. Most hospitalized patientswith critical conditions are cared for in ICUs. Nurses with limited ICU experience consider caring for
highly dependent patients more challenging than experienced nurses and may perceive that ICU setting isa more strenuous and stressful environment in which to work.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the challenges and coping mechanisms of nurses workingin intensive care unit in caring for patients in governmental and non-governmental Hospitals of AddisAbaba, Ethiopia, 2012.
Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted to assess the challenges and coping mechanisms of nurses working in intensive care units in caring for patients in governmental and nongovernmental
Hospitals in Addis Ababa. A total of 207 intensive care unit nurses were involved in thestudy.
Result: A total number of 207 nurses who were working in intensive care units of both governmental andnongovernmental hospitals were participated in the study, of which 102 (49.3 %) were working government hospitals in neonate, pediatrics, medical and surgical intensive care units, where as the rest105 (50.7 %) were working in nongovernmental hospitals in neonate, pediatrics, medical, surgical,emergency and cardiac intensive care units. Among all respondents 85 (41.1 %) didn’t get adequate information from physicians about the patient’s over all condition. Majority 156 (75.4%) of nurses were assigned in intensive care units without their choice. The result shows that majority 136 (65.7 %) of nurses feels demoralization when they were unable to perform procedure for their patients in their respective working units followed by feeling of inferiority which accounts 18.4 %.
Conclusion and recommendation: Nurses in intensive care units have no adequate supplies to provide care for their patients and also there is poor team sprite in the intensive care units of both governmental and nongovernmental hospitals. Nurse- patient- ratio in the study site indicates that nurses are highly overloaded. Therefore there should be proper staffing policy in each hospital to maintain quality health care service.
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Challenges,Coping strategies