FACTORS AFFECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NURSING PROCESS IN THE CAPE METROPOLE

Abstract

Abstract Background and objectives of the study The nursing process is a structure used in delivering coordinated patient care and consists of five steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This cyclical process is used nationally and internationally and is one of the first and main components taught to nurses on a global platform. This study, aimed to identify factors affecting implementation of nursing process steps among nurses. Methods This study was conducted in two private hospitals in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive research design was utilised, and 58 nurses responded using a self-administered questionnaire. These nurses were selected with a non-random sampling technique. Expert assistance was obtained from a biostatistician and STATA 17 statistical software was used for data analysis. Results This study analysed 58 questionnaires - revealed that 78% of respondents felt they had insufficient time and staffing for the nursing process to be implemented. Ninety-three percent of respondents mentioned that the nursing process is a useful instrument for teaching, whereas 97% of them knew its application, and 86% felt the management of the hospital believed in its impact on the provision of quality patient care. Conclusions According to this study, nurses who engage in utilising the nursing process in clinical practice may be impacted by various factors such as time, staffing and managerial support to mention a few.  Lastly, it was recommended that addressing the stated factors will enhance the nursing process application in a better way.