Factors affecting the implementation of the nursing process in Cape Town hospitals

2025-12-15T10:38:21+00:00

The nursing process is a cyclical approach used in the delivery of coordinated patient care and consists of five steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Some factors can affect the implementation of the nursing process, such as nurses’ knowledge, patient load, time and resource constraints. The study aimed to explore and describe factors that are considered barriers and enablers to implementing the nursing process. This study was conducted in two private hospitals in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. A quantitative, exploratory, descriptive research design was utilised. Registered nurses were sampled and recruited using a convenience sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used for the collection of data. Assistance was obtained from a biostatistician and STATA 17 statistical software was used for data analysis. A total of 58 nurses participated with a response rate of 64%. Approximately 78% (n=46) of respondents mentioned factors such as insufficient time and inadequate staffing which affected the implementation of the nursing process. Most of the respondents (97%; n=55) mentioned that knowledge regarding the application of the nursing process and support from the hospital management (86%; n=51) was an enabling factor for the implementation of the nursing process and the provision of quality support. Barriers that affect its implementation were related to time, staffing, and resource allocation. Whereas managerial and leadership support was perceived as a barrier and enabling factor. It was recommended that addressing the stated factors would enhance the nursing process implementation.

Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of clinical placement in male psychiatric wards in Gauteng Province

2025-12-15T10:53:37+00:00

Introduction: Undergraduate nursing training for the comprehensive programme R.425, a course leading for registration as a Nurse (General, Psychiatric, Community) and Midwifery, incorporates the theory and clinical placement for experiential learning. In this programme, students are allocated to various health institutions including psychiatric hospitals to integrate theory into clinical practice, they are challenged with multiple situations that affect their academic performance and success.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the experiences of undergraduate nursing students during clinical placement in male psychiatric wards in Gauteng.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used of which the population was fourth-level undergraduate nursing students. Purposive sampling was used to select students. Non-probability purposive, total population sampling was utilised. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews supported by an audio recorder and field notes. Teschâ€™s technique will be employed to analyse the data. Trustworthiness and ethical considerations were ensured

Results: Three themes emerged from the semi-structured interviews: perceived anxiety levels; concern about safety and positive learning experience.

Conclusions: Perceived anxiety levels of undergraduate nursing students that affected their clinical learning experience were identified from the research findings. In addition, the experiences of undergraduate nursing students from Gauteng University, during clinical placement in a male ward of a psychiatric institution were explored and described.

Keywords: undergraduate nursing students, male psychiatric wards, male psychiatric patients, studentâ€™s clinical placement, student allocation and clinical practice.

Trends in Nursing

Factors affecting the implementation of the nursing process in Cape Town hospitals

Undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of clinical placement in male psychiatric wards in Gauteng Province