Application of nursing process in pediatric care and the factors associated with its implementation at Korle-bu teaching hospital and Princess Marie Louis hospital in Accra.

Abstract

The nursing process is a scientific method to guide procedures and also ensure quality of nursing care. However, little is known about issues regarding the nursing process. This formed the basis for this exploratory research on the application of the nursing process in pediatric care and the factors associated with its implementation at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and Princess Marie Louis (PML) Hospital in Accra. The study, a cross-sectional one, employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches in collecting data through the use of self-administered questionnaires. A sample of 220 professional nurses was selected through a simple random sampling process. The data were analysed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences, (SPSS) version 20 and reported using, tables, pie-charts and box plots. The major findings of the research were that nurses at KBTH and PML Hospitals were well educated about the nursing process, but they attributed their inability to use the nursing process to inadequate practical knowledge, work-overload, management's inability to provide the needed materials and time constraints. In conclusion, the study revealed that though the nurses at KNUTH and PML had great knowledge on nursing procedures, they did not often practicalise their knowledge. It is therefore recommended that health educators and highranking members in the health sector should assist nurses in improving on the positive perception of the nursing process.