Browsing by Author "Stemmet, Charlotte Louise"

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    Perceptions and experiences of nurses about the mobile clinic work environment
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-03) Stemmet, Charlotte Louise; Kitshoff, Danine; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Concern for patients living in remote rural communities of the Western Cape Province who do not receive quality health care due to deficiencies in the work environment of mobile clinic health workers exists. The concern is especially for the wellbeing of the nurses who work in this environment. Amidst a lack of scientific knowledge about the factors that have an influence on the quality of health provision in the mobile clinic work environment, the motivation to improve this work environment is hampered. Therefore, in striving towards excellence in mobile clinic health care by the year 2020, this study aimed to research the perceptions and experiences of nurses about the mobile clinic work environment. Method: A qualitative approach with a descriptive design was followed to research the above problem. A purposeful sampling method was used for identifying five subdistricts in the Western Cape Province to which all mobile clinic nurses were invited to take part in (n=19). Permission was granted by the Health Research Ethics Committee at Stellenbosch University, the Western Cape Department of Health and the individual study participants. Criteria for validity, namely credibility, conformability, dependability and transferability were applied to ensure trustworthiness. A pilot interview was conducted personally by the researcher in a neighboring district where she was not known, however to prevent bias a trained independent researcher conducted all other interviews. Findings: Eight semistructured interviews were carried out of which three were individual and five were group interviews. During data analyses twelve themes emerged. A perception that the mobile clinic health services are indispensable in delivering primary health care to people living in remote rural areas was identified. However, several deficiencies with regard to the vehicles that are being used, such as the adverse conditions within which medicine are kept, “I have asked many times about the medication on the bus because it reaches temperatures of 40 to 45 degrees”, emerged. An extreme workload and an extensive scope of practice that hamper the delivery of the desired health care, as well as a lack of in-service training to ensure greater competency in the mobile clinic work environment and a shortage of relief staff were also identified. Various stressors linked to deficiencies in occupational health and safety, such as the lack of telecommunication were identified, “there is no communication, no-one that will go and search for you”. Lastly, various participant suggestions on how to improve the mobile clinic work environment were identified. Conclusion: The mobile clinic health care services fulfil an essential role in delivering primary health care to the dwellers in the rural communities of the Western Cape. However, occupational health and safety, as well as quality assurance are issues that need to be addressed urgently. It is thus recommended that policy makers take cognizance of the specific needs of every individual mobile clinic team.