The role of the nurse leader in overseeing nursing documentation at a public hospital in Windhoek, Namibia

Date
2022-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: Nursing documentation constitutes an integral part of nurse’s daily work and contributes towards monitoring and improving the quality of care delivered to patients. Failure in nursing documentation has been attributed to many factors such as staff shortage, lack of documentation material, limited knowledge and skills and lack of support and supervision from nurse leaders. Therefore, there is a need for nurse leaders to provide supportive supervision to positively influence nurses’ level of documentation, which is vital to healthcare quality assurance. The aim of the study was to investigate the role of the nurse leader in overseeing nursing documentation at a public hospital in Windhoek, Namibia. The objectives were to determine the formative role, the normative role and the restorative role of the nurse leader in overseeing nursing documentation. Methods. A quantitative cross-sectional, descriptive design was applied. The population comprised 332 nurses working in various departments of the study hospital and the calculated sample size was n=196. The Brigid Proctor model of clinical supervision informed the conceptual framework for the study. The researcher obtained ethical approval from the Health Research Ethical Committee (HREC) of Stellenbosch University, from the research committee of the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS); and clearance from the hospital management. Informed consent was also obtained from each participant. A pilot test was done to assess the feasibility of the study. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher and distributed to the participants, with a return rate of N:139 (71%). Analysis of data was done by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The study revealed aggregate score of 50% or more of nurses were pleased with the support they received from the nurse leaders in their formative, normative and restorative role. However, not all nurses were satisfied with all aspects of the support provided by the nurse leaders in their departments. The demographic characteristics (age group, gender, qualifications, experience) of the nurses were statistically significantly (p<0.05) associated with nurses’ responses for the formative, normative and restorative domains of the Proctor model. Recommendation: A call for the hospital management to empower the nurse leader in strengthening their role of overseeing nursing documentation, which contributes to improving the quality of documentation. Conclusion: Nurse leaders in their formative, normative and restorative roles can assist subordinate nurses to become better professionals by providing them with the support needed in their daily activities which can promote proper nursing documentation and improve the quality of healthcare.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Verpleegdokumentasie vorm 'n integrale deel van die verpleegkundige se daaglikse werk en dra by tot die monitering en verbetering van die kwaliteit van sorg wat aan pasiënte gelewer word. Mislukking in verpleegdokumentasie word toegeskryf aan baie faktore soos personeeltekorte, gebrek aan dokumentasiemateriaal, beperkte kennis en vaardighede en gebrek aan ondersteuning en toesig van verpleegleiers. Daarom is daar 'n behoefte aan verpleegleiers om ondersteunende toesig te verskaf om verpleegsters se vlak van dokumentasie positief te beïnvloed, wat noodsaaklik is vir gesondheidsorggehalteversekering. Die navorsingsdoel vir die studie was om die rol van die verpleegleier in die toesig oor verpleegdokumentasie by 'n openbare hospitaal in Windhoek, Namibië, te ondersoek. Die doelwitte was om die vormende rol, die normatiewe rol en die herstellende rol van die verpleegleier ten opsigte toesig te hou oor verpleegdokumentasie, te bepaal. Metodes. 'n Kwantitatiewe beskrywende dwars-snit ontwerp is toegepas. Die populasie het uit 332 verpleegkundiges werksaam in verskeie afdelings van die hospitaal onder studie en die berekende steekproefgrootte was n=196. Die Brigid Proctor-model van kliniese supervisie het die konseptuele raamwerk vir die studie ingelig. 'n Loodstoets is gedoen om die uitvoerbaarheid van die studie te bepaal. Data is ingesamel met behulp van 'n vraelys wat deur die navorser ontwikkel is en aan die deelnemers versprei is, met 'n responsekoers van 139 (71%). Ontleding van data sluit in beskrywende en inferensiële statistieke. Die navorser het etiese goedkeuring verkry van die Gesondheidsnavorsingsetiese Komitee (HREC) van die Universiteit Stellenbosch, van die navorsingskomitee van die Ministerie van Gesondheid en Maatskaplike Dienste (MOHSS); en klaring van die hospitaalbestuur. Ingeligte toestemming is ook van elke deelnemer verkry. Resultate: Die studie het getoon dat 'n totale telling van 50% of meer van verpleegkundiges tevrede was met die ondersteuning wat hulle van die verpleegleiers ontvang in hul vormende, normatiewe en herstellende rol. Nie alle verpleegkundiges was egter tevrede met alle aspek van die ondersteuning wat die verpleegleiers in hul departemente verskaf het nie. Sommige van die demografiese kenmerke van die verpleegkundiges was statisties betekenisvol (p<0.05) geassosieer met verpleegkundiges se response vir die formatiewe, normatiewe en ondersteunende domeine van die Proctor-model. Aanbevelings: 'n Oproep vir die hospitaal om die verpleegleier se rol te versterk omdat dit die verpleegsters kan bemagtig en verpleegdokumentasiepraktyke kan verbeter, en sodoende die kwaliteit van sorg wat aan pasiënte gelewer word, verbeter. Gevolgtrekking: Verpleegleiers in hul vormende, normatiewe en herstellende rolle kan ondergeskikte verpleegkundiges bystaan om beter professionele persone te word deur aan hulle die nodige ondersteuning te bied in hul daaglikse aktiwiteite wat behoorlike verpleegdokumentasie kan bevorder en die kwaliteit van gesondheidsorg kan verbeter.
Description
Thesis (MNur)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Nursing records -- Management -- Windhoek -- Namibia, Documentation -- Management -- Windhoek -- Namibia, Primary nursing -- Administration -- Windhoek -- Namibia, UCTD
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