Nurses’ perceptions on the determinants of absenteeism at two rural provincial hospitals in the Western Cape

Date
2022-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: The Department of Health in South Africa acknowledge that scheduled attendances at work are essential to accomplish strategic goals. Nursing absenteeism rates worldwide is concerning and are influenced by several factors. High level of absenteeism is associated with poor quality of patient care. Therefore, investigating factors that influenced absenteeism is essential and has not yet been investigated in the context of rural hospitals in the Western Cape. Aim: The study aim aimed to investigate nurses’ perceptions on the d determinants of absenteeism at rural provincial hospitals in the Western Cape Cape; in order to contribute towards quality patient care and nurses’ well-being, productivity and reducing overtime overtime. The objectives were: 1) To determine the perceptions of n urses on the determinants of absenteeism a at rural provincial hospitals in the WC province province. 2) To analyse the relationships between the organisatiorganisation al, unit management, personal and social, and health and safety determinants of absenteeism of the ab ove selected hospitals hospitals. 3) To recommend strategies to manage absenteeism at these hospitals. Methods: A quantitative approach with a descriptive cross cross-sectional design was used. The target population for the study included nurses working at the two provincial hospitals (N=65 651). Stratified random sampling was applied to select 353 nurses in the different nursing categories who completed a self self-report questionnaire . The questionnaire were developed by the researcher and experts to measure the perceptions of nurses of the factors influencing absenteeism in the various environments. The questionnaire demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach alpha of 0.74 0.74-0.95 ) for the subscales . Data was captured on M s Excel, imported into the Statistical Programme for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27, and analysed with the assistance of a biostatistician. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Results: Out of a score of 4, the mean scores for factors in the environment were organisational (mean 3.0, SD 0.54); unit management (mean 2.6, SD 0.56); personal and social (mean 2.7, SD 0.54); health and safety (mean 2.6, SD 0.59). Within the organisational environment, the environment with the highest score, frequent factors influencing absenteeism included inadequate staff, nurse shortages, and unmanageable workload. In the unit management environment, the most frequent reported factor was favouritism by nurse managers. In the personal and social environment, family responsibilities was the highest score and with regards to the health and safety environment, the most frequent factor was transport problems. Conclusion: In the organisational environment the key finding was nurse shortages and following the guidelines of safe staffing levels could reduce absenteeism. In the unit management environment teamwork was lacking and a teamwork approach could be beneficial for diverse cultures. In the personal and social environment substance abuse was a concern and improving the control of substances contribute to combat the practice. Stress and burnout was a crucial factor in the health and safety environment and implementing stress management could alleviate the impact of risk for absenteeism.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Die Departement van Gesondheid in Suid-Afrika erken dat geskeduleerde bywonings by die werk noodsaaklik is om strategiese doelwitte te bereik. Afwesigheid van verpleegkundiges is wêreldwyd kommerwekkend en word deur verskeie faktore beïnvloed. Hoë vlak van afwesigheid hou verband met die swak gehalte van pasiëntsorg. Daarom is ondersoekfaktore wat die afwesigheid beïnvloed, het noodsaaklik geword en is nog nie ondersoek in die konteks van landelike hospitale in die Wes-Kaap nie. Doelwitte: Die studie beoog om verpleegkundiges se persepsie oor die faktore van afwesigheid by provinsiale hospitale in ‘n landelike gebied in die Wes-Kaap te ondersoek; ten einde by te dra tot kwaliteit pasiëntsorg en verpleegkundiges se welstand, produktiwiteit en die vermindering van oortyd. Die doelstellings was: 1) Om die persepsie van verpleegkundiges oor die faktore van afwesigheid by provinsiale hospitale in ‘n landelike gebied in die Wes-Kaap provinsie te bepaal. 2) Om die verwantskappe tussen die organisatoriese, eenheidsbestuur, persoonlike en maatskaplike en gesondheid en veiligheid faktore van afwesigheid van bogenoemde geselekteerde hospitale te ontleed. 3) Om strategieë aan te beveel om afwesigheid van bogenoemde geselekteerde hospitale te bestuur. Metode: 'n Kwantitatiewe benadering met 'n beskrywend e dwarssnitontwerp is gebruik. Die teikenpopulasie vir die s stu die het verpleegsters i ngesl uit wat by die twee provinsiale hospitale werk (N = Gestratifis eerde ewekansige s tee kproefneming is toegepas om 353 verpleegkundiges in die verskillende verpleegk ategorieë te kies wat 'n selfverslagvraelys voltooi he het. Die vraelys is deur die navo rser en kundiges ontwikkel om die persepsies van verpl eegkundiges te m eet van die faktore wat afwesigheid in die verskillende omgewings beïnvloed. Die vraelys het goeie be troubaarheid getoon (Cronbach alfa van 0.74 0.74-0.95) vir die subs kale. Data is met Excel vasg elêelê, en ingevoer in die Statistiese Program vir S osiale Wetenskappe (SPSS) weergawe 27, en ontleed met die hulp van 'n biostatistikus en die gebruik van beskrywende en inferentia. Resultate: Uit 'n telling van 4 was die ge middmiddel de tellings vir faktore in die omgewing organisatoriese (gemiddelde 3.0, SD 0 .54); eenheidsbestuur (beteken 2.6 , SD 0. 56); persoonlik en sosiaal (beteken 2.7, SD 0.54); gesondheid en veiligheid (b eteken 2.6, SD 0.59 ). Binne die organisatoriese omge omgewing was die omgewing met die hoogste telling, gereelde faktore wat afwesigheid beïnv loed, onvoldoende personeel, verpl verpleegs ter tekorte en onbeheerbare werk werkslading ingesluit. In die eenheidsbestuurs omgewiomgewing was die mees algemene gerapporteerde faktor begun stiging de ur verpleegkund verpleegkundige best uurdeuurders . In die persoonlike en sosiale omgewing, ge sinsverantwoordelikhede was die hoogste telling en met betrek king to t die gesondheids gesondheids- en veiligheidsomgewing, was die mees algemene faktor verv oe rprobleme. Gevolgtrekking: In die organisatoriese omgewing was die belangrikste bevinding tekort aan verpleegkundiges en die riglyne vir veilige personeelvlakke kan die afwesigheid verminder. In die eenheidsbestuursomgewing het spanwerk ontbreek en 'n spanwerkbenadering kan voordelig wees vir verskillende kulture. In die persoonlike en sosiale omgewing was dwelmmisbruik 'n bron van kommer en die verbetering van die beheer van afhanklikheidsmiddels dra by tot die bekamping van die praktyk. Stres en uitbranding was 'n belangrike faktor in die gesondheids- en veiligheidsomgewing, en die implementering van streshantering kan die impak van risiko vir afwesigheid verlig.
Description
Thesis (MNur)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Hospitals -- Personnel management -- Western Cape -- South Africa, Absenteeism (Labor) -- Western Cape -- South Africa, Community health services -- Administration -- South Africa, UCTD
Citation