Nurses’ and physicians’ experience of caring for critically ill patients in Tanga regional referral hospital Tanzania

Abstract

Background: Nurses and Physicians at Tanga Regional Referal Hospital (TRRH) are responsible for efficiency care and management of the critically ill patients. Their carrier objectives as medical professionals should be accomplished by giving an optimal care to critically ill patients as patient’s needs. Patients’ needs are the requirement that is supposed to be met so as to improve their well-being and to address life threatening conditions or indicators which might endanger their lives, family as well as the community at large. In order to facilitate wellbeing and improvement of critically ill patients, the specific unit of caring these patients should be identified. Moreover, equipment, drugs and supplies, specialized personnel in the field should be considered. Material and Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore experience of nurses and physician in caring for critically ill patient at TRRH. Nurses and Physicians experience and challenges were assessed through in-depth interviews. Study participants were 15, 10 nurses and 5 physicians who are working in 5 departments at TRRH. These Departments were surgical, medical, peadiatrics, outpatient, obstetrics and gynecology. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants who had working experience of not less than three years from the selected departments. Analysis of data was guided by qualitative content analysis. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: be present and staying close, being powerless, failure to protect patient’s privacy, lacking of caring ability. Conclusions; Nurses and Physicians at Tanga Regional, Referal, Hospital, faces multifaceted experiences when caring for critically ill patients. Because of not having a specific unit where these critically ill patients could be cared for, lack of equipment, supplies and medicine, and the lack of expertise in caring these patients, made them feel powerlessness in providing optimal care to critically ill patients at TRRH. The experience and challenges recognizes demand for strategies to improve efficiency management and optimal care for critically ill patients in the hospital. Recommendations: Short and long training on management of critically ill patientsto nurses and physician are crucialto provide ability for these healthprofessionalsto assume their caring role effectively. Further,an equipped ICU should be established at the Regional hospital. Further study concerning care of critically ill patients in the ward to other regional hospital in Tanzania is recommended.