Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study
Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused unparalleled hastening of the transmission of infection worldwide, commonly affecting healthcare workers’ well-being. Nursing staff spend most hours caring for patients and are the first contact that patients utilise when reporting sym...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2025-01-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2344 |
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| _version_ | 1823858183980974080 |
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| author | Sandisiwe Dyonase Isabelle Swanepoel Gian Lippi |
| author_facet | Sandisiwe Dyonase Isabelle Swanepoel Gian Lippi |
| author_sort | Sandisiwe Dyonase |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused unparalleled hastening of the transmission of infection worldwide, commonly affecting healthcare workers’ well-being. Nursing staff spend most hours caring for patients and are the first contact that patients utilise when reporting symptoms or receiving treatment.
Aim: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of COVID-19 among psychiatric nurses at a tertiary psychiatric hospital.
Setting: Weskoppies Hospital, Gauteng, South Africa.
Methods: We conducted a qualitative study comprising 14 semi-structured interviews with nurses working at Weskoppies Hospital in South Africa. We used open-ended questions to facilitate the discussion and provide some structure for the interview while still allowing the participants to elaborate freely. The recordings were later transcribed into text.
Results: Twenty nurses working full time at the hospital, were recruited for the study. The nurses’ knowledge about COVID-19 was summarised into five major themes, each with subthemes: signs and symptoms of COVID-19, risk of contracting the virus, the spread of COVID-19, prevention, and complications. In this study, the majority of participants had relatively good knowledge regarding COVID-19.
Conclusion: The majority of nurses at the hospital had adequate knowledge about COVID-19 but limited knowledge about the mode of transmission of the infection. Consistently improving healthcare workers’ knowledge about infection control measures through training, supplying information and identifying areas for improvement can ultimately enhance patient care and outcomes.
Contribution: This study sheds light on the value of nurses’ understanding of COVID-19, particularly in a psychiatric setting. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-34cb890a48d547428feba29f786d8e99 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1608-9685 2078-6786 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-34cb890a48d547428feba29f786d8e992025-02-11T13:31:19ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Psychiatry1608-96852078-67862025-01-01310e1e610.4102/sajpsychiatry.v31i0.2344757Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative studySandisiwe Dyonase0Isabelle Swanepoel1Gian Lippi2Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, PretoriaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, PretoriaDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, PretoriaBackground: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection caused unparalleled hastening of the transmission of infection worldwide, commonly affecting healthcare workers’ well-being. Nursing staff spend most hours caring for patients and are the first contact that patients utilise when reporting symptoms or receiving treatment. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of COVID-19 among psychiatric nurses at a tertiary psychiatric hospital. Setting: Weskoppies Hospital, Gauteng, South Africa. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study comprising 14 semi-structured interviews with nurses working at Weskoppies Hospital in South Africa. We used open-ended questions to facilitate the discussion and provide some structure for the interview while still allowing the participants to elaborate freely. The recordings were later transcribed into text. Results: Twenty nurses working full time at the hospital, were recruited for the study. The nurses’ knowledge about COVID-19 was summarised into five major themes, each with subthemes: signs and symptoms of COVID-19, risk of contracting the virus, the spread of COVID-19, prevention, and complications. In this study, the majority of participants had relatively good knowledge regarding COVID-19. Conclusion: The majority of nurses at the hospital had adequate knowledge about COVID-19 but limited knowledge about the mode of transmission of the infection. Consistently improving healthcare workers’ knowledge about infection control measures through training, supplying information and identifying areas for improvement can ultimately enhance patient care and outcomes. Contribution: This study sheds light on the value of nurses’ understanding of COVID-19, particularly in a psychiatric setting.https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2344covid-19nursesknowledgepsychiatrichospital |
| spellingShingle | Sandisiwe Dyonase Isabelle Swanepoel Gian Lippi Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study South African Journal of Psychiatry covid-19 nurses knowledge psychiatric hospital |
| title | Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study |
| title_full | Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study |
| title_short | Psychiatric nurses’ knowledge of COVID-19 within a patient care context: A qualitative study |
| title_sort | psychiatric nurses knowledge of covid 19 within a patient care context a qualitative study |
| topic | covid-19 nurses knowledge psychiatric hospital |
| url | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2344 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sandisiwedyonase psychiatricnursesknowledgeofcovid19withinapatientcarecontextaqualitativestudy AT isabelleswanepoel psychiatricnursesknowledgeofcovid19withinapatientcarecontextaqualitativestudy AT gianlippi psychiatricnursesknowledgeofcovid19withinapatientcarecontextaqualitativestudy |