Views held by South African primary health care nurses on caring for people living with mental illness
South African Journal of Psychiatry
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Views held by South African primary health care nurses on caring for people living with mental illness | |
| Creator | Phungula, Nokukhanya Robertson, Lesley Mall, Sumaya | |
| Description | Background: Primary healthcare is the first point of entry into the healthcare system. Scaling up primary mental healthcare is recommended in South African mental health policy. However, there is a paucity of data exploring the views of primary healthcare nurses (PHCNs) with regards to caring for people living with mental illness (PLWMI) in South Africa.Aim: To explore the views of PHCNs around caring for PLWMI and task shifting.Setting: A community health centre in Gauteng province, South Africa.Methods: A qualitative study design using the framework approach was employed. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted among a convenient sample of PHCNs in a community health centre in Gauteng. Interviews were transcribed and data analysed thematically.Results: Eight PHCNs were interviewed in June 2022. Five themes emerged: (1) participants highlighted their current practice which excludes mental healthcare; (2) participants described feeling fearful of caring for PLWMI; (3) participants ascribed their lack of confidence in caring for PLWMI largely due to insufficient under- and post-graduate mental healthcare training. (4) task shifting was not welcome due to inadequate mental healthcare training and preexisting challenges in the healthcare system; and (5) recommendations to prioritise mental healthcare training prior to implementing task shifting were made.Conclusion: Primary healthcare nurses, although empathic towards PLWMI, expressed discomfort with caring for them. This is influenced by multiple factors, some of which may be addressed by improved training and support.Contribution: This study provides insight into how PHCNs feel about caring for PLWMI and task shifting. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2024-05-03 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2148 | |
| Source | South African Journal of Psychiatry; Vol 30 (2024); 8 pages 2078-6786 1608-9685 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2148/3409
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2148/3410
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2148/3411
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2148/3412
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