Abstract:
Caregiving is a prominent concept in the Ubuntu philosophy, and caring and visitation of
the sick is regarded as an example of Ubuntu. The restrictive visitation policy adopted in the
hospitals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the
exhibition of this concept among patients, nurses, and families. The narrative inquiry
was used to explore the reflections of the participants on the impact caused by the nonvisitation policy experienced during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic
in South Africa. The narrative inquiry approach allowed the participants to tell their story as
it is unique to them. The study used purposive sampling technique to select five
participants for the webinar. Three themes emerged from the narrated stories which
are 1) moral anguish of the caregivers; 2) mental health instability, and 3) erosion of trust in
health care practitioners (HCPs). The non-visitation hospital policy was intended to reduce
the danger of spreading COVID-19 within and outside the hospital; however, the care
provided was devoid of the values of Ubuntu such as mutual respect, relational,
responsibility, reciprocity, and interconnectedness. In retrospect, a case-by-case
application of the policy would reduce the non-desirable effect of the policy on the
patients, nurses, and patients’ family members.
