The psychological needs of rural nurses in Mpumalanga : nurses' perceptions

Abstract

The purpose of the research study was to explore the psychological needs of nurses who work in a rural community hospital. The study also aimed to investigate the state of psychological support services currently available to these nurses. In South Africa, little attention has been given to nurses who work in rural areas as compared to those in urban areas. The sample consisted of 30 nurses who work in a hospital located in a rural community. Data was collected by means of focus group discussions and an interview guide with five open-ended questions was used to facilitate the focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was utilized as an analysis technique in the study. Findings of the study revealed that nurses in rural areas encounter a variety of issues which threaten their psychological well-being. A lack of workplace resources, staff shortages, high workload, traumatic experiences and limited support from management were some of the issues identified by the nurses. According to the nurses, the lack of sufficient nursing staff contributes to the high workload in the hospital. Findings of the study suggest that increased responsibilities and being overworked without the necessary workplace resources to carry out their duties can lead to a compromised psychological well-being among nurses. The findings also reveal that the demanding nature of the nurses’ jobs affects the quality of life they have with their families and can negatively affect their mental health. In addition, the study found that nurses were dissatisfied with their financial rewards and the lack of acknowledgement for their work from management. Furthermore, the results of the study showed that the nurses do not have any psychological support services which they can make use of in the hospital. According to the findings, nurses who work in rural areas face challenges which threaten their psychological well-being on a daily basis. The exploration of psychological difficulties among rural area nurses can inform the development of psychological support services aimed at alleviating psychological distress among rural area nurses. Findings of the study recommend that psychological services such as counseling, individual therapy and group support would be beneficial to the nurses. Such services can have a positive impact on the psychological well-being of rural area nurses and influence the services they provide to patients.