ABSTRACT
Background The health and safety of people are often endangered during emergencies and disasters. Efficient emergency management systems ensure that mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery actions exist to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Failure to carry out appropriate responses can have adverse consequences for both emergency responders and casualties; hence, the need for emergency preparedness. This study sought to assess the state of emergency preparedness capacity of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology hospital in Ghana. Methods A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2018 and February 2019 using three guidelines developed respectively by the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Health-Ghana, and the Ghana Health Service. The hospital's emergency preparedness was assessed regarding the emergency policies, plan, protocol, equipment, and medications. Results Overall, the hospital's emergency preparedness level was weak (57.36%). Findings revealed that the hospital had inadequate emergency equipment, and supplies for emergency care delivery, especially during upsurge. It also did not have an emergency planning committee. There were noticeable deficiencies in some emergency resources such as chest tubes, basic airway supplies, and many emergency drugs. Other vital emergency tools such as pulse oximeter, thermometer, and emergency medications were inadequate. The hospital had a strong emergency plan and policies on assessment (77.8% and 78%) respectively. Conclusion The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology hospital is not prepared sufficiently for an emergency surge, and this poses a major health challenge. Emergency items must be made available, and the organization and planning of emergency service provisions must be improved to avoid preventable deaths during an emergency surge.
ABSTRACT
Elective caesarean sections (CS) that have medical indications contribute to better pregnancy outcomes but women have to consent for the procedure to be performed within reasonable time limits for the desired outcomes. This study aimed to determine the factors that influence women's decision-making and the duration of the decision-making process to accept primary or repeat elective CS in a district hospital in Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 163 purposively-sampled postnatal women in a hospital, who had experienced a CS. A questionnaire was used to collect data after the women gave their consent to participate. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25.0 and presented using appropriate descriptive statistics. Chi-square test of independence was done to determine the association between any two categorical variables. Major factors that influenced women's decision-making to accept elective CS were support from their husband/partner/relatives (39.3 %), their baby's life being at risk (24.5 %), history of previous CS and knowledge about the procedure (19.6 %). Age and parity had significant relationship with the influencing factors. However, age was only significant for the influence of husband/partner/relative in the decision-making to accept CS (p < 0.01). Age (R2 = 0.19, p < 0.001); previous CS (R2 = 0.14, p < 0.001) are the major predictors of the duration of the decision-making process. Women's decision-making in consultation with relatives is the main influencer to accept elective caesarean section. There is the need to involve relatives during the antenatal care period in order for younger women in particular to be readily supported to make timely decisions to avoid preventable complications and allay client's fears.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The nature and scope of emergency nursing exposes nurses to a wide array of patient populations with rapidly changing and unexpected clinical conditions, sophisticated logistics and procedures. Hence, emergency centre (EC) nurses ought to be ready to face diverse clinical challenges and deliver care to patients in a timely cost-effective manner and with the needed competence. The current study aimed at examining the self assessed competencies of nurses, and comparing ratings among certified emergency nurses (ENs) and general nurses (GNs) working at an EC of a tertiary hospital in Ghana. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out among 109 conveniently sampled nurses. Participants evaluated their perceived competencies on a validated instrument under five domains, namely: diagnostic function (DF), administering and monitoring therapeutic interventions (AMTI), effective management of rapidly changing situations (EMRCS), organisational and work load competency (OWLC), and the helping role (HR). Descriptive and inferential data analyses were by SPSS version 25. Results: Participants generally had good competencies in the performance of emergency nursing procedures. Highest scores were obtained in OWLC (median score of 83.3%) while EMRCS recorded the least scores (median score of 57.9%). With the exception of the DF domain (p=0.166), ENs perceived themselves as significantly more competent than their counterpart GNs in 4 (OWLC, HR, AMTI, EMRCS) out of the five studied domains (p < 0.05). Discussion: Specialist training enhances nurses' perceived competences in emergency nursing procedures. This reiterates the need for regular theory and practice-based education for GNs on intermediate and advanced procedures as they prepare to enrol in specialist programmes. As nurses take on expanded professional roles in this emerging nursing specialty in low- and middle-income countries, it is important the needed capacity is developed to adequately address the needs of patients and families that require services in ECs
