ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has impacted negatively on people physically, psychologically, spiritually, and socioeconomically worldwide. Nurses' ability to prepare towards case management is imperative because the potential of one coming across the virus at the hospital is inevitable. This study intended to explore and describe nurses' perspectives on preparation towards fighting COVID 19 in Ghana. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was adopted. Nine major health facilities designated for COVID-19 treatment centres in four regions in Ghana were involved in the study. A semi structured interview guide was used to interview twenty-nine nurses via telephone based on data saturation. Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana. RESULT: data yielded two major themes and four subthemes. The two main themes were 1. Health facilities' preparation of nurses towards COVID-19, with its subthemes; targeted training, and selection of experienced staff. 2. Nurses' individual preparedness towards COVID-19 with the subthemes; information sourcing and sharing. Nurses in Ghana prepared for combating COVID-19 by going through training on infection prevention and control, and case management using demonstrations and simulations. Experienced nurses in Ghana volunteered to be at the frontline managing cases. Continuous updates on the virus and its management through information tracking sharing played a key role. CONCLUSION: Nurses in Ghana need to have more specialty training targeted at diseases of public health importance. Key words: Nurse; preparedness; covid-19.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study was undertaken to discover the socioeconomic impact of breast cancer on young women in Ghana. Methods: A qualitative exploratory and descriptive design was used to recruit 12 young women from the University of Ghana hospital, 37 Military hospital and Ridge hospital. Individual interviews were conducted face to face and data transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Results: Three themes emerged: perceptions and beliefs; economic concerns; and secrecy. Participants perceived that breast cancer was a test of faith, a spiritual disease that is contagious and disgraceful. Mostly, participants stopped work to cater for themselves, and as a result, they encountered financial challenges. Their challenges were compounded with conscious efforts to keep diagnosis secret to avoid being stigmatized. Conclusion: Young women living with breast cancer need support physically, economically and socially from healthcare providers, their families and the society at large.
