ABSTRACT
Healthy work environments that maximise the health and well-being of nurses are essential in achieving good patient and societal outcomes, as well as optimal organisational performance. While studies have been conducted on healthy work environments, there is no available evidence that an integrative literature review summarising best-practice recommendations related to healthy work environments has been conducted before. This review aimed to summarise existing best-practice recommendations related to a healthy work environment for nurses. An integrative literature review following the approach adapted from Whittemore and Knafl was used. Existing guidelines related to healthy work environments for nurses were searched. EBSCOhost (CINAHL, Medline), Biomed Central, Science Direct, PubMed and Google Scholar and organisational websites via Google were searched, followed by a citation search. Twelve guidelines were identified for data extraction and synthesis, and themes were subsequently formulated. Four themes emerged from the integrative literature review regarding a healthy work environment for nurses: (1) the need for effective nursing leadership, (2) effective communication as central to enhancement of a healthy environment, (3) effective teamwork as an integral part of a healthy work environment and (4) the need for professional autonomy. In summary, a healthy work environment for nurses requires leadership, effective communication, teamwork and professional autonomy.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Healthy Worker Effect , Practice Guideline , Health Facility Environment , Nurses , Nursing Staff, HospitalABSTRACT
Background: The human immunodeficiency virus and/or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic continues to increase in prevalence worldwide, particularly in South Africa, and includes the often overlooked paediatric population. The provision of paediatric antiretroviral treatment (ART) is as essential for children as for adults, and has numerous obstacles, not least of which is lack of decentralisation of facilities to provide essential treatment. Optimising ART, care and support for HIV-positive children, and their caregivers, at public sector primary health care (PHC) clinics is crucial to improve morbidity and mortality rates in children.Aim: To explore the experiences of health care professionals regarding the provision of ART for children at PHC clinics.Setting: The study was conducted in six PHC clinics in Nelson Mandela Bay Health District, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methodology: The researchers used a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design with in-depth interviews. We used non-probability purposive sampling. Data collected were thematically analysed using Creswell's data analysis spiral. We used Lincoln and Guba's model to ensure trustworthiness. Ethical standards were applied.Results: Health care professionals experienced numerous challenges, such as lack of resources, need for training, mentoring and debriefing, all related to providing decentralised ART for HIV-positive children at the PHC level.Conclusion: Capacitation of the health care system, integration of services, competent management and visionary leadership to invoke a collaborative interdisciplinary team approach is required to ensure that HIV is treated as a chronic disease at the PHC clinic level