Philippine E-Journals

Competency Level of Staff Nurses in Handling Critically Ill Patients in a Government Hospital in Manila

Emmanuel B. Dasalla Jr.

Discipline: Nursing

 

Abstract:

This paper explored the competency level of staff nurses in caring patients who are critically ill in a government hospital in Manila. Since government hospitals can cater only to a limited number of patients in the intensive care unit, most of these patients are housed in the different wards of the hospital. The reality of health care today makes critical care units a very expensive care modality. For some reasons like vacancy, high turnover of nurses in this area and the financial viability of the hospitals and patients, nurses assigned in the wards are expected to handle critically ill clients.

 

This research is guided by concept based on the theory of Hubert and Stuart Dreyfus (1986) and Patricia Benner (1984;2004). Purposive sampling was utilized since all staff nurses from three different wards in a government hospital in Manila who are assigned in the wards where critically patients are confined were used as subjects of the study.

 

The researcher used descriptive method of study to gather information on the competency level of staff nurses in critical care nursing to enhance quality care. The questionnaire developed was adapted from the critical care competency included in Standards for Critical Care Nursing of Ontario and are based on the Standards of Practice of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses (CACCN). 

 

The Statistical test applied were frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, Pearson r, the Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance and Mann- Whitney U Test. The findings show that staff nurses are competent enough to handle critically ill patients regardless of various factors that may affect their performance.