Working environment of nurses in public referral hospitals of West Amhara, Ethiopia, 2021

Chanyalew Worku Kassahun; Addisu Taye Abate; Zewdu Baye Tezera; Debrework Tesgera Beshah; Chilot Desta Agegnehu; Mohammed Adem Getnet; Hailemichael Kindie Abate; Birhaneslasie Gebeyehu Yazew; Mahlet Temesgen Alemu

doi:10.1186/s12912-022-00944-9

Working environment of nurses in public referral hospitals of West Amhara, Ethiopia, 2021

BMC Nurs. 2022 Jun 24;21(1):167. doi: 10.1186/s12912-022-00944-9.

Authors

Chanyalew Worku Kassahun¹, Addisu Taye Abate², Zewdu Baye Tezera², Debrework Tesgera Beshah³, Chilot Desta Agegnehu⁴, Mohammed Adem Getnet², Hailemichael Kindie Abate², Birhaneslasie Gebeyehu Yazew⁵, Mahlet Temesgen Alemu³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia. chanyalewworku@gmail.com.
² Department of Medical Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
³ Department of Surgical Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁴ Community Nursing Unit, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁵ Department of Nursing, College of Health Science, Enjibara University, Injibara, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Background: Healthy working environment for nurses is a foundation for promoting patients' and nurses' safety in hospitals. However, in Ethiopia, there is scarcity of data on this issue. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the working environment of nurses in Public Referral Hospitals in Public Referral Hospitals of West Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, 2021.

Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 nurses from January to February 2021. Systematic random sampling was used to select nurses from each hospital. Structured, self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data. EPI- DATA and SPSS were used for data entry and analysis respectively. Frequency, percentages, and means were calculated. Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index tool was used to measure the outcome variable. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed to identify associated factors. Finally, texts, tables and graphs were used to report findings.

Results: The response rate for the study was 96.2%. Around 210 (51.6%) of the study participants were male. One hundred eighty eight (46.2%) nurses reported that their working environment was healthy, while 219 (53.8%,) reported it as not healthy. Nurses who were working in pediatrics wards (AOR = 0.13, 0.02, 0.1) and nurses who gave care for 7-12 patients per day (AOR = 0.21, 0.05, 0.98) were less likely to have a healthy working environment, respectively. Nurses who reported the Ministry of Health to give focus to the nursing profession were 73% more likely to have a healthy work environment (AOR = 0.27; 0.09, .82).

Conclusion: and recommendations. More than half of nurses reported that their working environment was not healthy to appropriate practice. Hence, introducing systems to improve participation of nurses in hospital affairs and patient care is essential. It is also important to give attention to nurses who are working at pediatrics wards, and for nurses who give care more than the standards.

Keywords: Ethiopia; Nurses; University of Gondar; Working environment.