Challenges facing primary health care nurses in the implementation of intergrated management of childhood illness : case study of selected clinics in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province

Abstract

The problem that guided this study is that management of childhood illnesses in the clinics is facing many challenges and there is a need to develop strategies to counteract the challenges. The aim of the study is to investigate the challenges facing primary health care nurses in the implementation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses Strategy in selected clinics in the Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used in the study. The research design which was used was descriptive in nature in the form of a case study. To get a holistic view, a non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to obtain samples from the population. Data was collected from respondents using structured interviews and close-ended questionnaires. Data analysis was done using Tesch's eight steps method of open coding for the qualitative approach. In quantitative approach, collected data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).Ethical issues were taken into consideration throughout the research process. The main findings of this study are: • There is shortage of staff to implement Integrated Management of Childhood Illness in the clinics. • There is shortage of rooms to consult children when implementing Integrated Management of Childhood Illness at the clinics. • Integrated Management of Childhood Illness implementation is time consuming. • There are no follow-up visits by facilitators and in-service training for Primary Health Care nurses on Integrated Management of Childhood Illness. The main recommendations of this study are:

• The Department of Health must ensure there is more staff employed in the clinics so that Primary Health care nurses can be able to cope with the workload of implementing Integrated Management Childhood Illness.

• The department to improve the infrastructure in the clinics so that children can be seen in their designated areas not combined with adults as outlined in the national norms and standards for child care. • Integrated Management of Childhood Illness training need to be expanded to all categories of nurses up to the level of home based care in the communities in order to can improve patients' waiting period at clinics. • There must be scheduled professional development plan for in-service training with adequate facilitators who will conduct follow up visits at the clinics.