Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa

Nemathaga, MuofheniMaputle, Maria SontoMakhado, LufunoMashau, Ntsieni Stella2026-08-192026-08-192024Nemathaga, M., Maputle, M.S., Makhado, L. and Mashau, N.S., 2024. Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa. Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, 121, pp.156-161.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seizure.2024.08.004https://univendspace.univen.ac.za/handle/11602/3420Background Epilepsy is a neurological disorder affecting approximately 50 million individuals globally, contributing significantly to the global disease burden. Professional nurses play a crucial role in the care and treatment of people living with epilepsy, ensuring their safety and well-being. Professional nurses frequently encounter challenges, such as restricted access to drugs, specialised equipment, and epilepsy treatment training. Despite these obstacles, professional nurses are essential to providing high-quality care to patients with epilepsy in remote locations. Methods A qualitative design using explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was employed to achieve the objectives of the study. The sample comprised 20 professional nurses working in selected rural communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Data was collected through in-depth individual interviews and analysed using Tesch's eight steps of data analysis. Results Four themes emerged from the data: experiences of professional nurses during management of epilepsy; inadequate training in management of epilepsy; insufficient supply of antiepileptic drugs and late presentation to local clinics. Conclusion The study found that professional nurses experienced several challenges hindering the effective management of epilepsy. Cultural beliefs in supernatural causes of epilepsy significantly influence treatment preferences, consequently delaying diagnosis and treatment. Despite limited resources and cultural barriers experienced by professional nurses, they strive to provide appropriate care to minimise seizures. Ongoing education and training on epilepsy management is vital to enable professional nurses to keep up-to-date with current methods and new developments.enEpilepsyFORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES and LANDSCAPE PLANNING::Animal production::Animal nutrition and managementUCTDResourcesProfessional nursesProfessional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South AfricaArticleNemathaga M, Maputle MS, Makhado L, Mashau NS. Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa. 2024; .Nemathaga, M., Maputle, M. S., Makhado, L., & Mashau, N. S. (2024). Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa.Nemathaga, Muofheni, Maria Sonto Maputle, Lufuno Makhado, and Ntsieni Stella Mashau "Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa." (2024)TY - Article AU - Nemathaga, Muofheni AU - Maputle, Maria Sonto AU - Makhado, Lufuno AU - Mashau, Ntsieni Stella AB - Background Epilepsy is a neurological disorder affecting approximately 50 million individuals globally, contributing significantly to the global disease burden. Professional nurses play a crucial role in the care and treatment of people living with epilepsy, ensuring their safety and well-being. Professional nurses frequently encounter challenges, such as restricted access to drugs, specialised equipment, and epilepsy treatment training. Despite these obstacles, professional nurses are essential to providing high-quality care to patients with epilepsy in remote locations. Methods A qualitative design using explorative, descriptive, and contextual design was employed to achieve the objectives of the study. The sample comprised 20 professional nurses working in selected rural communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Data was collected through in-depth individual interviews and analysed using Tesch's eight steps of data analysis. Results Four themes emerged from the data: experiences of professional nurses during management of epilepsy; inadequate training in management of epilepsy; insufficient supply of antiepileptic drugs and late presentation to local clinics. Conclusion The study found that professional nurses experienced several challenges hindering the effective management of epilepsy. Cultural beliefs in supernatural causes of epilepsy significantly influence treatment preferences, consequently delaying diagnosis and treatment. Despite limited resources and cultural barriers experienced by professional nurses, they strive to provide appropriate care to minimise seizures. Ongoing education and training on epilepsy management is vital to enable professional nurses to keep up-to-date with current methods and new developments. DA - 2024 DB - ResearchSpace DP - Univen KW - Epilepsy KW - FORESTRY, AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES and LANDSCAPE PLANNING::Animal production::Animal nutrition and management KW - Resources KW - Professional nurses LK - https://univendspace.univen.ac.za PY - 2024 T1 - Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa TI - Professional nurses’ experiences of managing epilepsy at limited resource rural facilities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces, South Africa UR - ER -