Attitude, Behaviour and Challenges of Nurses Caring For the Physically Abused in Hospitals in the Sekondi takoradi Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitude, behaviour and challenges of nurses who take care of the physically abused in selected hospitals in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis in Ghana. Specifically, the study examined the differences in the attitude, behaviour and challenges of nurses taking care of the physically abused persons on the basis of their gender, marital status and their work experience. Using purposive and convenient sampling techniques, a sample size of 126 general and mental health nurses from a population of 184 general and mental health nurses from Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis were selected for the study. Tools used for analysis of the data was frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that nurses have positive attitudes towards the physically abused victims irrespective of gender, challenges, marital status and length of work experience. Also, the study found that the behaviour of nurses in general was good. The study recommends that nurses should be trained on their behaviour towards the physically abused especially on how to report abuse cases to domestic violence of victims support unit (DOVVSU) and professional counsellors. Education and training programmes in counselling are to be incorporated in the educational curriculum of nurses’ training schools. Also, the government, through the Ministry of Health, should provide policy on screening so that the hospitals can follow protocols on how to screen physically abused victims.