Challenges faced by mental health nurses working with people living with mental illness in Eswatini: A qualitative study
Phetsile G. Zwane, Mduduzi Colani Shongwe, Fortunate Shabalala
Abstract
Research on the challenges faced by mental health nurses working in poorly resourced settings, especially in Eswatini, is limited. As a result, we conducted this study to explore and describe the challenges faced by mental health nurses working with people living with mental illness in Eswatini. The study employed a qualitative approach using an exploratory-descriptive design and data were collected from nine (9) purposively selected mental health nurses at hospital X. A majority (n=7) of the participants had bachelors’ degrees and were female (n=5), with a mean of 6 years working experience in a mental health setting. The data were collected using an unstructured interview guide through audio-recorded individual in-depth-interviews, and were analysed manually using Colaizzi’s method of phenomenological analysis. Five themes emerged from the data: i) physical violence; ii) sexual harassment iii) emotional distress due to verbal abuse; iv) stigma and discrimination; and v) administrative challenges (drug stock-outs, staff shortage, overcrowding, and inadequate infrastructure and medical equipment). The mental health nurses shared several challenges they encounter on their day-to-day job, including physical, psychological and administrative challenges. There is a need for the Ministry of Health working with the Wellness Centre for health workers to design staff wellness programs aimed at mitigating work-related stress and challenges faced by mental health nurses. The Ministry of Health and X administration should put in place safety measures at the X and should devise a management strategy to tackle the administrative challenges raised by the nurses in this study.