FACTORS INFLUENCING UTILIZATION OF COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR NURSES IN NAKURU COUNTY TEACHING AND REFERRAL HOSPITAL

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing utilization of counseling services for nurses at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. The study specifically sought to explore the available counseling services for nurses at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. The study also sought to establish the attitude of nurses towards counseling services at Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. The study employed descriptive cross sectional design to determine the available counseling services for the nursing staff at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. The target population was drawn from 438 nursing staff and 51 counselors working at the Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. Purposive sampling method was used to obtain a sample from the target population comprising nursing staff and counselors at Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics was applied in data analysis. From the findings the researcher concluded that majority of nurses had experienced situations that required counseling. Despite experiencing situations that demand counseling, a portion of nurses had not gone through counseling. Some of the reasons that the nurses cited were lack of counseling services, others cited lack of time to attend counseling sessions and lack of opportunity to access counseling services. Some of the nurses were simply not aware of the available counseling services. Analysis of responses of the participating nurses showed that they use varieties of ways to control job stressful situations. From the findings the study recommended that more sensitization sessions should be carried out in hospitals to incorporate all the nurses. The study also recommended that more nurses should be hired to create a flexible working schedule; this will reduce job stressors upon nurses. A policy should be put in place to incorporate counseling sessions for nurses to equip them with skills that are required to cope with job stressors. Hospitals should improve control and dominance of nurses on job stressful situations, boosting positive self-controlling methods, creating an atmosphere of cooperation and support and paying attention to spiritual growth among nurses to cope better with the professional stress. Life skills activities should be introduced for the nurses. This will boost the delivery of quality nursing care.