Perceptions of registered nurses regarding their capability to care for soldiers experiencing mental illness at a military hospital in South Africa

Abstract

Background: Psychiatric nursing in a military setting is aimed at sustaining and facilitating a healthy lifestyle and performance in the achievement of mental health among soldiers. A Registered Nurse (RN) in the military plays a vital role in patient care from time of admission up to discharge. At military hospitals psychiatric nursing personnel are expected to nurse and manage mental ill patients without the help of security guards. This leaves nurses exposed to violence, abuse and psychological distress resulting in poor communication and interaction between RNs and mentally ill patients. Aim and objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of RNs regarding their capability to care for soldiers experiencing mental illness at a military hospital in South Africa. The objectives of the study were to determine the therapeutic commitment, role support and role competency of RNs towards mentally ill patients. Method: A quantitative-descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The population is (N=154) RNs of the identified military hospital in South Africa. All the RNs were accessible at 2 Military Hospital and therefore a total enumeration sample was used with (n=117). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, (SPSS) version 24 was used to analyse data. Findings: The response rate of the study revealed that there is a correlation to gender in relation to therapeutic commitment and role competency. There was a correlation to RNs that had basic psychiatry in relation to therapeutic commitment and role support. The study also indicated there is a correlation to therapeutic commitment, role support and role competency to the period that military RNs worked in Mental Health (MH). There were no trained advanced psychiatric nurses at the military hospital. There were also positive correlations in therapeutic commitment and role competency in the rank of military RNs.