Predictors of Perception and Practice of Comfort Measures by Healthcare Providers in Meeting up Comfort Needs of Patients with Traumatic Injuries in Selected Hospitals within South West Region, Cameroon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53819/81018102t3188Abstract
This study sought to determine health care providers’ perceptions of patients' comfort needs and describe the comfort measures practiced by health care providers’ in providing comfort care to patients with traumatic injuries. Discomfort in patients with traumatic injuries may result from tissue damage, fractures, wounds, immobilization, invasive procedures, surgical interventions, and other aspects of trauma treatment. A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out. A total of 130 health care providers were selected by convenient sampling from Regional Hospital Limbe and Regional Hospital Annex Kumba. Data was collected with the use of a questionnaire and was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Associations between participants' characteristics and perception/practice outcomes were analyzed using multiple linear and logistic regression. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Majority (85(65.4%)) of the participants were of age range 18-30 years with nurses dominating 85(65.4%). Also, 54(41.5%) had a bachelor’s degree while 89(68.5%) of study participants had a working experience of 1-5 years. The highest perception was noticed with psychological comfort measures 118(90.6%) while the least was spiritual that is 80(61.7%) with an overall perception of 104(79.9%) positive and 26(21.1%) negative. Categorizing the practices, 57% had good practices of comfort measures with psychological and environmental comfort measures being the most practiced at 62.3% respectively while spiritual measures of comfort were the least practice at 51.6%. The analysis identified three positive and significant predictors of practice implementation: active listening and providing positive meaning demonstrated the strongest positive association (Unstandardized B = 1.685, Standardized Beta = 0.431, p = 0.005), indicating that providers who strongly endorse this interpersonal perception are significantly more likely to implement it in practice, followed by physical therapy, ambulation, positioning, and range of motion (B = 1.224, Beta = 0.345, p = 0.011), and respecting cultural practices (B = 0.903, Beta = 0.273, p = 0.021). Healthcare providers’ demonstrated high agreement with recommended comfort measures across all dimensions, yet significant practice gaps existed with significant predictors to practice of comfort measures. Educational institutions should therefore integrate the six dimensions of comfort (physical, psychological, social, spiritual, cultural, and environmental) into curricula, ensuring students develop competencies in holistic comfort assessment and intervention.
Keywords: Perception, practice, comfort measures, traumatic injuries, comfort needs
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