Abstract:
Background: Communication is the sharing of information between people by sending and receiving it through speaking, writing, or any other means. Poor communication between nurses and patients adversly affects healthcare delivery, resources, and patient satisfaction towards nursing care. However there is paucity of information about level and barriers affecting nurse-to-patients’ communication. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the level of Nurse-to-patients’ communications and associated factors among nurses in public hospitals in Harari Region and Dire Dawa Administration, Ethiopia
Methods: Institution based cross sectional study was conducted on Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Jegol regional Hospital, Dilchora Referal Hospital and Sabian General Hospital to select 392 nurses using proportionally allocated simple random sampling technique from August 25, to September 25, 2022. Data were collected using pretested self-administered questionnaire.The collected data was checked for completeness, repetition and error, after that each completed data was assigned to unique codes and entered to Epidata 3.1 versions and exported to Statistical package for social science version 26 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression were applied to assess the factors associated with Nurses to patients communication using odds ratio and a 95 % confidence interval. Those variables with a p-value < 0.25 in bivariate analysis were transferred to multivariable analysis. Statistical significance was set at p-value <0.05.
Results: Out of 98.9% response rate, about 33.8% with 95% CI (29.2%-38.6%) had poor communication with their patients. Diploma level of education (AOR=4.11: 95% CI: 2.37-7.16), shorter work experience (<5years) [AOR=5.17; 95% CI (2.32, 11.54)] and intermediate work experience (6-10years) [AOR=2.48; 95% CI (1.06, 5.81)], nurses with no working shift [AOR=2.22, 95% CI (1.28, 3.85)], had no training on communication[AOR=8.11;95% CI (3.94, 16.74)], and nurses who moderately perceived common barriers [AOR=3.14;95% CI (1.68, 5.87)] were significantly associated with poor level of nurses to patients communication
Conclusion: This study showed that the magnitude of poor nurses to patients communication is found to be high. Educational level, work experience, working shifts, Lack of training on communication and moderately perceived common barriers related factors showed association with poor level of nurses to patients communication. Therefore, work in shift and availability of training on communication are important area which need emphasis to enhance nurses to patients communication
