A study of psychosocial challenges of public secondary school students in a semi-urban area of Southwest- Nigeria

Background: This study was done to identify the psychosocial challenges of public school students in Ore and the associated factors that may predispose the students to these challenges.Methodology: The study is descriptive with cross – sectional design. A total of three hundred and fifty seven respondents who accurately completed the questionnaire were included in the study. Descriptive statistics was done and results were presented in percentages using tables.Results: The findings revealed a good number of the respondents are able to identify with some of the psychosocial health problems such as bully (43.1%), anger (33.9%), hunger in school (40.1%) and thought of committing suicide (21.8%). The perceived factors related to the causes of these identified psychosocial health problems by the respondents were poverty (94.1%}, peer pressure (96.4%), abuse and neglect (86.3%), emotional stressors (96%) among others.Conclusion: The Public health Nurses and School health nurses should work with school administrators to enhance mental health of school children with a view to ensuring conducive learning environment that will promote academic performances.Keywords: Psychosocial, Challenges, Mental health, Public schools, Ore Odigbo, Nigeri

Post-operative pain assessment and management among nurses in a teaching hospital in ILE-IFE

Millions of surgeries performed on patients are accompanied by some degree of pain. Successful outcome of any surgery is partly dependent on pre-, intra- and post-operative pain assessment and management. Nurses are professionally responsible for pain assessment and administration of analgesia, however, poor pain control has been one of patients’ complaints traceable to poor assessment and management. This study was designed to assess nurses’ knowledge and attitude about post-operative pain assessment and management in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital complex Ile – Ife and Ilesha units. The study was a cross – sectional descriptive survey. The instrument was a validated self administered questionnaire developed by the researchers. Ninety – five nurses from the two units were purposively selected for the study. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 16. The result showed that 53.6% of the participants had poor knowledge of post operative pain assessment and management, while 46.4% had good knowledge. Only 30.5% had positive attitude towards pain assessment and management, while 69.5% had negative attitude. In view of this result, it is recommended that nurses upgrade their knowledge through continuing education. Hospital managers should establish standards and guidelines for assessing and managing post operative pain.Keywords: Post operative pain, Assessment, Management, Nurses

Knowledge and Practice of Post-Operative Wound Infection Prevention among Nurses in the Surgical Unit of a Teaching Hospital in Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the level of knowledge and practice of post operative wound infection prevention among nurses in the surgical unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey involving the use of structured self administered questionnaire. A purposive sample of 100 nurses who work in the surgical units participated in this study. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 16. The findings showed that 66% of the participants had good knowledge of infection control while 68% had poor knowledge of prevention of post operative wound infection. Application of sterile dressings to the surgical wound and strict adherence to asepsis were the most occurring precautionary measures adopted by nurses in the prevention of post operative wound infection. Excess work load and poor attitude featured most frequently among the respondents as factors that militate against the prevention of post operative wound infection. The findings of this study suggest that nurses had poor knowledge and attitude of infection contact and poor attitude towards infection control. Therefore, there is an urgent need for continuing education programmes for the nurses to improve their knowledge and attitude for better patient care.Key words: Nurses, Knowledge, Practice, Surgical wound, Infection, Preventio