TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
i
Approval page
ii
Certification page
iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements
v
Table of Contents
vi
List of Tables
ix
Abstract
x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the study
1
Statement of the problem
7
Purpose of the Study
8
Research Questions 9
Significance of the Study
9
Scope of the Study
10
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE 11
Conceptual frame work
Concept of nurse and nursing 11
Concept of Information
14
Concept of Information Needs 16
Concept of ICT utilization competencies 17
Information needs of Nurses 20
Sources of information to Nurses 22
ICT competencies required by Nurses 25
ICT utilization competencies possessed by Nurses 29
Challenges facing Nurses
in acquiring ICT competencies 31
Strategies that can be used to overcome the challenges 34
Review of Related Empirical Studies 36
Summary of literature review 44
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD 46
Design of the Study
46
Area of the Study
46
Population of the Study 47
Sample and Sampling Technique
47
Instrument for Data Collection
47
Validation of the Instrument 48
Method of Data Collection
48
Method of Data Analysis
49
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 50
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 62
Discussion of Findings 62
Implications of the study
67
Recommendations 68
Limitations of the Study 69
Suggestions for Further Research 69
Conclusion 69
REFERENCES 71
APPENDICES
Appendix 1 Questionnaire
75
Appendix 2 Population
of the study 81
Appendix 3 Sample
Table 82
Appendix 4 Observation
Checklist 83
LIST
OF TABLES
Page
Table 1: Information needs of nurses 51
Table 2: Sources of Information to nurses 53
Table 3: ICT Competencies required by Nurses 55
Table 4: ICT Utilization competencies possessed by nurses 56
Table 5: Challenges facing nurses in acquiring ICT
competencies 57
Table 6: Strategies for Overcoming the Challenges 59
ABSTRACT
The study
investigated the ICT utilization competencies for meeting the information needs
of nurses in three hospitals in Enugu
State. Six specific
objectives guided the study and sought to find out the information needs of
nurses, sources of information to nurses, ICT competencies required by nurses,
ICT utilization competencies possessed by nurses, challenges facing nurses in
acquiring ICT competencies, and strategies for overcoming the challenges.
Descriptive survey design was employed while the population was 717 nurses. A
sample of 359 nurses was used while proportionate sampling technique was
employed to select the sample. Questionnaire and observation checklist were
used for data collection. Frequency, percentages and mean were used to analyze
the data generated. The study revealed that nurses need information on nursing
process, patient care generally, how to avoid contracting diseases from
patients etc to function maximally. Print resources, electronic resources and
other resource are sources of information available to nurses; ICT utilization
competencies of nurses were not very high; insufficient computers and its
accessories, and difficulty in accessing foreign journals and materials were
major challenges facing nurses in acquiring ICT competencies. It equally
revealed that establishment of information centers, assisting nurses to have
access to foreign journals; provision of computer with internet accessories;
and provision of fund by the government were the major strategies to overcome
the challenges. The study recommended that access to information should be
provided to nurses; provision of adequate computers and its accessories;
information resources in different formats especially electronic resources
should also be provided to nurses for effective nursing services.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION:
Background of the study
A
hospital offers considerable advantages to both patient and society. A Hospital is an institution that provides
medical, surgical, or psychiatric care and treatment for the sick or the
injured. W.H.O as cited in free on-line dictionary, states that hospitals are
socio-medical organizations which functions are curative, preventive, patient
services and training of health workers in biosocial research. (Free online
Dictionary). It is a place where sick people are looked after by doctors and nurses.
It is originally referred to places of hospitality. Hospitals usually are
distinguished from other types of medical facilities by their ability to admit
and care for in-patients (i.e. people that are admitted and stay over night or
for several days or weeks or months) while the others often are described as
clinics since they deal with out-patients only. Hospitals are categorized
under: general hospitals, district hospitals, specialized hospitals,
private/mission hospitals etc.
Hospitals
are largely staffed by professional physicians, surgeons and nurses and other
workers. Hospital workers help in the administration of a hospital. They work
in different departments of the hospital like administrative, clinical,
laboratory, pharmaceutical, finance department etc. Nurses differ from other
health professionals like doctors, physician assistants (PA), optometrists,
physical therapists, pediatrists etc. The differences include in areas of
specialization, years in education/experience, duties, working environment,
societal perception, authority, salary / income, dress codes etc. Doctors go
through many years of training and education to even get in the door and then
spend some time working their way up the medical ladder. Doctors perform such
tasks like surgical operations unlike nurses. Nurses prepare patients to see
doctors (Herbert, 2007).
Nursing is a health profession which provides care to people
throughout the continuum of life. It is a career which allows an individual to
combine his/her interest in science with his /her desire to help and care for
others. A nurse is a healthcare professional who is focused on caring for
individuals, families, and communities, ensuring that they attain, maintain, or
recover optimal health and functioning. He/she is a person who is qualified in
the art and science of nursing and meets certain prescribed standards of
education and clinical competence (Udeh, 2008 citing Bailliere and Tindall). Nurses
are among health professionals that are directly involved in the treatment and
management of patients and other patient-related information. According to
Ufere (2008), a nurse can be defined as a person who nourishes, fosters and
protects. A person who is prepared to care for the sick, injured and aged.
Nurses
practice in different areas including hospitals, home care, private medical
practices, public health, clinics, corporations, schools, military service,
occupational health and education, etc. Nurses work with other health care
professionals to provide services to the public. For nurses to achieve all these protocols in
their profession, they need current information.
Information
is valuable in all aspects of human development. It helps to facilitate growth
and change in a society. Ozioko (2010) citing Morale states that information is
knowledge in the form of facts and opinions, which are transmitted through a
medium from one person to another. It could be in terms of tools, processes or
knowledge. Olorundare (2006) sees information ‘as fact or details about
something”. Information has become the most important element for progress in
society. To thrive well in this information explosion era, one needs a variety
of information, no matter how well versed one is in a field or profession. It
plays a significant role in our professional and personal lives. People in
different sectors need information to work properly in their fields, including
the health sector. Information is a very crucial tool for health professionals
especially nurses and how they acquire and use information are key determinants
of their performances.
Nurses like other professionals need
a wide range of information in order to meet up with the demands of routine
nursing practices. Such demands include direct patient care needs related to
the disease/ recovery cycle, patients’ family requests, routine teaching,
colleagues’ requests, personal development and the likes. The importance of
health information to nurses can never be over emphasized. Health information
is the information that supports clinical and healthcare business
decision-making. When health information is accessed, managed and utilized by
health professionals especially nurses, it allows a more accurate and timely
exchange of patient data and information to improve decision making –
ultimately improving patient care and the hospital’s image. Health information
is becoming a solution to the increasingly high patient challenges, and the
constantly changing health care services. Nurses successfully carry out their
responsibilities through information gathered about their clients. They need
such information like patient care- related information, doctors’
orders, policies and patient education. In addition, nurses need information to
keep themselves up-to-date in their field of work and solve some work-related
problems like time shifts, vase knowledge on treatment protocols /regimen,
diagnosis/etiology, disease, adverse effects of drug therapy, etc. (Nwagwu and
Oshiname, 2009).
With
the increasing use of information, prescriptions and information therapy in
evidence-based practices (EBP), clinical nurses regularly need and source
information in su
