Evaluation of Workplace Challenges Among Nurses in the Emergency Department of General Hospital Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Emergency department (ED) nurses in resource-limited settings face workplace challenges that threaten care quality. A comprehensive understanding of these issues in Nigerian EDs is essential for developing context-specific interventions.

Objective: This study evaluated the knowledge, perceptions, contributing factors, and coping strategies regarding workplace challenges among ED nurses at General Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was used. All ED nurses (n=31) completed validated questionnaires, and eight in-depth interviews were conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation (SPSS v.26); interviews provided thematic insights.

Results: Participants were predominantly female (74.2%) and experienced. Quantitative findings showed high awareness of challenges (85%), notably overcrowding (95.16%) and violence (90.96%). No significant correlations existed between knowledge (r=0.296, p=0.106) or perception (r=0.204, p=0.272) and work output. Qualitatively, understaffing (76.1% quantitative; 100% qualitative) emerged as the core systemic challenge undermining standard care. While overcrowding was attributed to patient volume, interviews revealed a "hospital flow problem" causing ED bottlenecks. Constant verbal threats required "hyper-vigilance," shifting coping strategies from individual "survival" to advocacy for institutional solutions like improved salary scales, soft loans, and health insurance.

Conclusion: Despite high awareness, systemic understaffing remains a critical bottleneck. The dissonance between work output and emotional drain indicates an unsustainable reliance on personal resilience, requiring urgent institutional intervention.