IntroductionCancer care is devastating to families. This research studied the informal caregivers’ perceptions of burden of caregiving to cancer patients attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar.MethodsThe research adopted a cross-sectioned descriptive design and 210 caregivers providing care to advanced cancer patients were purposively selected. Data were collected using a researcher developed questionnaire and standardized Zarit Burden Interview scale (ZBIS). Data collected were analysed using descriptive and chi-square statistics with the help of SPSS 18.0 and PAS 19.0 softwares.ResultsThe results indicated that the caregivers were in their youthful and active economic age, dominated by females, Christians, spouses, partners and parents. The burden levels experienced by the caregivers were as follows: severe (46.2%), moderate (36.2%) and trivial of no burden (17.6%). The forms of burden experienced were physical (43.4%), psychological (43.3%), financial (41.1%) and social (46.7%), quite frequently and nearly always. Psychological and social forms of burden had the highest weighted score of 228 in terms of magnitude of burden. The result further showed that there was a significant (P = 0.001) and inverse association between caregivers’ burden and the care receivers’ functional ability. The level of burden also increased significantly (P = 0.000) with the duration of care, while there was also a significant (P = 0.01) relationship between caregivers’ experience of burden and their desire to continue caregiving.ConclusionCaregiving role can be enhanced by provision of interventions such as formal education programme on cancer caregiving, oncology, home services along side with transmural care.

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The global prevalence of neonatal infection remains high and accounts for one-third of neonatal deaths (1.5 million), with umbilical cord infection as the major risk factor, especially in low-income countries. 1,2 Hospital-based studies in Nigeria revealed that umbilical cord infections account for about 10% -19% of neonatal admissions, resulting in 30% -49% of deaths in neonates. 3 Nigeria therefore ranks the second highest globally, with 276 000 deaths annually resulting from umbilical cord infection. 4,5 In Cross River State, umbilical infection is responsible for 36% of hospital admissions and 45.2% of neonatal deaths. 6 The situation in Nigeria is also typical of other African countries like Tanzania, with neonatal sepsis accounting for 27% -56% of neonatal mortality annually and umbilical cord infection as the major cause of infection. 7 Umbilical cord infection causing about 30% of neonatal mortality was also reported in a related study. 8 Although cord cleansing after delivery is viewed as mainstay of neonatal care, the substances and method of application are not consistent with the best practice guidelines. 9 The increased neonatal mortality rate occasioned by umbilical cord infection has necessitated the recommendation of chlorhexidine (CHX) gel for cord management, which was first introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva on 29 September 2008 but is still poorly used in communities with high neonatal motility. 10 This is particularly indicated for neonates during the first week of life in countries or settings with high neonatal mortality (≥ 30 neonatal deaths per 1000 live births).Background: Umbilical cord infection contributes significantly to neonatal mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies have shown low knowledge of chlorhexidine (CHX) gel for umbilical cord management amongst mothers in low-resource settings, including Nigeria.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a supportive-educative nursing intervention programme on knowledge of CHX gel amongst mothers in Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods:A quasi-experimental study design was used, and study participants comprised 168 expectant mothers, who were purposely selected and assigned to randomised control and intervention groups. The instrument for data collection was a researcher-developed structured questionnaire. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 for descriptive and inferential statistics at significant level was set at p < 0.05. Results:The result showed that at post-test the knowledge score of mothers on CHX gel improved significantly in the intervention group (t 77 = 24.394; p < 0.05). The result showed no significant difference between mothers' demographic variables and knowledge of CHX gel. Conclusion:A supportive-educative nursing intervention programme could effectively improve knowledge of CHX gel for umbilical cord management amongst mothers. This underscores the need to improve mothers' knowledge of CHX gel by healthcare personn...

In Africa, women play an indispensable role in family life. The normative roles of women extend from reproductive role to the raising of children and caring for sick family members. These roles are very unique and are dictated by culture, religion and beliefs. Despite these, their contributions in caregiving remain unrecognized except by the beneficiaries. Caregivers of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) experience high level of burden due to the expanded role and inadequate preparation for the caregiver's duty. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was utilized to elicit data from 260 participants in Calabar municipality, Nigeria. Caring for PLWHA is an exceptional service due to exacerbation of symptoms and co-morbidities peculiar to terminal phase of HIV. The study revealed gender inequalities in burden levels. Significant relationships (p < 0.05) also existed between burden of care, availability of support and duration of care during this study. Despite the perceived consequences, the family care givers were still determined to continue caregiving role. This informs the need for governmental support to ameliorate the negative consequences of caregiving by female caregivers.

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Exposure to blood borne viruses, by health care workers has been on the increase with nurses mostly affected. These exposures constitute serious challenges in the health care setting as they are common causes of illness and mortality among health care workers including hospitalized patients. Practice of standard precautions has been shown to reduce the risk of exposure to blood and body fluids. Over the years, injection safety has become an integral part of infection control in view of many diseases that are transmitted through unsafe injection practices. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice of injection safety among nurses in UCTH, Calabar using a descriptive research design. The specific objectives were to assess the level of knowledge of nurses about injection safety, assess injection safety practices and ascertain the barriers to injection safety practices among nurses in UCTH. Purposive sampling was used to select one hundred and ninety one (191) nurses across the wards in UCTH Calabar. A checklist containing 37 items was used to elicit information. Frequency and percentages were used for descriptive data while the hypothesis was tested using Chi square (X 2 ) analysis at 0.05 level of significance. Result revealed that 59.7% of the respondents had good knowledge of injection safety and 66.0% had good practice of injection safety while 6.8% had poor practice. Barriers to injection safety practices included inadequate supply of injection safety material, none display of injection safety guidelines. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between level of knowledge and practice of injection safety among nurses (P = 112.8 < 0.05). Recommendations: health care administrators and nurse leaders should display injection safety guidelines, supply injection safety materials and ensure that more nurses are recruited into the workforce.

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PurposeThe concept of standardized nursing languages (SNLs) was introduced to solve the problem created by the use of different terminologies to document care by nurses working in diversified contexts. This study explored professional nurses’ experiences in the utilization of SNL in documenting patients’ care.MethodsA qualitative descriptive design was adopted for this study, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select eight nurses for the study from a tertiary health facility. Data were collected using an in‐depth interview guide. Rigour and trustworthiness were ensured using the techniques of credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability. Data were analyzed according to Braun and Clarke's six‐step thematic analyses.FindingsThe key finding indicates that nurses appreciate the advantages of utilizing SNLs; however, they encounter some problems in formulating correct nursing diagnoses and several challenges in using SNLs, such as manpower shortage, lack of time, inappropriate materials, inadequate knowledge of NOC and NIC. These challenges have caused the utilization of SNLs among nurses to be poor.ConclusionsSNLs have been recognized as the gold standard for nursing practice; however, their usage is poor. To ensure the adequate use of SNLs, it is the responsibility of the nurse and the institution to resolve the barriers to the use of SNLs. The study recommends that the utilization of SNLS could be improved with the provision of more seminars, the creation of a policy on SNLs use, and the use of electronic documentationImplication to nursingThis study contributes by providing a picture of nurses’ experiences in utilizing SNLs in Nigeria, identifying challenges experienced and recommending ways to tackle these challenges.