Factors Influencing Patient-Centered Care in the Primary Health Care Settings: The Impact of the Pandemic Crisis and Nurses’ Experience

Abstract

Patient-centered care has over the past decades, been recognized worldwide as an important component of the health system giving a wider dimension to high-quality healthcare and service delivery. The impact on healthcare and services to the patient is the nurses' ability to create a friendly rapport with the patients. Yet, the majority in the rural Primary Health Care facilities are still facing many challenges in demonstrating patient-centeredness services to the community. Thus, the objective of this study is to explore and describe the factors influencing patient-centered care provision and nurses' experience in Primary Health Care facilities. An exploratory qualitative approach with purposive sampling was used to gather data. Individual interviews with 35 nurses were conducted using a semi-structure interview guide question in the Primary Health Care settings in Nigeria. Each of the interviews with the nurses lasted for 25 minutes to one hour. All interviews were audio-taped, and transcribed verbatim using Microsoft Word. The transcripts were read and re-read, coded using NVivo version 12 software to organize the relevant information and categorized them into themes and sub-themes. Thematic analysis guided this study. The findings revealed three themes and sub-themes. The impact of environmental factors with two subthemes—suitable working environment and coordinated care; resources—shortage of staff and inadequate resources as sub-themes, and lastly, cultural sensitivity and religious influence—commu- nication. Poor implementation of PCC strategies in most of the PHC facilities could lead to poor patient care and a lack of job satisfaction among nurses. This study identified that nurses have both negative and positive experience in provi- ding patient-centered care health services. Providing patient-centered care in the Primary Health Care setting promotes the goal of achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria if the government would prioritize nurses’ pay, employ more staff, provide a conducive working environment, and opportunities for further training programs for nurses to enable and empower them with the necessary knowledge and skills. This, in turn, will translate into a range of outcomes that are socially valued, such as health responsiveness, health coverage and fairness.