The effect of teamwork, communication skills, and structural empowerment on the provision of patient-centered care among nurses in Eswatini: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aims: To identify the influence of teamwork, communication skills, and structural empowerment on providing patient-centered care among nurses in Eswatini. Design: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was used. Methods: This survey conducted in Eswatini selected registered nurses working as full-time nurses with more than 3 months of working experience using convenience sampling. Different measures were adopted and used to collect data among 130 eligible nurses from February to March 2022. Data were analyzed using Statistical Program for Social Sciences version 26.0. Results: A total of 123 nurses responded in the study and the mean age was 31.05 years with a standard deviation of 5.49. The overall response rate was 94.6% in this study. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that teamwork (β = 0.236, p < 0.05) and communication skills (β = 0.328, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of the provision of patient-centered care among nurses. Conclusion: Team-building exercises and management interventions to empower nurses should be established to improve the provision of patient-centered care among nurses. Nurses should be empowered to provide patient-centered care in health facilities by encouraging them to provide their input in management procedures and planning programs. Impact: Clinical practice requires nurses to use effective communication skills and work as a team. Nursing care established on teamwork, respect, empathy, and communication skills allows patients to express their concerns and views in health facilities as they feel involved in care. Patient or public contribution: No patient or public contribution in this paper. This study only involved registered nurses as health professionals.