Experiences of primary health care nurses providing mental health care services at primary health care clinics in eThekwini South Sub-District, KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

Primary Health Care (PHC) is a basic mechanism that brings healthcare close to the people. PHC promotes access to holistic care and improves the health of the population. The integration of mental health care into its package of services aimed at closing the treatment gap. However, successful integration requires well trained innovative nurses and a supportive government agenda that facilitates capacity. This study explored the experiences of PHC nurses, within PHC clinics, in the planning and provision of mental health care services in EThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative descriptive study design used individual semi structured interviews to collect data from nurses within two PHC clinics. Interviews focused on the experiences of the PHC nurses rendering care to the MHCUs. Although the PHC nurses viewed the integration of mental health care into PHC as positive, they reported the integration process as poorly planned and implemented too quickly. Nurses felt unprepared for integration and apprehensive about their preparation. In addition, ongoing support, specifically experienced resources and service collaboration was reported as lacking. Integrated services were, in principle, acknowledged by participants as cost effective and having the potential to improve mental health care outcomes. However, its introduction happened quickly and the nurses felt ill equipped to institute their roles. Integration is said to improve the overall effectiveness of the health system thus benefiting the health of the population by addressing the health problems in a holistic manner (WHO, 1996).