Nurses Attitude and Barriers toward Utilization of Standardized Nursing Language in Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The use of standardized nursing language for nursing care documentation is a vital instrument to the nursing profession, patients care and nurses in general. Clinical information system requires standardized terms and definitions to help clinicians with documentation in nursing. The future of nursing depends on the systematic efforts to label and define nursing contributions to healthcare using standardized nursing languages. Aim: This study investigates nurses’ attitudes and barriers toward utilization of standardized nursing language among nurses in Sokoto, Nigeria. Methodology: This study employs a quantitative descriptive design using questionnaire as an instrument for data collection with a sample size of 250 nurses in Sokoto. Results: Findings of this study show that, there is poor utilization of standardized nursing language (12.6%) with positive attitude toward utilization of standardized nursing language (83.5%). Moreover, the poor utilization is associated with lack of hospital policy, inadequate knowledge, and shortage of nursing staff in the hospitals. Conclusion: There is a need for the hospital management to implement policies on standardized nursing language and educate the nursing staff on the use of standardized nursing language in Sokoto.