Factors influencing the information needs of nurses for healthcare delivery in Nigeria: a survey of general hospitals in Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper investigated the information needs and factors affecting the information needs of nurses for healthcare delivery in general hospitals in Jigawa State- Nigeria. The study was based on survey research design using cross- sectional survey. The population of the study comprised of three hundred and eighty four (384) nurses drawn from the nine (9) general hospitals in the state. There was no sample size used because the entire population was used. A questionnaire was the only instrument used to collect data. A total of three hundred and eighty four (384) copies were administered, and three hundred and fifty two 352 (92%) copies were returned and found useful for the analysis. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that the nurses encountered many challenges in meeting their information needs among which are number of patients managed per ward, time spent with their patients, availability of the information resources and cost of information resources. The study further revealed that about 139 (39%) of the nurses need information on palliative care, 83 (24%) on patients’ referral and 76 (22%) on clinical decision making. The study concluded that the factors influencing the information needs of nurses under study are numerous and they need information on few medical aspects for healthcare delivery.

Keywords: Information, Needs, Healthcare, Hospitals