Nurses’ Communication to Patients and Associated Factors at East Gojjam Zone, Governmental Hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022: An Institution-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Nurses Working in East Gojjam Zone Governmental Hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022 (N=378)

Variables	Categories	Frequency	Percent (%)
Sex	Male	205	54.2
	Female	173	45.8
Age	≤ 25	30	7.9
	26–35	264	69.8
	36–45	65	17.2
	≥46	19	5.1
Marital status	Single	136	36.0
	Ever married	242	64.0
Religion	Orthodox	286	75.7
	Muslim	50	13.2
	Protestant	14	3.7
	Catholic	12	3.2
	Others	16	4.2
Educational level	Diploma	124	32.8
	BSc and above	254	67.2
Year of experience	< 5 years	82	21.7
	5–10 years	166	43.9
	>10 years	130	34.4
Working Unit	Emergency	111	29.4
Monthly salary	<5295	32	8.5
	5295–7111	188	49.7
	>7111	158	41.8

Table 2 Nurse-Related Factors Affecting Nurses’ Communication with the Patient at East Gojjam Zone Governmental Hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022

Variables	Category	Frequency	Percent (%)
Having work overload in nurses	Low	105	27.8
	High	273	72.2
Shortage of nurses relative to the patient’s number	Low	77	20.4
	High	301	79.6
Nurses not having enough time and opportunity	Low	89	23.5
	High	289	76.5
Characteristics& Hardships of Nurses’ Task	Low	126	33.3
	High	252	66.7
Lack of knowledge among nurses	Low	173	45.8
	High	205	54.2
The attraction of nurses out of working duties	Low	117	31.0
	High	261	69.0
Lack of nurses’ interest to work	Low	169	44.7
	High	209	55.3
The relationship of a nurse with other colleagues	Low	155	41.0
	High	223	59.0
Take communication skill training	Yes	139	36.8
	No	239	63.2

Table 3 Patient-Related Factors Affecting Nurses’ Communication with the Patient at East Gojjam Zone Governmental Hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022

Variables	Category	Frequency	Percent (%)
High interference with patient attendants	Low	92	24.3
	High	286	75.7
Physical and mental discomfort of the patient	Low	96	25.4
	High	282	74.6
Presence of other critically ill patients in the ward	Low	83	22.0
	High	295	78.0
Presence of patient families at the bedside	Low	123	32.5
	High	255	67.5
Patient distrusts nurses’ competencies	Low	155	41.0
	High	223	59.0
Patients having contagious diseases	Low	134	35.4
	High	244	64.6
Lack of awareness of nurse’s duties	Low	175	46.3
	High	203	53.7

Table 4 Working Environment-Related Factors Affecting Nurses’ Communication with the Patient at East Gojjam Zone Governmental Hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022

Variables	Category	Frequency	Percent (%)
Lack of facility and communication technology	Low	86	22.8
	High	292	77.2
The busy environment (high noise)	Low	101	26.7
	High	277	73.3
Inappropriate environmental conditions	Low	115	30.4
	High	263	69.6
The unfamiliar environment of the hospital for the patient	Low	179	47.4
	High	199	52.6
Not rewarding nurses	Low	119	31.5
	High	259	68.5

Table 5 Nurses’ Communication to Patient Assessment Tool and Frequency by Participants in East Gojjam Zone Government Hospitals, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022

Observational Checklist	Answer
	Yes	No
Does the nurse exchange greeting with the patient or his/her/ family	317(83.9%)	61(16.1%)
Do the nurses self-Introduce to the patient or his/her/ family	72(19.0%)	306(81.0%)
Does the nurse ask the patient’s name and call by his/her name	222(58.7%)	156(41.6%)
Does the nurse inform patient rights to the patient /family/	123(32.5%)	255(67.5%)
Does the nurse ask about the patient’s overall health status	251(66.4%)	127(33.6%)
Does the nurse explain the procedure to the patient or his family before carrying out the procedure (Injection, IV, etc…)	167(44.2%)	211(55.8%)
Does the nurse inform the patient of diagnostic tests (purpose, type of test) or vital sign results for the patient/family	208(55.0%)	170(45.0%)
Does the nurse give the patient or his/her family instructions about medication and issues to be careful	142(37.6%)	236(62.4%)
Does the nurse encourage the patient/family/ to ask questions related to the treatment and another issue	124(32.8%)	254(67.2%)
Does the nurse inform the patient or his/her family about the medication-taking (kind, dose, side effects)	161(42.6%)	217(57.4%)
Does the nurse inform the patient’s health condition the patient or the patient family or friends	190(50.3%)	188(49.7%)
Does the nurse include the patient or his/her family’s decision about his/her care and treatment	129(34.1%)	249(65.9%)
Does the nurse is polite towards the patients or his/her family (manner of speaking, protection of privacy)	181(47.9%)	197(52.1%)
Does the nurse dedicate adequate time to communicate with patients or his/her family	150(39.7%)	228(60.3%)
Does the nurse respond to the patient’s concerns and complaints at the hospital	141(37.3%)	237(62.7%)
Does the nurse give mental support to the patient and his/her family	212(56.1%)	166(43.9%)
Does the nurse provide information for the patient or his/her family about the diet of the patient	136(36.0%)	242()64.0%
Does the nurse inform the patients about positions that help alleviate pain and of the medication given	167(44.2%)	21(55.8%)

Table 6 Bi-Variable and Multivariable Logistic Regression in Governmental Hospitals of East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia, 2022

Variables	Category	Nurses Communication on Patient		COR(95% CI)	AOR(95% CI)	P-value
		Ineffective	Effective
Age	<25 years	23(76.9%)	7(23.3%)	2.390(0.689–8.283)	0.588(0.131–2.643)	0.488
	26–35years	149(56.4%)	115(43.6%)	0.942(0.367–2.419)	0.332(0.110–1.002)	0.050
	36–45years	32(49.2%)	33(50.8%)	0.705(0.251–1.980)	0.522(0.172–1.583)	0.251
	>46 years	11(57.9%)	8(42.1%)	1	1
Marital status	Single	85(62.5%)	51(37.5%)	1.436(0.935–2.206)	1.127(0.691–1.838)	0.631
	Ever married	130(37.5%)	112(62.5%)	1	1
Educational level	Diploma	88(71.0%)	36(29.0%)	2.444(1.544–3.869)	1.907(1.175–3.096)	0.009
	BSc and above	127(50.0%)	127(50.0%)	1	1
Work experience	<5 years	57(69.5%)	25(30.5%)	3.209(1.787–5.762)	2.163(1.143–4.091)	0.018
	5–10 years	104(62.7%)	62(37.3%)	2.361(1.476–3.776)	1.722(1.035–2.865)	0.036
	>10 years	54(41.5%)	76(58.5%)	1	1
Training status	Not trained	158(66.1%)	81(33.9%)	2.806(1.823–4.319)	2.154(1.341–3.458)	0.001
	Trained	57(41.0%)	82(59.0%	1	1
Monthly salary	<5295	23(71.9%)	9(28.1%)	2.588(1.127–5.941)	0.940(0.307–2.883)	0.914
	5295–7111	113(60.1%)	75(39.9%)	1.546(1.009–2.371)	0.948(0.539–1.667)	0.853
	>7111	79(46.6%)	79(53.4%)	1	1
Work overload	High	73(69.5%)	32(30.5%)	2.105(1.304–3.396)	2.084(1.255–3.460)	0.005
	Low	142(52.0%)	131(48.0%)	1	1
Lack of knowledge	Low	104(60.1%)	69(39.9%)	1	1
	High	111(54.1%)	94(45.9%)	0.783(0.520–1.180)	0.827(0.527–1.296)	0.406
Presence of Other critical patients	Low	52(62.7%)	31(37.3%)	1	1
	High	163(55.3%)	132(44.7%)	0.732(0.443–1.207)	0.786(0.457–1.354)	0.386
Family presence	Low	80(65.0%)	43(35.0%)	1	1
	High	135(52.9	120(47.1%)	0.605(0.388–0.943)	0.722(0.444–1.176)	0.189
Not rewarding nurses	Low	77(64.7%)	42(35.3%)	1	1
	High	138(53.3%)	121(46.7%)	0.622(0.397–0.974)	0.907(0.549–1.500)	0.704

Note: Variables written in bold under their P-values were statistically significant.

Abbreviations: AOR, Adjusted odds ratio; COR, Crude Odds ratio.

Data Sharing Statement

The data set supporting the conclusion of this article is available from the author on request.