PERCEIVED INFLUENCE OF NURSE-PATIENT RATIO ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NURSING PROCESS AMONG NURSES AT TENWEK HOSPITAL, BOMET COUNTY

Objectives. ; To determine perceived influence of nurse patient-ratio on the implementation of the nursing process among nurses at Tenwek Hospital Design: This was a cross sectional descriptive study which is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Setting; The stratified departments at Tenwek hospital which is not a public institution. Subjects/participants; Study the population of interest to the study consisted of the nurses working at Tenwek Hospital. These are the health workers who are employed by Tenwek Hospital Board. They were chosen since they are the group that is directly involved on implementation of the nursing processes (NP) at the hospital and are aware of the situation in the hospital. Data was collected between 13th May 2014 to 20th May 2014. Main outcome measure; Nurse patient ratio, Number of patient admitted to departments, initiation of NP and implementation of all steps of NP. Results: Findings on Nurse-patient ratio revealed that 81.0 % of the departments had a nurse- patient ratio of 1; 9 (one nurse per over nine patients and the least responses 5.6%, were nurses with ratios of three patients per one nurse, (1:1-3). These findings explain the nurse workload and the direct relationship on implementation of NP. 34.8% disagree and 19 % strongly disagree that working hours promotes implementation of NP. Majority recommended hiring of more nurse to meet the demand for nurses to carry out NP for every admitted patient at Tenwek Hospital. Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that low nurse patient ratio contributes to heavy nurse-workload which on the other hand it is perceived to contribute to impartial implementation of NP at Tenwek Hospital. This indicates a huge gap that requires both policy makers and the hospital administrators to address urgently.