Assess The Impact Of Unprofessionalism Of Medical Practitioners In Handling Sick Patients In Nigerian Hospitals

Medical and Health Science Project and Seminar Material

Abstract

This study focus was to assess the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patients in Nigerian hospitals using Guma Local Government Area of Benue State as case study. The study specifically was aimed at investigating the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patient in nigerian hospitals, to find out if there are enough hospital equipment for medical professionals, to find out if the environment they work in is convenient with necessary amenities and to find out ways medical professional can improve the quality of services rendered to sick patients.

The study adopted the survey research design and randomly enrolled participants in the study. A total of 100 responses were validated from the enrolled participants where all respondents are residents in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

Table of Content

Title Page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Table of Content
List of Tables
Abstract

Chapter One:

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 Objective of the Study
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Scope of the Study
1.7 Limitation of the Study
1.8 Definition of Terms
1.9 Organisations of the Study

Chapter Two:

Review of Literature

2.1 Conceptual Framework
2.2 Theoretical Framework
2.3 Empirical Review

Chapter Three:

Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample Size Determination
3.4 Sample Size Selection Technique and Procedure
3.5 Research Instrument and Administration
3.6 Method of Data Collection
3.7 Method of Data Analysis
3.8 Validity of the Study
3.9 Reliability of the Study
3.10 Ethical Consideration

Chapter Four:

Data Presentation and Analysis

4.1 Data Presentation
4.2 Analysis of Data
4.3 Answering Research Questions

Chapter Five:

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Summary
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
References
APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Chapter One

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Health is seen as one of the most important services provided by the government and a significant proportion of the nation’s wealth is usually devoted to health particularly in developed countries. Worldwide there has been growing public concern regarding the ethical conduct of healthcare professionals. This is often manifested in complains about the poor ethical conduct of healthcare providers and the increasing use of litigation against healthcare practitioners in recent years ((Diyoke, 2015). Additionally the issue of adequate access to healthcare services is a policy concern. This is especially true for those living in rural areas of developing countries, which seem to have limited access to healthcare services. Also, access to healthcare varies across countries, groups, and individuals, and largely influenced by political, cultural, social, and institutional factors, Demographic and socioeconomic makeup. William and Torrens (2008) maintains that a country’s health services system is not just the result of that country’s social, political, and economic history, but also a reflection of that country’s values, culture, and shared beliefs about it. Again the delivery of modern healthcare depends on groups of trained professionals and paraprofessionals coming together as an interdisciplinary teams this includes professionals in medicine, psychology, physiotherapy, nursing, dentistry, midwifery and allied health, plus many others such as public health practitioners, community health workers and assistive personnel, who systematically provide personal and population-based preventive, curative and rehabilitative care services (Wikipedia, retrieved, June, 24th 2018). The implication is that globally Health care providers are facing challenges in balancing issues around ethics, economic efficiency, and access while organizing for and delivering services According to Nigeria Global Health Initiative Strategy (2011), Nigeria has one of the worst health indicators in the world regardless of being an oil rich country.

As the table 1 below can show, life expectancy at birth from 2009-2012 have ranged from 53-55 years, the probability of dying between 15-60years for both male and female ranged between 371/346 per 1000 population (WHO African Region: Nigeria, 2014). It can also be based on many factors (e.g. leadership, health delivery
services, just to name a few), which is primarily why am working on assessing the state of health care human resources in Nigeria.

According to Geography.about.com (2013a), the rate of birth is estimated to be about 56 births per 1000 populations, and the death rate is estimated to about 22 deaths per 1000 populations. Nigeria has a high prevalence of HIV infections which has an estimated prevalence rate of about 3.2% (adult population 15-49 years); number of people living with HIV is estimated to be 3.6million populations. Deaths due to AIDS has been estimated to about 260,000 people (UNAIDS, 2013). Some of other most frequent health problems in Nigeria are malaria, high blood pressure, water and food-borne diseases among others (Geography.about.com, 2013b).

The health sector of Nigeria is going through a crisis in the area of human resources for health, with unequal distribution of health workers that are available and lack of basic training for the remaining ones. No country can thrive in the health sector without a competent health workforce. In the developed countries, there are adequate and competent health workers with sophisticated technologies which make their work easy. The work environment is also conducive enough for them and government makes adequate policies to make sure they lack nothing.
Emphasis will be based on the impact of unprofessional-ism of medical practitioners in handling sick patient in Nigerian hospitals. and why private agencies can’t do enough to help improve the current health situation in the country.

Assessing the health care system in Nigeria especially the health workforce will be helpful in determining how far the government and other health professional bodies have gone in improving the health status of Nigerians and how it can be better improved.

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

Nigeria has a three-tiered health-care delivery system, with primary care accounting for the majority of health-care delivery. The government has maintained its attempts to decentralize health-care services so that they are more accessible to the public and more economical. This is intended to improve a wide range of health indices that affect the quantity and quality of residents’ lives in the long run. Low consumption of health services at these places of delivery, however, has undermined the core goal of decentralization; evidence of low utilization has been established by various studies in other parts of the country, such as Adeyemo, 2005; Katung, 2001; and Kabiru, 2005.

The shortage in health care personnel has been attributed to working condition of service of the professionals which is responsible for their poor attitude reactions to care recievers. The issue of not enough work instrument, not enough bed in the wards, these among many are what the researcher will look into in this study.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The primary objective of this study is as follows:

To investigate the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patient in nigerian hospitals.
To find out if there are enough hospital equipment for medical professionals
To find out if the environment they work in is convenient with necessary amenities
To find out ways medical professional can improve the quality of services rendered to sick patients.

1.4 Research Questions

Do unprofessionalism of medical practitioners affect sick patients in Nigerian hospital?
Do you think there are enough medical equipment for health workers?
Do you think the environment medical practioners work in is convenient?
Do u think medical professionals can improve on the quality of the service they render?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The significance of this study cannot be underestimated as:

This study will assess the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patient in Nigerian hospitals.
The findings of this research work will undoubtedly provide the much needed information to government organizations, ministry of health, individuals, NGOS, and academia

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study intends to assess the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patients in Nigerian hospitals. Hence, this study is delimited to state specialist hospital in Akure south local government. Ondo state . and as such will be used as a case study.

1.7 Limitations of the Study

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

Financial constraint is inevitable considering the present economic situations. Due to lack of finance at the researchers disposal to get materials and in printing of questionnaires. it was not possible to visit some of the police stations and some of the victims of corruption.

In developing countries like Nigeria, there is the problem of insufficient data.

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher

1.8 Operational Definition of Terms

Impact:

The action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another

Unprofessionalism:

Not pertaining to a profession

Medical Practitioner:

This is a person who is skilled in the science of medicine.

Patients:

This is a person who receives medical care .

1.9 Organization of the Study

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows.

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study.
Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature.
Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study.
Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.
Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations:

5.1 Introduction

This chapter summarizes the findings into the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patients in nigerian hospitals using Guma Local Government Area of Benue State as case study. The chapter consists of summary of the study, conclusions, and recommendations.

5.2 Summary of the Study

In this study, our focus was to assess the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patients in Nigerian hospitals using Guma Local Government Area of Benue State as case study. The study specifically was aimed at investigating the impact of unprofessionalism of medical practitioners in handling sick patient in nigerian hospitals, to find out if there are enough hospital equipment for medical professionals, to find out if the environment they work in is convenient with necessary amenities and to find out ways medical professional can improve the quality of services rendered to sick patients..

5.3 Conclusions

Based on the findings of this study, the researcher made the following conclusion.

The extent to which health care services available in Guma Local Government Area is low.
The factors affecting the utilization of health care services in Guma Local Government Area include; poverty, ability and propensity to use services, geographic area of residence race and ethnicity, disability status, poor availability of health care facilities, and long waiting in the health care centres.
Inefficient organization of services or work processes; insufficient equipment, supplies, or infrastructure; inadequate staffing; and low health worker motivation/know-do gap are among many others the causes for health facility inefficiencies in guma local government.

5.4 Recommendations

In regard to the findings of the study, the researcher recommended that;

There is a need to ensure that patients have easy access to health care by ensuring that health personnel are available when needed. Long waiting times should be discouraged by identifying areas in the health care delivery system that is prone to causing long waiting times with a view to developing alternate health systems that will eliminate long hours of stay in public facilities. This can be achieved by involving consumers of health care in government facilities in decision making process to make the facility more customers oriented.
Periodic evaluation of the quality of care provided by the health facilities should be conducted where clients of the facility are asked to rate the quality of care.
Efforts to further upgrade medical equipment and associated workforce skills are needed to sustainably increase access to and utilization.
The cost of health care services should be reduced in other for the residents to have access to it as at when needed.

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