The purpose of this study was twofold. Firstly to explore and describe the utilization
of the Nursing Process by registered nurses in local level Primary health care practice
in Namibia with regard to Primary health care delivery during their daily practices and
secondly, to develop strategies that would support registered nurses in executing their
role and function in this regard. These were prompted by the implementation of a
Primary health care approach to health care delivery in the country. The objectives of
the study were:
To explore and describe the way in which registered nurses in clinics, healthcare
centres and outreach posts in the health districts use the nursing process as regards
PHC delivery;
 To determine how supervisors perceive the utilisation of the nursing process by
registered nurses with regard to PHC;
 To identify the constraints that registered nurses are faced with when utilising the
nursing process with regard to the delivery of PHC;
 To develop a conceptual framework on which to base the formulation of relevant
strategies,
 To incorporate the findings of this study into the development of strategies to
support registered nurses in their utilisation of the nursing process with regard to
the delivery of PHC;
 To validate the appropriateness of these strategies, a multi- phase, quantitative,
exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was selected to provide a picture of
how registered nurses fulfill their role and function concerning Primary health
care (PHC) during their daily practices.
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The population consisted of two groups. The first group consisted of 239 registered
nurses working in Clinics, health Centres and in Outreach Programmes. The second
group consisted of 39 registered nurses supervisors, who supervised the registered
nurses in these facilities. A survey was used to gather the data through self-report
(questionnaire). Two questionnaires were developed, one for registered nurses and the
other for immediate supervisors. Quantitative, descriptive analysis was used to
summarize and organize data using tables and figures as well as t-test and analysis of
variance (ANOVA), where applicable. Five main areas where registered nurses
needed support in execution of their roles and functions were revealed from the
results. The areas were: Water and sanitation and other environmental health issues;
health education and communication including outreach activities; Nutrition and food
supply; Community diagnosis and care and Management support or administrative
functions in Primary health Care, including research and education of health workers
including fellow registered nurses. Strategies to support the utilization of the Nursing
Process by registered nurse in local level Primary health care were developed based
on the results of the conceptualization. The problem areas were first analysed and
synthesized and three overarching strategies were formulated namely,
Strategy 1: Addressing the contributing factors to challenges that hinder professional
nurses to maximally utilise the nursing process in their daily Primary health care
practice; Strategy 2: Strategy regarding research activities to be conducted by
registered nurses and Strategy 3: Strategy regarding the managerial or administrative
aspects in local level primary health care.
Recommendations were made based on the study findings and the strategies
formulated.