Caring behaviour and its associated factors among nurses working at public hospitals in Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess nurses caring behaviours and its associated factors among nurses working at public hospitals in the Gamo zone of southern Ethiopia in 2022. DESIGN: Institutional based cross-sectional study was used. SETTING: This study was conducted in five public hospitals in Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 360 nurses of different level of qualification were included in this study using a proportional allocation method from the five hospitals and final study participants were recruited from all wards using a simple random sampling method from 20 June to 20 July 2022. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Caring behaviour was assessed using 24 standardised Caring Behaviour Inventory (CBI) scales. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and, analysed using the logistic regression method, and those variables with a p value of <0.05 in multivariable analysis were considered statistically significant. RESULT: The overall percentage of nurse caring behaviour in this study was 53.3%. Most of the respondents practiced technical aspects of caring behaviour rather than psychosocial aspects of caring. Being married (adjusted OR (AOR)=0.027 (0.003–0.263), having work experience of (0–5 years) (AOR=5.547 (1.42–21.64)), (6–10 years) (AOR=8.693 (2.317–32.6), being satisfied with motivation and prospect (AOR=0.473 (0.290–0.770)) and being satisfied with the nursing profession (AOR=1.716 (1.065–2.765) were significantly associated with nurses caring behaviour. CONCLUSION: The proportion of nurses with a good caring behaviour found in this study was relatively poor. Being married, having lower work experience, being satisfied with motivation and prospects, and nursing profession were associated with nurses caring behaviour. This study recommends the need to focus on including caring behaviour courses in the nursing curriculum and training nurses focusing on those with a few experiences on the meaning and importance of caring behaviour.