Unveiling the Perception of Nurses and Challenges to Admitted Geriatric Patients in Pakistan: A Qualitative Explorative Study.

Abstract

The increasing global geriatric population, including Pakistan's, poses significant challenges to nurses due to the limited resources, knowledge, and frailty of older patients. Addressing these challenges is not only crucial but also of utmost importance for delivering high-quality care to geriatric populations. This study investigates nurses' perceptions and challenges in geriatric inpatient tertiary care hospitals. The study used a qualitative exploratory design, conducting semi-structured interviews with 13 nurses at a tertiary teaching hospital in Karachi. The study highlights nurses' perceptions of geriatric care as a complex yet emotionally rewarding field. Comorbidities, dependency, non-compliance, communication gaps, and a lack of specialized education were identified as challenges for nurses. It recommends improved infrastructure, separate wards, staffing ratios, and enabling factors such as kindness and compassion to enhance care. The study examines nurses' perceptions of geriatric care, including enabling factors and challenges, highlighting crucial considerations for healthcare professionals and management to provide effective care for older adult patients.