Creating positive practice environments in a primary health care setting

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of nurse managers, nurses, and a physician in the community health centre with the most positive practice environment in a province of South Africa.

Methods

Ten (N = 10) semistructured individual interviews were conducted with personnel of the community health centre with the most positive practice environment.

Results

Personnel cited the following as the most important characteristics of a positive practice environment in a primary health care setting: support, leadership and governance, collegial nurse-physician relationships, and quality of care.

Conclusion

In a primary health care setting, it is important to train, appoint, and support managers who in turn will be able to train and support their personnel. Furthermore, reciprocal community involvement must be encouraged between personnel of the community health centre and stakeholders in the community to improve the health status of the community. Finally, group cohesions between all health care workers and managers at different organisational levels should be encouraged, as this enhances teamwork and a culture of teaching-learning and improves the competence of all staff.

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