NURSING

The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of post-natal care among nursing mothers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. To achieve the purpose of the study, four (4) research questions were raised and important literature related to post-natal care were clearly discussed. The descriptive research design was used for this study and the study population was estimated at 2188 nursing mothers who gave birth within the last 12 months in selected primary health care centers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State. The multi stage sampling technique was used to select one hundred and sixty nine (169) from two (2) selected primary health care centers. This will give a total of 338 respondents representing the study. The instrument used for data collection was a combination of close-ended and Likertscale questionnaire with twenty (27) items. The questionnaire was validated by experts in maternal and child health and public health education. The Cronbach’s Alpha method was used to establish the reliability of the questionnaire. A total of one hundred and sixtynine (169) questionnaires were administered to the sample and data collected was analyzed using frequency, percentage mean, and standard deviation. Based on the data collected and analyzed, majority of nursing mothers aged 25-29 years who are married participated in the study. It was found out that, knowledge and attitudes of post-natal care among nursing mothers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State are generally high and positive, factors preventing utilization of post- natal care and factors that promotes utilization of post- natal care is moderate. The gap between knowledge, attitudes, factors preventing utilization of post-natal care and factors that promotes utilization of post-natal care include barriers such as distance to the health facility, high cost of transportation services and negative attitude of health workers hinders adherence to post- natal care recommendations. It was therefore recommended that more primary health care centers should be built at easily accessible and less distant locations, subsidize transport or establish community transport schemes for nursing mothers in Ovia North-East Local Government Area and improve client- provider interaction through respectful maternity care.

Background: Effective nursing leadership is pivotal in healthcare, significantly influencing team dynamics, job satisfaction, and the quality of patient care. The leadership styles adopted by nurse managers can either enhance or impede team performance, yet the specific dynamics within the context of Nigerian tertiary hospitals remain underexplored. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate leadership styles in nursing and their impact on team performance among nurses at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. Methods: A correlational survey design was employed, with a sample of 272 nurses selected from a population of 850 using stratified and convenience sampling. Data were collected using a validated, self-structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages) and inferential statistics (Chi-square test) via SPSS version 25. Results: The findings revealed that transactional (50.8%) and laissez-faire (46.0%) leadership styles were predominant among nurse managers, with minimal evidence of transformational leadership. These styles were perceived negatively and were significantly associated with low team performance, including confusion (54.4%) and poor coordination (51.1%). Key factors influencing leadership style adoption included personal traits (69.5%), availability of resources (65.1%), and the nature of the clinical unit (62.9%). A significant relationship was found between leadership styles and team performance (p=0.026). Conclusion: The study concludes that the prevalent leadership styles at UBTH are largely ineffective, adversely affecting team cohesion and performance. There is a critical need for leadership development programs focused on transformational and participatory approaches to foster a more supportive and efficient work environment for nurses