C.E OMOROGBE

Diphtheria remains a serious public health concern, particularly in developing countries, wherehealthcare systems may face resource and training limitations. Nurses play a critical role intheearly recognition, management, and prevention of diphtheria outbreaks. This study wasadescriptive cross-sectional survey conducted to assess the knowledge and management practicesregarding diphtheria among nurses at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), BeninCity, Nigeria. A total of 236 questionnaires were distributed using a stratified samplingtechnique to ensure fair representation across departments. Out of these, 231 were properlyfilled and valid for data analysis, giving a response rate of 97.8%. Data were analyzed usingtheStatistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. The findings revealed that 82%demonstrated good knowledge, while 83% showed good knowledge of diphtheria management. Asignificant proportion (82.0%) of the respondents had a positive attitude toward diphtheriamanagement, whereas 18% exhibited negative or indif erent attitudes. However, several challenges were identified. Notably, 70.6% of the nurses reported inadequate availabilityof personal protective equipment (PPE), 80.1% cited limited access to diphtheria antitoxin, 80.1%indicated insuf icient training opportunities, and 69.7% highlighted the absence of clearmanagement protocols as a major obstacle to ef ective care. In conclusion, while the majorityof nurses held a positive outlook toward diphtheria management, gaps in knowledge and numeroussystemic challenges were evident. These issues may hinder the ef ective response to diphtheriaoutbreaks and impact patient outcomes. It is therefore recommended that regular in-servicetraining be provided to update and reinforce nurses’ knowledge and skills. Additionally, improving access to essential supplies such as PPE and antitoxins, along with the development and implementation of clear institutional protocols, is essential for enhancing nurses’ capacityto manage diphtheria ef ectively

Nurses frequently experience emotional and psychological distress when confronted with patient Nurses frequently experience emotional and psychological distress when confronted with patient death, which can affect their mental well being and professional performance. Coping strategies are therefore vital in managing grief, preventing burnout, and sustaining quality care. This study assessed the coping strategies adopted by nurses and the factors influencing their use in a selected tertiary institution in Benin City, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, involving 227 nurses. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0 to identify coping strategies, their perceived effectiveness, and the relationship between utilization, effectiveness, and influencing factors.Findings revealed that the most commonly adopted strategies included religious or spiritual practices, seeking emotional support from colleagues, debriefing sessions, suppressing emotions, maintaining professional emotional distance, and reliance on cultural beliefs. These approaches were generally perceived as effective, while formal training and institutional support programs were the least utilized and considered less effective. Results further indicated that factors such as years of professional experience, prior exposure to patient death, age, and marital status significantly influenced the type and effectiveness of coping strategies adopted. A significant association was also observed between higher utilization of coping strategies and greater perceived effectiveness (p = 0.01).The study concludes that nurses in the selected institution primarily depend on personal and peer-based coping mechanisms, which are largely effective. However, formal training and institutional support programs remain underutilized. It is therefore recommended that healthcare institutions priori tize structured training, grief counseling, and supportive programs while considering individual and demographic factors that shape coping patterns.

This study investigated factors influencing undergraduate nursing students perception of their clinical learning environment (CLE). The study assessed the knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards CLE and factors influencing students’ attitude of CLE. The population of the study comprised of three hundred and sixteen (316) students in the department of Nursing Science. The sample size was determined using the Taro Yamane formula. A representative sample of 195 respondents were selected through simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The reliability of the instrument was established to be 0.79. Analysis of data was carried out using frequency count, simple percentage, mean and standard deviation. Results showed that students had positive attitude (mean score of 3.20) and high knowledge (67.2%) of their CLE. Effective supervision and assessment, active participation during ward rounds, integration of theory into practice, lack of self-confidence, communication between nursing staff and students and intellectual abilities of students were identified as factors that influence students’ utilization of CLE. However, receptiveness of nursing staffs in the ward and difficulties in orientation for clinical teaching were observed not to significantly influence students’ attitude of CLE. Furthermore, it was indicated that there exists a significant relationship between attitude of nursing students towards their CLE and students’ level of study at 0.05 level of significance. The study therefore concluded that the CLE is an important avenue for students to develop their professional skills and at such must show commitment. It was recommended that clinical instructors must sustain effective supervision and assessment of nursing students on clinical placement, nursing students should ensure they develop a strong commitment towards learning in the clinical environment by asking questions about procedures not clearly understood and curriculum planners in nursing science should ensure that instructions in clinical learning are constantly improved upon