The Changing Public Image of Nursing in Ghana

Abstract

Several complaints have been lodged by the public on media regarding the attitudes of nurses in Ghana. Even though a few nurses are praised in the media, the negative complaints keep outweighing the positive reports. It has been observed that some nurses in Ghana are fond of sending student nurses to buy food and other items whilst on duty. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to discuss how nurses’ attitudes affect care positively and negatively and to improve the attitudes of nurses towards their patients during care. A situational analysis using a descriptive narrative approach is provided. The article is structured under five main headings, which are maintaining the personal hygiene of patients, respecting the dignity of patients, the dress of nurses in Ghana, selecting the right people for the profession, and inappropriate use of smartphones during work.