Abstract
In the past, the nursing profession only focused on caring for patients, families and
communities but neglected aspects of self-care. Self-care is essential for nurses, as it
could impact the quality of care nurses render to patients. As important as self-care is,
nurses have not been able to embrace it because of certain barriers related to poor
work conditions, staff shortages and long working hours. The purpose of this study
was to investigate professional nurses’ self-care behaviours and practices in primary
healthcare clinics, in order to propose recommendations to enhance and maintain selfcare
among professional nurses.
A quantitative research design, employing a cross-sectional and comparative
descriptive research method, was chosen for the study. The population for this study
was professional nurses working in primary healthcare clinics in the City of
Johannesburg, South Africa, regions C and D. Stratified random sampling was used
to select respondents. A demographic questionnaire, Self-care Activities Screening
Scale (SASS-14), Nature of Supportive Work Environment questionnaire, and Selfcare
Work and Home Environmental Factors (SWHEF) questionnaire were combined
as the data collection instrument for this study.
Section A focused on respondents’ demographic information. Section B contained the
SASS-14, while section C presented the Nature of Supportive Work Environment
questionnaire. Ultimately, section D contained the SWHEF questionnaire. The
reliability and validity of the research instruments were confirmed.
Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the collected data. The
researcher also adhered to the following ethical considerations throughout the
research process: justice, autonomy, beneficence, and maleficence. The study’s
findings were used to formulate recommendations to enhance and maintain self-care
among professional nurses.
Keywords: Orem’s self-care theory, Self-care, Behaviour, Practices, Professional
Nurses, and Primary healthcare.