The Southern College Network Journal of Nursing and Public Health

Servant Leadership of Nursing College Administrators under the Jurisdiction of Faculty of Nursing Praboromarajchanok Institute, Ministry of Public Health

2025-06-10T08:21:07+07:00

This mixed-methods research aimed to (1) examine the components of servant leadership among administrators in nursing colleges under the Faculty of Nursing, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Ministry of Public Health, and (2) validate these components. The study sample consisted of 28 nursing colleges affiliated with the Faculty of Nursing, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Ministry of Public Health. Sixteen informants were selected from each college, yielding a total of 448 participants. Research instruments included a semi-structured interview guide, a perception questionnaire, and a confirmatory component questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and exploratory factor analysis. The findings revealed that:

1. Servant leadership among the nursing college administrators comprised five components: (1) leadership in nursing education management, (2) emphasis on individuality, (3) dedication and self-sacrifice, (4) morality and ethics, and (5) leadership in community service. Together, these five components with 58 indicators explained 65.52% of the total variance, with eigenvalues of 27.00, 23.93, 9.12, 5.99, and 5.53, respectively.

2. The results of the confirmatory analysis showed complete agreement among five experts (100%) regarding the accuracy, appropriateness, feasibility, and usefulness of the five identified components of servant leadership among the nursing college administrators.

Therefore, the identified components and indicators of servant leadership can be applied to promote servant leadership among administrators, which in turn may enhance organizational effectiveness.

The Effects of an Online Motivational Enhancement Therapy Program on Drinking Behavior among Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder

2025-06-21T13:07:38+07:00

This quasi-experimental research aimed to examine the effects of an online motivational enhancement therapy (MET) program on drinking behaviors among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The participants were 36 patients diagnosed with AUD who had been discharged after receiving inpatient alcohol treatment at Non Sa-at Hospital, in the Province of Udon Thani. Patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The research instruments included 1) an alcohol withdrawal assessment form, 2) a personal information questionnaire, 3) an alcohol drinking behavior assessment form, and 4) the online motivational enhancement therapy program for individuals with AUD. The program consisted of five online therapy sessions, each lasting 30–45 minutes, conducted once a week for five consecutive weeks, with a one-month follow-up assessment. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and one-way repeated measures ANOVA. The results were as follows.

1. In the experimental group, the mean percentage of non-drinking days—both immediately after the intervention and at the one-month follow-up—was significantly higher than that of the control group receiving routine nursing care (p-value < .001). However, there was no significant difference in the mean percentage of heavy-drinking days between the two groups.

2. Within the experimental group, the mean percentage of heavy-drinking days after the intervention and at the one-month follow-up was significantly lower than before the intervention (p-value < .01), while the mean percentage of non-drinking days was significantly higher (p-value < .001).

These results indicate that the online motivational enhancement therapy program can reduce drinking behaviors among individuals with alcohol use disorder. The results can serve as empirical evidence for developing treatment guidelines and future research to create care models that better address patient needs and align with the current social context.

Nursing Services at a Tertiary Hospital for Outpatients with Hepatitis C: A Time-Driven and Activity-Based Cost Analysis

2025-08-28T11:31:58+07:00

This descriptive research aimed to determine and analyze the time-driven activity-based costs of nursing services for patients with hepatitis C in a tertiary hospital’s outpatient department. The studied population, included in the nursing cost report, consisted of 27 nursing personnel and 30 patients with hepatitis C, receiving outpatient services, and selected through purposive sampling. The research instruments comprised two sets, covering nine main nursing activities, with a content validity index (CVI) of 1.00 as well as an observation form reliability coefficient of 0.92. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, and mean. The results showed that:

1. The total nursing activity cost based on overall time criteria for 9 main activities is 53,551.82 Baht.

2. The nursing activity costs according to time criteria per activity are as follows: Drug administration verification activity by nurses has the highest cost per activity at 623.40 Baht. Pre-consultation activity has a cost per activity of 509.81 Baht. Administration and support activities have a cost per activity of 296.94 Baht. Nursing activities during examination and consultation have a cost per activity of 105.20 Baht. Nursing health education and infection prevention activities have a cost per activity of 100.45 Baht. Nursing activities during waiting for examination have a cost per activity of 85.62 Baht. Post-examination nursing activities have a cost per activity of 80.17 Baht. Special laboratory testing referral nursing activity has a cost per activity of 49.38 Baht. The HCV card activity has the lowest cost per activity of 41.53 Baht.

3. The total nursing activity cost per patient per visit according to time criteria is 1,784.09 Baht.

This study highlights that time-driven cost analysis provides empirical data that reflect the actual cost of nursing services relative to service duration. Applying time-driven cost management principles in nursing practice is essential to enable healthcare organizations to determine accurate service costs, enhance resource utilization efficiency, and improve precision in management planning. Ultimately, this contributes to more effective and efficient nursing activities and healthcare service delivery for patients.

Consumer Protection among District Public Health Executives: A Study on Perception of Roles and Legal Compliance

2025-09-06T08:42:46+07:00

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the perception of roles, legal compliance, and confidence in consumer protection practices among district public health executives. The objectives were to 1) assess the district public health executives’ perceptions of their legal role and responsibilities, 2) compare levels of both role perception and confidence in performing consumer protection duties, and 3) explore the relationships between perceived roles and confidence in performing consumer protection tasks. The sample consisted of 298 district public health executives selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected using an electronic questionnaire divided in three parts: general information, perception of legal roles and responsibilities, and legal compliance practices. The content validity index of instrument ranged from .67 to 1.00, while its reliability coefficient was at the .73 level. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics, including independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation, with a significance level of .05. The results were as follows.

1. The district public health executives had a high level of role perception. However, they had never performed certain duties such as drug destruction under the Drug Act B.E. 2510 (1967). Some officers performed duties beyond their legal authority, such as requesting documentation under the Medical Device Act B.E. 2511 (1968) (12.13%). More importantly, 33.45% of officers did not possess an official identification card as required by law. Most legal operations were carried out in collaboration with other agencies. The officers’ confidence in performing consumer protection tasks was at a moderate level.

2. Factors such as gender, age, length of service, educational level, and regional location showed no significant differences in role perception or confidence in performing consumer protection duties.

3. There was a positive correlation between role perception and confidence in performing legal duties related to consumer protection.

Therefore, it is recommended that the roles and responsibilities among Provincial Public Health Offices, District Public Health Offices, and other relevant agencies be clearly defined. Furthermore, operational manuals and additional trainings should be provided, along with the issuance of official identification cards to all authorized officers in accordance with legal requirements.

Relationships between Health Literacy, Fluid Retention Prevention Behaviors, and Fluid Retention among Patients with Heart Failure, Medical Heart Failure Clinic, Lampang Hospital

2025-09-16T09:15:44+07:00

This descriptive correlational research aimed to examine: 1) the level of health literacy 2) the level of fluid retention prevention behaviors 3) the level of fluid retention, and 4) the relationships among these variables in patients with heart failure. The study included 84 patients attending the Medical Heart Failure Clinic at Lampang hospital between September 2023 and May 2024. Participants were selected through purposive sampling based on specific inclusion criteria. Data were collected using three instrumnets: the Health Literacy Questionnaire, the Fluid Retention Prevention Behaviors questionnaire, and the Fluid Retention Status Assessment Questionnaire. The content validity indices of these instruments were .80, .99, and 1.00, respectively, and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were .95, .86, and .90, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s rank correlation. The research results are as follows.

1. Health literacy was predominantly at a high level, including functional health literacy (53.58%), interactive health literacy (51.19%), and critical health literacy (67.86%)

2. Fluid retention prevention behavior was predominantly at a high level (70.20%).

3. Fluid retention was predominantly at a low level (57.14%).

4. Health literacy had a low, statistically significant, positive relationship with fluid retention preventive behaviors (𝑟𝑠 = .27, p-value < .05), and health literacy had a moderate statistically significant, negative relationship with fluid retention (𝑟𝑠 = -.44, p-value < .01).

Therefore, the study confirms that professional nurses should promote health literacy among patients with heart failure to encourage appropriate, effective self-management behaviors and help prevent fluid retention recurrence among patients with heart failure.

Accelerating Malaria Elimination in Conflict-Affected Areas of Southern Thailand : An Operational Model from Yala Province

2025-09-16T09:13:07+07:00

This mixed-methods study aimed to 1) evaluate the results of malaria elimination activities implemented during 2017 - 2024 in Yala Province, 2) draw lessons learned from program implementation and utilize them to improve future programming. The study was conducted in three steps. These were 1) extracting and analyzing output and impact data from the malaria information system managed by the Division of Vector Borne Diseases (DVBD), 2) utilizing DVBD’s questionnaires and conducting a quantitative survey among 558 participants in five districts where activities have been implemented, to obtain outcome level results on malaria knowledge and preventive behaviors, and 3) conducting semi-structured interviews with public health officials and focus group discussion with relevant community partners on the inputs and processes. The outputs, outcomes and impact data were measured against the indicators and targets set by the Department of Disease Control. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

1. Significant progress toward malaria elimination has been made, most of the important indicators exceeded those of national targets. Patients receiving treatment according to National Treatment Guidelines were at 100%; at-risk population sleeping under insecticide treated net the night before the survey was at 86.70%; and the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) per thousand population decreased from 6.74 in 2017 to 0.12 in 2024. However, Yala has not been able to stop local malaria transmission for 3 years.

2. Lessons learned indicated that public health agencies implemented a case-data feedback strategy, returning malaria case information by village to enhance community awareness and ownership. This fostered collaboration between health authorities and local communities, expanding preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services. Youth Muslim Association communicators worked with community and Islamic religious leaders to convey malaria knowledge in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways, thereby improving health behaviors and participation.

Recommendations are that to improve program performance, relevant health agencies need to establish a two-way open communication channel for timely reporting malaria cases, so to achieve malaria elimination. Responsible public health agencies need to develop future programs planning with local resources.

Coaching: Concepts, Benefits, and the Promotion of Coaching in Nursing Organizations

2025-08-14T18:22:55+07:00

In the era of rapid transformation in healthcare service systems, nursing organizations require effective tools to drive personnel toward excellence. The coaching approach, although unscientific, may serve as a mean to develop nurses’ potential, strengthen their leadership, and therefore enhance the quality of patient care. This article aims to present the concept of coaching and describe its benefits within the nursing profession, including its applications in nursing practice, nursing education, leadership development, and the preparation of novice nurses. In addition, it proposes strategies for promoting coaching within nursing organizations, encouraging nurse administrators to choose coaching as a tool develop nursing competencies, foster organizational commitment, support nurse retention, and ultimately advance the nursing profession to adapt confidently to ongoing changes in the modern healthcare context.