Factors Affecting Utilization Of Guidance And Counselling Services Among Students At Mutolere School Of Nursing And Midwifery, Kisoro District

The trend of discipline in Ugandan nursing institutions is not different from the rest of schools.
Despite guidance and counseling being part of the education policy and the curriculum, the
utilization is poor. The purpose of the study was to determine the factors affecting utilization of
guidance and counseling services among students at Mutolere School of Nursing and Midwifery,
Kisoro District. In order to successfully determine these factors, a number of variables were put
into consideration and were grouped as student related factors and institutional related factors
affecting utilization of guidance and counseling services among students at Mutolere school of
Nursing and Midwifery.
A descriptive cross-sectional study design involving both qualitative and quantitative methods of
data collection was used, a sample size of 55 respondents was considered whereby 50 were
students selected using stratified sampling method and 5 teaching staff selected using purposive
sampling method. Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire and a key informant guide,
analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 2016, excel version 2010
and results were presented in form of tables and figures for easy interpretation. Findings from the
study revealed that 48(96%)were aware of G & C services ,49(98%) knew it was useful but
39(78%) had never utilized them due to; 30(60%) gender differences,19(38%) religious
differences,31(62%) confidentiality and trust issues and 48(96%) poor student-counselor
relationship as student related factors affecting utilization of guidance and counseling services
among students at Mutolere School of Nursing and Midwifery Kisoro district.
More so, lack of a special room for G&C 47(94%), less support from the school administration
30(60%), lack of privacy 47(94%) and heavy work load 29(58%) were revealed as institutional
related factors affecting utilization of guidance and counseling services among students at
Mutolere School of Nursing and Midwifery Kisoro district. The study concluded that majority of
the students were aware of G&C services but the utilization was affected by gender, religion,
confidentiality and trust, lack of a counselor’s room, inadequate support from the administration,
and heavy workload of the tutor responsible for the services among other factors.
Therefore, the study recommends that there is need to create a special room for guidance and
counseling with adequate materials in the school and need to employ a skilled counselor without
other responsibilities. Furthermore, students should be continuously educated on the need to
utilize G&C services to reduce on inferiority complex when dealing with life challenges and
academics.