The aim of this study was to determine the role of the nurse educator in supporting pupil nurses. A quantitative, descriptive survey design was used with a questionnaire as data collection instrument. The sample included pupil nurses following the two year programme for enrolment as a nurse at one of the sub-campuses in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The results revealed that support was offered in the classroom and in the clinical field, though some of the pupil nurses were not happy with the clinical allocations. It was revealed that they were sometimes used as part of the workforce. There was a significant difference between means for the four aspects of support (classroom teaching, clinical teaching, assessment and motivation). The mean ranking for classroom and clinical teaching, were significantly higher than for assessment and motivation. Recommendations with reference to nursing education and further research regarding specific aspects of pupil nurse support were made. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

Text in English / The question the researcher set out to answer during this research study was: "What is the Educational Focus of a Nursing College, when viewed within Bevis and Watson's Humanistic·Educative-Caring Curriculum Paradigm versus a Stimulus-Response Curriculum Paradigm?" To answer this question, an exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was undertaken. The population consisted of tutors employed at a College of Nursing. From this population a purposive sample was drawn. Data was collected by means of formal, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. It was found that during the first year of students' education and training, the Educational Focus of the College was on training but during the second year, the focus changed to the transitional phase. The transitional phase is situated between training and education. During the third and fourth year, the focus was also in transition, but the way students learn was at the training phase. / Health Studies / M.A. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Significant changes have taken place in higher education over dte past ten years. Learners are more liberated and want to be acknowledged as individuals with differences, and not expected to adapt their individual characteristics to fit in with the specific environment of the learning situation. A new emphasis is placed upon creating and sustaining learning environments that accommodate Ieamer needs and dte process of effective learning. Learners' individual needs include their need to learn how to learn and an acceptance of their individual differences as expressed in learning styles. Active Ieamer participation in dte learning process is necessary for effective learning to take place. Only dten can the desired outcome be reached. For a Ieamer to actively participate in the learning process, the Ieamer must know how to learn, and how to function as an independent Ieamer. To reach these goals, sound knowledge of individual differences in learning st;ytes is necessary. The impact of individual differences on education and the way they affect educational practice, future learning and academic achievement places the emphasis even more strongly on constant awareness, updatlng or change, improvement and development of the educational environment. The educator, as one of the role players in the educational environment, is the facilitator of learning, and should be empowered with a strong knowledge base regarding individual differences among both learners and educators, thus becoming more innovative and creative. Qualitative non-empirical research was undertaken. The aim of this research was to analyse and explore the concept learning style as well as to promote learning style awareness through assessment of learning st;ytes, and to provide an organised frame of reference to guide the learning process and provide for systematic education. Based on insight and knowledge gained through Inductive and deductive reasoning, The Learning Style Assessment Tool and a model for learning style promotion in higher education were constructed. The instrument enables learners and educators to assess their own learning st;ytes and identify their learning characteristics and preferences. The model can serve as a basis for acknowledging and accommodating learning styles in higher education. The desired outcome of this research is effective learning and quality education. / Health Studes / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Individuals have unique ways of perceiving and organising information, which are referred to as learning styles. By becoming informed about individual learning styles the educator is in a better position to support the learner in the learning process. A descriptive correlational study was done to investigate the learning styles of nursing students at Unisa. In this research project a postal questionnaire was used to determine their learning styles. Research data were gathered on the demographic and academic profile of Unisa nursing students in order to determine their specific needs. Learning styles were correlated with various constructs (academic achievement, distance teaching, home language). It was concluded that awareness of individual learning styles is important to assure quality improvement in nursing education. Both learner and educator need to be knowledgeable of learning styles and therefore a course in learning styles was designed. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of this research was to draw up guidelines for nursing tutors on the facilitation of critical reflective learning in student nurses within the context of nursing education. The research question was stated as follows: What guidelines does the nursing tutor need to facilitate critical reflective learning in student nurses? The research design was qualitative, contextual, explorative and descriptive of nature. Ten nursing tutors were selected for participation on the basis of their expertise and experience. Data collection was in the form of written narratives. The data was analysed according to the eight-step method of Tesch (1990) in Cresswell (1994:155). An independent coder was involved in the judgement and interpretation of data. The research guidelines were derived from the research findings. These guidelines are applicable directly to nursing education and indirectly to the nursing practice, therefore it contributes to the scientific body of nursing knowledge. / Die doel van hierdie navorsing was die beskrywing van riglyne vir verpleegdosente om krities reflektiewe leer by verpleegstudente te fasiliteer binne 'n verpleegonderwys konteks. Die navorsingsvraag is soos volg gestel: Walter riglyne benodig die verpleegdosent om krities reflektiewe leer by verpleegstudente te fasiliteer? Die navorsingsontwerp was kwalitatief, kontekstueel, verkennend en beskrywend van aard. Tien verpleegdosente is geselekteer vir deelname op grond van hulle kundigheid en ervaring. Geskrewe narratiewe is gebruik om data in te sa mel. Die data is geanaliseer volgensdieagt-stap metodevan Tesch (1990) in Cresswell (1994:155). 'n Onafhanklike kodeerder was betrokke by die beoordeling en interpretasie van data. Die navorsingsriglyne is afgelei vanuit die navorsingsbevindinge en lewer 'n bydrae tot die wetenskaplike verpleegkennisbasis deurdat dit direkte toepassing vind in verpleegonderwys en indirek in die verpleegpraktyk. / Health Studies / M.A. (Verpleegonderwys)

The aim of this study was to determine the role of the nurse educator in supporting pupil nurses. A quantitative, descriptive survey design was used with a questionnaire as data collection instrument. The sample included pupil nurses following the two year programme for enrolment as a nurse at one of the sub-campuses in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The results revealed that support was offered in the classroom and in the clinical field, though some of the pupil nurses were not happy with the clinical allocations. It was revealed that they were sometimes used as part of the workforce. There was a significant difference between means for the four aspects of support (classroom teaching, clinical teaching, assessment and motivation). The mean ranking for classroom and clinical teaching, were significantly higher than for assessment and motivation. Recommendations with reference to nursing education and further research regarding specific aspects of pupil nurse support were made. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

Text in English / The question the researcher set out to answer during this research study was: "What is the Educational Focus of a Nursing College, when viewed within Bevis and Watson's Humanistic·Educative-Caring Curriculum Paradigm versus a Stimulus-Response Curriculum Paradigm?" To answer this question, an exploratory, descriptive and contextual study was undertaken. The population consisted of tutors employed at a College of Nursing. From this population a purposive sample was drawn. Data was collected by means of formal, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. It was found that during the first year of students' education and training, the Educational Focus of the College was on training but during the second year, the focus changed to the transitional phase. The transitional phase is situated between training and education. During the third and fourth year, the focus was also in transition, but the way students learn was at the training phase. / Health Studies / M.A. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Significant changes have taken place in higher education over dte past ten years. Learners are more liberated and want to be acknowledged as individuals with differences, and not expected to adapt their individual characteristics to fit in with the specific environment of the learning situation. A new emphasis is placed upon creating and sustaining learning environments that accommodate Ieamer needs and dte process of effective learning. Learners' individual needs include their need to learn how to learn and an acceptance of their individual differences as expressed in learning styles. Active Ieamer participation in dte learning process is necessary for effective learning to take place. Only dten can the desired outcome be reached. For a Ieamer to actively participate in the learning process, the Ieamer must know how to learn, and how to function as an independent Ieamer. To reach these goals, sound knowledge of individual differences in learning st;ytes is necessary. The impact of individual differences on education and the way they affect educational practice, future learning and academic achievement places the emphasis even more strongly on constant awareness, updatlng or change, improvement and development of the educational environment. The educator, as one of the role players in the educational environment, is the facilitator of learning, and should be empowered with a strong knowledge base regarding individual differences among both learners and educators, thus becoming more innovative and creative. Qualitative non-empirical research was undertaken. The aim of this research was to analyse and explore the concept learning style as well as to promote learning style awareness through assessment of learning st;ytes, and to provide an organised frame of reference to guide the learning process and provide for systematic education. Based on insight and knowledge gained through Inductive and deductive reasoning, The Learning Style Assessment Tool and a model for learning style promotion in higher education were constructed. The instrument enables learners and educators to assess their own learning st;ytes and identify their learning characteristics and preferences. The model can serve as a basis for acknowledging and accommodating learning styles in higher education. The desired outcome of this research is effective learning and quality education. / Health Studes / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Individuals have unique ways of perceiving and organising information, which are referred to as learning styles. By becoming informed about individual learning styles the educator is in a better position to support the learner in the learning process. A descriptive correlational study was done to investigate the learning styles of nursing students at Unisa. In this research project a postal questionnaire was used to determine their learning styles. Research data were gathered on the demographic and academic profile of Unisa nursing students in order to determine their specific needs. Learning styles were correlated with various constructs (academic achievement, distance teaching, home language). It was concluded that awareness of individual learning styles is important to assure quality improvement in nursing education. Both learner and educator need to be knowledgeable of learning styles and therefore a course in learning styles was designed. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

Background: Challenges in thesis proposal writing have resulted in doctoral students dropping from research studies resulting in the shortage of doctoral prepared nurses. Impediments include lack of human and non-human resources. Benner’s theory of novice to expert formed the basis for the development of the strategic intervention and action plan to address the challenges and strengths experienced by master’s prepared doctoral students during thesis proposal writing Purpose: The purpose of this research was to develop a strategic intervention and action plan that can be used to assist doctoral students to succeed in thesis proposal writing. Methods: An exploratory mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis in four phases was used. In Phase 1 qualitative data from two open-ended questions were used to gather data, combined with literature to develop a questionnaire for Phase 2. A questionnaire was developed from data obtained from Phase 2 as well as a thorough literature review to develop the strategic intervention and Action plan. In Phase 4 the strategic intervention and action plan was validated using the Delphi technique and experts acted as panellists for the validation. Framework: Benner’s novice to expert theoretical framework was adopted for the study because of the assumption that doctoral students need a change of perception and assistance in order to develop critical thinking skills that will enhance the development of research competencies. This framework was used because of its relevance to the study. Research Findings: Competence in doctoral thesis proposal writing is affected by human resources as well as non-human resources. The identified strategic interventions that were included in the action plan were: recruitment of competent supervisors, training and mentoring of new supervisors, achieving of a realistic student/supervisor ratio for supervision of students, timely allocation of supervisors, recruiting of subject librarians and employment of adequate library support, provision of peer support programmes, implementation of a student recruitment and selection plan, provision of student support programmes to enhance research skills and competencies, binding contracts to stipulate students responsibility, provision of adequate research resources, and implementation of a bursary system among others. Conclusion: The strategic intervention and action plan was developed using the input of doctoral nursing students who were in the process of completing their thesis proposal and a thorough literature review. The inclusion of the deans of nursing of universities and universities of technology of South Africa (FUNDISA) will enhance the possibility for the implementation of the strategic intervention and action plan which can contribute to assisting the master’s prepared doctoral students to successfully transition from novice students with little or no research knowledge to competent thesis proposal writers. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)