The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of registered nurses with regard to facilitating the learning of student nurses during clinical placement. Focus group interviews with fifteen registered nurses were done, followed by participant observations in two clinical areas, to gain a clearer picture of obstacles, as well as the strategies employed during placement of student nurses in the clinical area. The :findings indicate that facilitation of the learning of student nurses during clinical placement is achieved by guidance, involvement, assisting and supervision of student nurses in the clinical area by nurses of all categories, and medical and paramedical personnel. Many obstacles were identified which obstruct the employment of strategies that are suitable for facilitation in the clinical area. Guidelines for the facilitation of learning of student nurses were recommended, to improve facilitation in the clinical area. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of professional nurses on student mentorship. A qualitative, explorative, hermeneutic phenomenological research was conducted to determine the meaning of mentoring as perceived by professional nurses and to identify the successes and challenges encountered by professional nurses with regard to student mentorship during clinical practice. A face-to-face semi-structured interviews were done to collect data from operational managers (n=16) who were managing all unit activities, student mentoring included. Each interview lasted for ± 45 minutes. A hermeneutic data analysis (hermeneutic circle) was followed for data analysis. Four (4) themes and 15 sub-themes emerged from data collected from operational managers. The findings revealed that mentoring was perceived as a valuable phenomenon to apply in the preparation of student nurses for future professional role. In the process of mentoring, the caring attitude is revealed. Factors found to drive mentoring process successful was amongst other commitment, interest and partnership which guarantee the mutual efforts to the process. Though it is beneficial to mentor, mentee and the organisation as according to findings, challenges were also seen impacting on this process limiting its intentions / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Text in English / The nursing profession is premised on the moral and ethical maxim: do unto others as you would they do unto you. Advanced beginner nurses progress to become fully fledged professional nurses as a result of the socialisation, support and nurturing by the proficient and expert counterparts. Socialisation engenders a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood within the nursing profession. However, there is evidence to suggest that nurses ‘eat their young’. In the event that advanced nurses consider themselves as dinner for the expert nurses, they are inclined to leave the profession due to their real or perceived unpalatable experiences of suffering under the tutelage of the expert nurses. Proceeding from the grounded theory paradigm, the purpose of the study is to explore and describe the extent (if any) to which the role of the clinical resource nurse affects staff retention. The study was conducted at two SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Service Company) facilities in Abu Dhabi. The study followed a qualitative design that is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature, with some quantitative aspects developed by means of questionnaires. The purposive non-probability sampling technique was employed in the study, with the sample size comprised of 1 Assistant Director of Nursing; 1 Acting Assistant Director of Nursing; 5 Unit Managers; 3 Clinical Nurse Coordinators; 16 Clinical Resource Nurses; 11 Graduate Nurse Interns; and 14 Registered Nurses. Quantitative data will be collected using semi-structured interviews, as well as open-ended surveys. Data was analysed qualitatively. Guba’s model in Polit & Beck (2012:582) was utilised to ensure trustworthiness of the study. Ethical requirements were considered throughout the study. Findings showed that the responsibility of peer mentoring does not rest solely on the shoulders of the CRN (Clinical Resource Nurse) but is a team effort is a team effort between senior leadership unit managers, CNCs (Clinical Nurse Coordinators) and external stakeholders such as HAAD (Health Authority Abu Dhabi), SEHA, NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) and higher education. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)