M.Cur. / This dissertation studies the labour experiences of parents who received childbirth preparation. At the moment, the extended family is no longer prevalent, and the teachings mothers passed to daughters has decreased dramatically. As more medical interventions alter the labour process, couples need to be more aware of what to expect. The trend for first time parents is to attend some kind of formal antenatal preparation. How relevant is this preparation? A qualitative study design was utilised to allow for exploration and description of the experience of labour. An audio recording was done as well as the subjects filling in a questionnaire. A pilot study with one couple was completed initially. Mothers in the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg were studied. They had given birth in private clinics in the area. The interviews were unstructured and conducted in English. The data once collected, was transcribed and analysed using cross case data analysis and classification according to common themes. Nursing for the Whole Person Theory was used as the paradigm and guide for analysis. The results are compared with the relevant literature which is presented in The results are displayed in various forms in the study and show a positive experience in women and men who attended antenatal preparation. Recommendations are made for the medical profession and presented in with the conclusions.

M.Cur. / The standard of care in midwifery services improves all the time. Because of this reason mothers are experiencing more of midwifery services and also of antenatal preparation services. This can be seen in the increasing demand for active birth, plychoprophlaxis and preparation for delivery. The higher the standard of antenatal preparation, the more positive the influence on the birthing process. Because of the isolation of the nuclear family from the traditional family and its recourcee, more pressure is put on professional people and other recources for formal antenatal preparation programs. Standards are therefore essential for effective antenatal preparation to ensure optimal care.

Stress reduction techniques have been used to assist people in coping with stressful medical procedures and events. Labor and delivery training classes have utilized techniques to assist women with the childbirth process. The classes generally included basic education of labor and delivery, respiration behavior, relaxation of muscles, and participation of a coach. Reducing the amount of pain experienced in labor and delivery has been suggested for facilitating the process and decreasing the amount of medication received. The painful experience changed from an uncontrollable situation into a positive one, allowing women to feel more resourceful, less anxious, and less threatened.

M.Cur. (Advanced Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science) / The aim of this study was to explore and describe antenatal education needs of low-risk pregnant clients receiving basic antenatal care in the public health setting, in a health care facility in Tshwane. Very little antenatal education is being given to pregnant clients receiving basic antenatal care in the public health setting, in contrast to antenatal education provided to women who make use of private health care facilities during their pregnancy and attend private antenatal classes. The need for antenatal education of clients receiving care in the public health setting may well be intensified due to the often marginalised circumstances from which these clients originate and a lack of informal learning opportunities on childbirth, coupled with the possibly aggravating influence of cultural practices which may be harmful to both mother and child. Not having access to this education may negatively affect the pregnancy, birth, and postnatal period. The lack of antenatal education often causes woman to unnecessarily seek medical help at already overloaded clinics, which could be prevented if the women received proper antenatal education. The opposite is also true: many women do not seek medical help in time because of a lack of antenatal education. Through a qualitative study, antenatal educational needs of clients receiving basic antenatal care in a community health setting in Tshwane within the public health setting, were explored and described. The specific needs which should be addressed were identified by the clients through individual interviews, as well as by the health care workers caring for them, through focus group interviews. Both the interviews and focus groups were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using Tesch’s steps to qualitative data analysis. An independent coder was used to ensure trustworthiness. This analysed data was compared to the relevant available literature and was found to be corresponding. The identified needs were then utilised to make recommendations for midwifery practice to meet the antenatal educational needs, including a proposed programme to be presented in the public health setting in Tshwane to clients receiving basic antenatal care. The programme suggests three education classes which can be presented, addressing all the needs identified through the study. Recommendations for midwifery education and further research were additionally presented.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The problem of the study was to develop valid and reliable evaluation tools for the American Red Cross course "Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby." From a table of specification, a pool of 87 items was developed into two evaluation scales. A thirteen-member jury of experts composed of professionals in prenatal education was used to establish content validity. The jury of experts reviewed the scales twice. The first review, items were subject to both a quantitative and qualitative review. Items were then retained, revised, or eliminated. The jury of experts then reviewed the scales a second time, and items again were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis. The second review included the use of the Content-Validity Ratio. All items in the scales that were not statistically significant at p<. 05 were eliminated. The validated evaluation scales made up of 46 items from the 87 originally proposed items were then pilot tested. Fifty-two women were then asked to complete the two evaluation scales one week apart. Upon completion of the pilot study, items were subjected to statistical analysis using test-retest, Cronbach's alpha, and internal constancy. Those items with a low test-test scores and/or internal constancy were then eliminated. The retained knowledge questions were then revised as the questions were subjected to quantitative analysis. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

M.Cur. / Knowledge brings with it power, confidence and courage. It is therefore important to prepare for childbirth not only physically, but also emotionally and psychologically. This research tells the story of the childbirth and breastfeeding experiences of the primigravidae who attended childbirth education classes. The objectives of the research were to: • explore and describe how childbirth education contributed to the birthing and breastfeeding experiences of the primigravidae; • write guidelines for the childbirth educators to aid them in improving the childbirth education contents. The research utilised a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory and contextual design (Mouton, 1996:102). In depth, semi-structured phenomenological interviews were held with women meeting the sampling criteria. Permission was obtained from the University of Johannesburg and informed consent was obtained from the women volunteering to participate in the research. Trustworthiness was maintained by using strategies of credibility, applicability, dependability and confinnability, as described by Lincoln and Guba (1985:289-331). Recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using the technique by Tesch (in Creswell, 1994:155-156). The services of an independent coder were utilised and a consensus discussion was held. The results showed that childbirth education and support reduces fear and help women to cope better with labour. Lack of all the information leads to unrealistic expectations and may result in negative birthing experiences. Emotional support from the midwife in the hospital is important to the labouring women; therefore, it is important for the childbirth educator to work together with the midwives in the hospital in order to avoid disappointment and unmet expectations. Conclusions were drawn and recommendations made concerning nursing practice, nursing education and nursing research. Guidelines for the childbirth educators were described to assist them in improving the childbirth education contents.

Since the inception of the student supernumerary status, both globally and in South Africa, nursing and midwifery educators have been concerned about the clinical competencies of their students. Student clinical competency levels in South Africa are critical to midwifery practice, especially as most litigation against the Department of Health in South Africa concerns negligence in midwifery practice. In addition, the litigations mostly involve newly qualified midwives, thus suggesting a link with practice competency levels. Several challenges exist in the academic and practice environments regarding student learning, practice and clinical preparedness. Lack of support during clinical placement and a lack of facilities for use during clinical practice modules are among these challenges. Some students, due to the challenges they face with clinical learning and practice, fail to meet the practical competencies for examination entry requirements. Consequently, some of these students have to repeat the year or exit the programme. The current study sought to identify how to assist midwifery educators in their activities to prepare students for clinical placement readiness. The first objective of the study was to explore and describe the perceptions of midwifery educators regarding the need for additional measures to enhance the clinical preparedness of basic midwifery students before they are allocated to the clinical areas. The second objective sought to make recommendations that would further assist the midwifery educators to clinically prepare midwifery students before being allocated and placed in different clinical areas. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was used for the study and the study was conducted at a nursing college in the Eastern Cape Province from August 2014 to January 2016. The research population consisted of midwifery educators at a nursing college and a purposive sampling technique was used guided by set criteria. Data were collected using focus group interviews. Four focus groups were used making a total of 17 participants. The principles applied for data analysis were those of Tesch’s method of data analysis, which were used to develop the themes and sub-themes. An independent coder assisted with the coding of the data for the purposes of trustworthiness. In addition, Lincoln and Guba’s model of trustworthiness consisting of the criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability was used to confirm the validity of the study while the ethical principles adopted were informed consent, justice, non-maleficence, privacy and confidentiality. The study found that the participants perceived numerous challenges that hindered the clinical preparedness of their students. These related to increased workload, lack of support from management and a lack of commitment on the part of students towards their studies. The participants also identified inconsistencies in clinical practice between the clinical midwives and the educators, and even among the educators themselves. This lack of consistency in turn causes confusion among the students and thus impacts negatively on their clinical practice preparedness. Based on these findings recommendations for clinical nursing practice, nursing education and research were made.