Text in Afrikaans / This research describes the coats of arms and emblems of hospitals and nursing colleges in the Republic of South Africa, an aspect of nursing's heritage and history have not yet been described. Data were collected by means of questionnaires. An extensive literature review on heraldics and an analysis of the meanings contained in the symbols appearing on these devices were done. The analysis resulted in the following; the uniqueness of the individual devices, the development of nursing and nursing education, the influence of values, norms, ideals, culture, religion and history on the selection of symbols. The heraldic meanings of symbols and the meanings indicated in the questionnaires were compared with the identified core concepts for nursing. The overall finding was that any congruence was purely circumstantial. / Hierdie navorsing beskryf die wapens en embleme van hospitale en verpleegkolleges in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 'n aspek van die erfenis en geskiedenis van verpleging wat nog nie vantevore beskryf is nie. Inligting was deur middel van vraelyste ingesamel. 'n Uitgebreide literatuuroorsig oor die heraldiek en 'n ontleding van die betekenisse van die simbole soos aangetref op die wapens/embleme, is gedoen.Uit die analisering is die volgende bevind; die uniekheid van die individuele wapens/embleme, die ontwikkeling van verpleging en verpleegonderrig, die invloed van waardes, norme, ideale, kultuur, godsdiens en geskiedenis op die keuse van simbole. Die heraldiese betekenis van simbole en die betekenis wat in die vraelyste daaroor aangedui is, is met die geidentifiseerde kembegrippe vir verpleging, vergelyk. Die algemene bevinding is dat enige ooreenkoms bloot toevallig is. / Health Studies / M.A. (Verpleegkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / This research describes the coats of arms and emblems of hospitals and nursing colleges in the Republic of South Africa, an aspect of nursing's heritage and history have not yet been described. Data were collected by means of questionnaires. An extensive literature review on heraldics and an analysis of the meanings contained in the symbols appearing on these devices were done. The analysis resulted in the following; the uniqueness of the individual devices, the development of nursing and nursing education, the influence of values, norms, ideals, culture, religion and history on the selection of symbols. The heraldic meanings of symbols and the meanings indicated in the questionnaires were compared with the identified core concepts for nursing. The overall finding was that any congruence was purely circumstantial. / Hierdie navorsing beskryf die wapens en embleme van hospitale en verpleegkolleges in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika, 'n aspek van die erfenis en geskiedenis van verpleging wat nog nie vantevore beskryf is nie. Inligting was deur middel van vraelyste ingesamel. 'n Uitgebreide literatuuroorsig oor die heraldiek en 'n ontleding van die betekenisse van die simbole soos aangetref op die wapens/embleme, is gedoen.Uit die analisering is die volgende bevind; die uniekheid van die individuele wapens/embleme, die ontwikkeling van verpleging en verpleegonderrig, die invloed van waardes, norme, ideale, kultuur, godsdiens en geskiedenis op die keuse van simbole. Die heraldiese betekenis van simbole en die betekenis wat in die vraelyste daaroor aangedui is, is met die geidentifiseerde kembegrippe vir verpleging, vergelyk. Die algemene bevinding is dat enige ooreenkoms bloot toevallig is. / Health Studies / M.A. (Verpleegkunde)