Thesis (MCur (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A nurse has to develop certain concepts, attitudes, knowledge and skills in nursing. For the purpose of this study the researcher explored a private nursing school in the Southern Cape with the focus on their personal-professional developmental (PPD) programme. The researcher explored the feasibility of this programme by describing the pre-registration nurses’ perceptions on the value and contribution of the programme to their personal and professional development. In particular, the exploration addressed the nurses from a multicultural setting who found it difficult to adapt to the nursing norms, values or working culture. This was done in order to make a difference in the nature of the above-mentioned programme so that it would suit the nurses from different cultures and also set up a programme which will ensure quality nursepatient care through enhanced communication skills, empathy and critical thinking abilities. The objectives set for this study were to explore the perceptions of pre-registration nurses from a multicultural setting who were involved in this programme in order to determine whether the PPD programme contributed to their life enrichment and level of knowledge and to explore the perceptions of the professional nurses supervising the pre-registration nurses with regard to additional knowledge, skills and attitudes gained after the completion of the PPD programme. A quantitative research approach with a smaller qualitative component and a descriptive design was selected. The population for this study comprised all the pre-registration nurses of the abovementioned school (N=120) and all the professional nurses who worked closely with the preregistration nurses (N=27). A structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. The sample of pre-registration nurses who took part included the entire population (n=120). The non-probability purposive sampling of the professional nurses who took part in this study comprised 14 participants. Reliability and validity were assured by means of a pre-test of the questionnaire and the use of experts in nursing education, research methodology and statistics. Data were collected personally by the researcher. Ethical approval was obtained from Stellenbosch University and the head of the particular private hospital. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. It seemed that the multicultural pre-registration nurses felt the PPD programme was effective and contributed to the skills they needed to be passionate and knowledgeable nurses. On completion of the study key recommendations were made regarding the improvement of communication between pre-registration nurses and management at ward level, the implementation of a structured programme with measurable, accessible outcomes, and the provision of classes in computer literacy as well as basic research skills. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ʼn Verpleegster moet sekere konsepte, houdings, kennis en vaardighede in die verpleegkultuur ontwikkel. Vir die doel van die studie het die navorser ’n privaat verpleegskool in die Suid-Kaap ondersoek wat hul toespits op ’n unieke persoonlike professionele ontwikkelingsprogram (PPO). Die lewensvatbaarheid van hierdie program, asook die vlak van kennis wat die voorgraadse verpleegsters bereik het en ná voltooiing van die program op pasiënte toepas, is deur die navorser ondersoek. Hierdie program het ten doel om voorgraadse verpleegsters bevoeg te verklaar t.o.v. lewensverryking betreffende kommunikasievaardighede, empatie en kritiese denke. Die doel van die studie was om die persepsies van multikulturele voorgraadse verpleegsters ten opsigte van die genoemde program vas te stel ten einde te bepaal of hierdie program wel bygedra het tot hul lewensverryking en vlak van kennis. Persepsies van professionele verpleegkundiges onder wie se toesig hierdie genoemde verpleegsters werksaam was, is ondersoek om vas te stel of voorgraadse verpleegsters addisionele kennis, vaardighede, empatie en kritiese denke met behulp van die program bekom het. ’n Kwantitatiewe studie met ʼn kleiner kwalitatiewe komponent en ʼn beskrywende ontwerp is gekies. Die populasie het bestaan uit al die voorgraadse verpleegsters van die genoemde skool (N=120) en al die professionele verpleegkundiges wat betrokke is by bogenoemde verpleegsters (N=27). ’n Gestruktureerde vraelys en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om data in te samel. Die totale populasie verpleegsters is ingesluit in die studie (n=120). ’n Nie-waarskynlikheids- doelgerigte steekproef van professionele verpleegkundiges wat deelgeneem het was 14. Geldigheid en betroubaarheid is verseker deur die uitvoer van ʼn vooraf toetsing van die vraelys, asook deur kenners in verpleegonderrig, navorsingsmetodologie en statistiek te konsulteer. Data is persoonlik deur die navorser ingesamel. Etiese goedkeuring is van die Universiteit Stellenbosch en die hoof van die spesifieke privaat hospitaal verkry. Geskrewe ingeligte toestemming is van al die deelnemers verkry. Dit wil voorkom asof die voorgraadse verpleegsters in die multikulturele werksomgewing van mening was dat die PPO-program effektief bygedra het tot hul passie vir verpleging en hulle verryk het met kennis. Ná afloop van die studie is die hoof-aanbevelings gedoen ten opsigte van verbeterde kommunikasievaardighede tussen voorgraadse verpleegsters en bestuur op grondvlak, die instelling van ’n gestruktureerde program met meetbare, bereikbare uitkomste, asook die aanbieding van rekenaarklasse en basiese navorsingsklasse.