Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The work environment in critical care units in South Africa is hampered by a profound shortage of nurses, heavy workloads, conflict, high levels of stress, lack of motivation and dissatisfaction among the staff. The task of managing a C.C.U. has therefore become a challenge. It is important that unit managers apply a leadership style that matches these challenges. The aim of this study was to investigate the ideal style of leadership. The objectives set for the study were to identify the ideal leadership style required in the following areas:  administrative functions  education functions  patient care  research An explorative, descriptive research design was applied, with a quantitative approach to determine the ideal leadership style for unit managers in critical care units of private health care institutions. The research sample consisted of all nurses working permanently in eleven private hospitals in the Cape Metropolitan area. A questionnaire consisting of predominantly closed questions was used for the collection of data, which was collected by the researcher in person. Ethical approval was obtained from the Committee of Human Science Research at Stellenbosch University. Permission to conduct the research was obtained from the institutions and informed consent from the participants. A pilot study was conducted to test the questionnaire at a private hospital which did not form part of the study. A 10% sample of the relevant staff, namely 27 participants were involved in this study. The validity and reliability was assured through the pilot study and the use of a statistician as well as experts in nursing and a research methodologist. Data was tabulated and presented in histograms and frequencies. Statistical significant associations were drawn between variables, using the Chi-square test. The Spearman rank (rho) order correlation was used to show the strength of the relationship between two continuous variables. Findings of the study show that participatory leadership style and transformational leadership approach were valued in all four (4) of the objectives. Emphasis was placed on consultation prior to any decisions. Nurses requested an opportunity to give feedback on a regular basis regarding the unit managers conduct (Chi-square test p = 0.025). They also agreed that unit managers should apply the necessary rules and procedures (Chi-square test p = 0.016). A huge request was made for integrity, trust, impartiality, openness, approachability and particularly honesty. The nurses also maintained that the nurse manager’s behaviour should be congruent. Furthermore, the results indicate that nurses would like to be empowered by:  being involved in the scheduling of off-duties  taking the lead in climate meetings  being granted opportunities (to all categories of nurses) to attend managerial meetings. N = 41 (48.2%) of nurses admitted that unit managers would instruct them to cope with insufficient staffing pertaining to ventilated patients, putting them under severe strain and at risk legally. N = 39 (47%) of nurses admitted that unit managers only consider qualifications and experience in the delegation of tasks if the workload in the unit justifies it. Safe patient care is not always a priority. N = 99 (96%) of nurses agreed that autocratic behaviour relating to task delegation exists. Recommendations included the application of transformational leadership and participatory management. The aim to create a healthier, more favourable work environment for critical care nurses will hopefully be attained through applying the ideal leadership style and leadership approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werksverrigtinge in kritieke sorgeenhede in Suid-Afrika word deur ‘n ernstige tekort aan verpleegsters, hoë werklading, konflik, spanning, min motivering en baie ontevredenheid onder verpleeglui gekortwiek. Die leiding en bestuur van ‘n kritieke sorgeenheid is dus nie ‘n maklike taak nie. Dit is dus belangrik dat eenheidsbestuurders ‘n leierskapstyl aan die dag lê wat dié uitdagings doeltreffend aanspreek. Die doel van die studie is dus om ondersoek in te stel na die wenslike leierskapstyl vir kritieke sorgeenhede. Die doelwitte daargestel is dus om die ideale leierskapstyl in elk van die volgende funksies te bepaal:  administrasie  opleiding  pasiënte-sorg  navorsing Die ideale leierskapstyl vir eenheidbestuurders in kritieke sorgeenhede in privaathospitale is bepaal deur ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering met ‘n beskrywende ontwerp toe te pas. Die populasie het alle kritieke sorg verpleeglui ( permanent werksaam by een van elf privaathospitale in die Kaapse Metropool) ingesluit. Instrumentasie het ‘n vraelys behels (met oorwegend geslote vrae) en data is persoonlik deur die navorser ingevorder. Etiese toestemming is vanaf die Etiese Komitee van die Mediese Fakulteit te Universiteit Stellenbosch verkry asook die hoofde van die verskillende privaathospitale waar navorsing plaasgevind het. Ingeligte toestemming is ook van elkeen van die deelnemers verkry. Ten einde die vraelys te toets, is ‘n loodstudie by ‘n privaathospitaal ( wat nie by die studie ingesluit was nie) gedoen. Die loodstudie het N = 27 (10%) van die totale populasie behels. Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die studie is deur die loodstudie, die gebruik van ‘n statistikus, verpleegdeskundiges en die navorser-metodoloog versterk. Data is getabuleer en in histogramme en frekwensies voorgestel. Deur die Chi-square- toets te gebruik, is statisties betekenisvolle assosiasies tussen veranderlikes bepaal. Ten einde sterkte van verhoudings tussen twee opeenvolgende veranderlikes te bepaal, is die Spearman rangordekorrelasie (rho) aangewend. Die bevindings van die studie het getoon dat ‘n deelnemende bestuurstyl en transformasie-leierskapbenadering die mees aangewese keuse vir al vier doelwitte is. Die toepassing van veral ‘n deelnemende besluitnemingsproses het groot voorrang geniet, Verpleegkundiges wil daarbenewens ook op ‘n gereelde basis geleentheid hê om terugvoering oor die leierskapgedrag van die eenheidsbestuurder te gee (Chi-square toets p = 0.025). Ook verlang die deelnemers dat eenheidsbestuurders nie reëls en regulasies moet verontagsaam nie (Chi-square toets p = 0.016). ‘n Ernstige versoek is gerig ten opsigte van integriteit met pertinente verwysing na eerlikheid, vertroue, onpartydigheid, deursigtigheid, toeganklikheid en dat die leier se woorde en dade moet ooreenstem. Die resultate het verder getoon dat verpleegsters graag bemagtig wil word deur:  betrokkenheid in die skedulering van afdienste,  leiding in klimaatsvergaderings te wil neem,  geleentheid te hê om bestuurvergaderings by te woon (alle kategorieë van verpleegkundiges).. N = 39 (48.2%) van verpleegkundiges het erken dat hulle gedwonge personeeltekorte ten opsigte van geventileerde pasiënte ervaar en dus aan mediese geregtelike risiko’s en onnodige druk blootgestel word. N 39 (47%) van verpleegkundiges het erken dat eenheidsbestuuders kwalifikasies en ondervinding slegs in ag neem indien die werklading in die eenheid dit toelaat..Veilige pasiëntesorg kry dus nie altyd voorkeur nie. N = 99 (96%) van verpleegkundiges het erken dat outokratiese gedrag ( wat met werkstoewysing verband hou) wel voorkom. ‘n Transformasie leierskapsbenadering en deelnemende bestuurstyl is dus aanbeveel. Die hoop word dus uitgespreek dat deur aan die verpleegkundiges se versoeke ten opsigte van die ideale bestuursbenadering en bestuurstyl te voldoen, die werksatmosfeer binne kritieke sorgeenhede toenemend gesonder en dus aangenamer sal word.

Thesis (MCur (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Critical care nursing is the specialty within nursing that deals with an individual's response to life-threatening problems. These life threatening problems require continuous in-depth assessment and intense therapeutic measures and interventions. The level of nursing care is intense and the amount of documentation is enormous in the intensive care unit. Failure to document any aspects, may threaten the continuity of care and patient safety. Furthermore, it may result in negligence that may result in litigation. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively analyse nursing documentation in the intensive care units of an academic hospital in the Western Cape. The objectives set for this study were to determine whether the documentation of the: • assessment of the patients were adequate; • diagnoses were based on the assessment; • nursing care plans were based on the diagnoses; • nursing care plans were implemented and • nursing care plan shows evidence of continuous evaluation A retrospective exploratory- descriptive research design with a quantitative approach was applied to audit objectively the status of nursing documentation of patients who were admitted to the ICU’s of an academic hospital in the Western Cape in the first 48 hours of admission. Ethical approval was obtained from the University of Stellenbosch and consent from the Chief Executive Officer of the academic hospital to conduct the research in the hospital under study. The research population (N) was the documentation (files) of patients admitted in the ICU’s between 1 July 2008 and 31 December 2008. A stratified sample was drawn consisting of 151 files. The researcher collected the data personally utilising a pretested audit instrument. The reliability and validity was assured through experts in nursing science and intensive care nursing, a statistician and a research methodologist. A pilot study was conducted to pretest the instrument and the feasibility of the study. Modifications to the instrument were done based on suggestions from the experts and findings of the pilot study. Data analysis included statistical associations between variables using the Chi-square test on a 95% confidence level. Data is presented in the form of figures, tables and frequencies. The findings of the study show that the nursing documentation in the intensive unit is inadequate with the following total mean scores: • Assessment 62.6% • Nursing diagnosis 53.1% • Nursing care plans 37.1% • Implementation 72.6% • Evaluation 40.5%. In conclusion nursing documentation of patients admitted to an ICU is inadequate during the first 48 hours of admission. Poor documentation threatens the safety of patients and demands urgent improvement. Recommendations to improve the documentation include nursing practice supervision, quality improvement programmes, in-service training, evidence based practice and further research. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kritieke-sorg verpleging is die spesialiteit in verpleging wat betrekking het op die individu se reaksie.op lewensgevaarlike probleme.Hierdie lewensgevaarlike probleme benodig deurlopend deeglike beraming en intense terapeutiese benaderings en intervensies. In die intensiewesorg eenheid is die vlak van verpleegsorg baie intens en die dokumentasie hoeveelheid is enorm. Versuim om enige aspekte van sorg deeglik en akkuraat te dokumenteer, kan die deurlopendheid van sorg sowel as die veiligheid van die pasient bedreig. Verder kan dit tot regsstappe lei as gevolg van nalatigheid. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ‘n retrospektiewe analise van verpleeg dokumentasie in die intensiewe sorgeenhede van ‘n akademiese hospitaal in die Wes Kaap te doen. Die doelwitte van hierdie studie was om vas te stel of die dokumentasie van die: • beraming van die pasiênt voldoende gedoen is • verpleegdiagnose gebaseer is op die beraming • verpleegsorgplan gebaseer is op die diagnose • implementering van die verpleegsorgplan en • verpleegsorgplan bewyse toon. van deurlopende evaluasie ‘n Retrospektiewe eksploratiewe-beskrywende navorsingsontwerp met ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering is toegepas ten einde die status van verpleegdokumentasie van pasiente wat toegalaat is tot die intensiewesorg eenhede van ‘n akademiese hospitaal in die Wes Kaap in die eerste 48 uur na toelating te bepaal. Etiese goedkeuring is verkry van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch asook vanaf die Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die akademiese hospitaal om die navorsing daar uit te voer. Die navorsings populasie (N) was die dokumentasie (lêers) van die pasiente wat opgeneem is in die intensiewesorg eenheid tussen 1 Julie 2008 en 31 Desember 2008. ‘n Gestratifieerde steekproef is getrek bestaande uit 151 lêers. Die navorser het die data persoonlik kollekteer deur gebruik te maak van ‘n voortoets oudit instrument. Die betroubaarheid en geldigheid is verseker deur kundiges in verpleegkunde en intensiewesorg verpleging, asook ‘n statistikus en ‘n navorsingsmetodoloog. ‘n Loodstudie is gedoen om die instrument vooraf te toets en om die uitvoerbaarheid van die navorsing te bepaal. Veranderinge is aangebring op grond van die voorstelle van die kundiges sowel as die bevindinge van die loodstudie. Data analise het ingesluit die statistiese assosiasies tussen veranderlikes deur gebruik te maak van die Chi-kwadraat toets tot ‘n 95% sekerheidsvlak. Data is aangebied in die vorm van figure, tabelle en frekwensies. Die bevindinge van die studie wys dat die verpleegdokumentasie in die intensiewesorg eenheid is onvoldoende met die volgende gemiddelde telling: • Beraming 62.6% • Verpleegdiagnose 53.1% • Verpleegsorgplanne 37.1% • Implementering 72.6% • Evaluering 40.5% Ten slotte, verpleegdokumentasie van pasiënte wat tot die intensiewesorg eenheid toegelaat is, is onvoldoende gedurende die eerste 48 uur van toelating. Swak dokumentasie bedreig die veiligheid van pasiënte en verg dringende verbetering. Aanbevelings om die dokumentasie te verbeter sluit in toesig oor verpleegpraktyke kwaliteit verbeteringsprogramme, indiensopleiding, bewysgebaseerde praktyke en verdere navorsing.

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to develop strategies to overcome the challenges in the management of large intensive care units (ICUs). Qualitative, research was conducted to explore and describe the challenges and needs experienced by the ICU managers and critical care nurses in the management of large ICUs. Data was collected through interviews. The study was conducted in two phases, that is, Phases I and II which involved compilation of evidence in preparation for development of the strategies and development of the strategies respectively. Two groups of critical care nurses participated in the steps of data collection in Phase I of the study. The unit managers participated in Phase I step 1 which was individual interviews and the critical care nurses not in the management role participated in Phase I, step 2 which was focus group interviews. Data was analysed using the descriptive analysis method of Tesch (1990). The study has highlighted the challenges and needs in the management of large ICUs, through seven themes that emerged from the findings. Ten strategies were developed to overcome the challenges and address the identified needs. The strategies have been presented as a contribution to literature. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to develop strategies to overcome the challenges in the management of large intensive care units (ICUs). Qualitative, research was conducted to explore and describe the challenges and needs experienced by the ICU managers and critical care nurses in the management of large ICUs. Data was collected through interviews. The study was conducted in two phases, that is, Phases I and II which involved compilation of evidence in preparation for development of the strategies and development of the strategies respectively. Two groups of critical care nurses participated in the steps of data collection in Phase I of the study. The unit managers participated in Phase I step 1 which was individual interviews and the critical care nurses not in the management role participated in Phase I, step 2 which was focus group interviews. Data was analysed using the descriptive analysis method of Tesch (1990). The study has highlighted the challenges and needs in the management of large ICUs, through seven themes that emerged from the findings. Ten strategies were developed to overcome the challenges and address the identified needs. The strategies have been presented as a contribution to literature. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)