M.A. / Die doel van hierdie studie was tweeledig van aard. Die eerste doelstelling was om 'n behoeftebepaling te doen ten einde vas te stel wat die pasiente se algemene behoeftes is ten opsigte van narkose. Die tweede doelstelling was om 'n streshanteringsprogram te ontwikkel, toe te pas op toepaslike proefpersone, en te evalueer aan die hand van vier afhanklike veranderlikes, naamlik angsvlak, pynvlak, irrasionele kognisies en lokus van kontrole. Hierdie streshanteringsprogram is ontwikkel om prakties uitvoerbaar en pasi ntvriendelik gerig te wees sodat die effektiwiteit. vir toekomstige volgehoue gebruik getoets kon word.

M.Phil. / The foundation of Earned Value Performance Management (EVPM) was the cost/Schedule Control Systems Criteria originally defined in the USA in 1967. Earned Value Performance Management has traditionally been used in Defense projects with budgets in excess of R100M. Private industry is now implementing EVPM for major projects, which are large, complex or geographically dispersed. It is the objective of this dissertation to determine whether the Earned Value concept as developed over the years to the form it is in today is being used in the South African construction industry or not. As part of this dissertation the author devised and distributed a questionnaire to a limited and targeted demographic of Project Management practitioners. The results found that the concept of Earned value is being used in some form or other in selected few companies within the South African Construction industry. While it has been recognized, it's benefits are not being fully utilized. The benefit of the Earned Value concept contributing to the successful completion of a project is being acknowledged and more and more construction companies are slowly making Earned Value an intricate part of their Project Management system

M.Cur. / The nursing service manager is accountable for the managerial outputs of the nursing service, being quality nursing care, cost effectiveness and quality nursing staff management. These managerial responsibilities will influence the overall management efficiency of the health delivery system. There is a need for a more scientific basis of staffing in South African critical care units. Various methods are used to determine staffing needs, but the most accurate and acceptable method being used is the patient classification system. The success of a critical care patient classification system is based upon the accurate determination of the ideal nurse-patient ratio. Ideal nursepatient ratio depends on matching the competency of the critical care nurse to the severity of the critical care patient's illness. Internationally and nationally very few guidelines describe the competency requirements that the critical care nurse should have to function effectively in the critical care unit. To maintain a high standard of quality nursing care, the critical care nurse should be assigned to a critical care patient according to her competency level. The aim of this study was to describe a scientific patient classification system for critical care patients according to which workload and nursing requirements can be ascertained. Secondly, to describe guidelines for the competency requirements of a registered critical care nurse assigned to nurse the different categories of critical care patients categorised by the patient classification system as prescribed. The aim of the study is justified by means of an exploratory, descriptive, contextual research design. A critical care patient classification system has been developed and validated by a group of critical care nursing experts using a structured two phase research method. The statistical validity of each item of the critical care patient classification system was determined by means of a content validity index. All the items of the critical care patient classification system were rated as valid and therefore the critical care patient classification system as a whole has been accepted as valid. The reliability of the critical care patient classification system was tested by means of a pilot study in two selected research units. It was determined that the inter-rater reliability was within the 95 per cent confidence interval, that the system could discriminate between different critical care patients and nurse-patient ratios were effectively determined by the system. Critical care nurse competency requirements were identified by critical care nursing experts by means of a focus group interview. The results obtained from the focus group interview were verified by a literature control and peer group review. Guidelines for the competency requirements of the critical care nurse were compiled. The critical care patient classification system developed will equip the critical care manager with a scientific instrument to assign personnel to critical care units. The critical care patient classification system will furthermore assist the critical care unit manager in the daily utilisation of valuable human resources, in that critical care nurses with the appropriate level of expertise can be assigned to each patient, thus facilitating quality critical care nursing.

D.Cur. / The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of professional conduct by the nursing practitioner in clinical nursing care as reflected in post laparotomy and respiratory disorders in selected public hospitals in the Northern (Limpopo) Province, and to develop a programme to improve the quality of professional conduct by the nursing practitioner in public hospitals. Professional conduct in this study refers to the level of compliance with the SANC/Muller (1999) practice standards as refined by the researcher. The following dimensions are addressed in relation to post laparotomy patients and patients with respiratory disorders: knowledge, skills/competencies, scientifically-based care, recording, teamwork/networking, health promotion, therapeutic environment and accountability. The hypothesis for this study was that the quality of professional conduct by the nursing practitioner in clinical nursing care as reflected in post laparotomy and respiratory disorders is inadequate and non-compliant with the standards and criteria in selected public hospitals in the Northern (Limpopo) Province. The following research questions were addressed: a) What is the quality of professional conduct by the nursing practitioner in clinical nursing as reflected in practice setting of post laparotomy and respiratory disorders in selected public hospitals in the Northern (Limpopo) Province? b) What professional conduct programme should be developed to improve compliance with the standards and criteria? A quantitative evaluative descriptive and contextual survey was conducted consisting of: 1. Refinement of standards by the researcher 2. Baseline survey to evaluate the quality of professional conduct by the nursing practitioner in clinical nursing care as reflected in post laparotomy and respiratory disorders; 3. The development of a professional conduct programme as a remedial action strategy. The data collection method utilised strategies such as the use of trained evaluators, direct and indirect observations, individual and group interviews, and documentation analysis. Population and samples were selected from public hospitals that offer clinical nursing care to both post laparotomy patients and patients with respiratory disorders. The units that offered clinical nursing care to the same patients and the nursing practitioners who provide clinical nursing care to these patients were selected. A three point rating scale consisting of compliance (C) = 1, partial compliance (PC) = 0.5 and non-compliance (NC) = 0.0 was used to collect data. Statistical analysis system was used by the statistician to analyse the data. Individual items were analysed and percentages calculated. Then mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) on individual standard were determined. The results revealed that for practice standard one the nursing practitioner showed partial compliance (M = 0.375; SD = 0.197); practice standard two, the nursing practitioner showed partial compliance (M = 0.355; SD = 0.267) slightly lower than standard one; practice standard three the nursing practitioner showed non-compliance (M = 0.319; SD = 1.211); practice standard four, the nursing practitioner showed partial compliance (M = 0.552; SD = 0.180); practice standard five, the nursing practitioner showed partial compliance (M = 0.397; SD = 0.220); practice standard six, the nursing practitioner showed non-compliance (M = 0.238; SD .= 0.257), the lowest of all the standards; practice standard seven, the nursing practitioner showed partial compliance (M = 0.396; SD = 0.237); and practice standard eight, the nursing practitioner demonstrated partial compliance (M = 0.530; SD 0.267). The first research question was what is the level of compliance by the nursing practitioner with the standards and criteria in clinical nursing care in public hospitals in the Northern Province? The overall results for the eight standards showed partial compliance (M = 0.380; SD = 0.175). The second research question was what professional conduct programme should be developed to improve compliance with the standards and criteria. The professional conduct programme was developed based on the SANC/Muller practice standards as the theoretical foundation. Further analysis was done on contributory factors. There was a relationship between the recording format (78.9% inadequate) and compliance with practice standard three; scientifically-based recording on patient records rated low at all the selected hospitals (M = 0.319; SD = 0.211). There was also an association between supervision/support (85% inadequate) and practice standard six, indicating non-compliance (M = 0.238; SD = 0.257) and practice standard seven (M = 0.396; SD = 0.237). A relationship between availability of stock and supplies (69.4% inadequate) and practice standard one and two, was observed (M = 0.375; SD = 0.197) and (M = 0.355; SD = 0.269) respectively. There was, however, no relationship between staffing and the practice standards;

M.Sc. (Zoology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / It is explicit that the change in the South African government since 1994 accompanied by the transformation of nursing services with its new policies and practices is inevitable, and poses challenges for the nursing service managers in Gauteng hospitals. The transformation of nursing services can be a difficult process creating a period of fear, uncertainty, stress and role ambiguity for the nursing service managers. The transformation has been so extensive that the nursing service manager's role responsibilities have changed to such an extent that they are now required to manage grossly reduced levels of resources, multicultural societies with different values, beliefs and attitudes and increased numbers of patients, resulting in overcrowded hospitals. The transformation of nursing services demands the demonstration of appropriate nursing service management. The abilities of the nursing service managers are critical to the effectiveness of the future. Most nursing service managers are unprepared for their new roles and the present concern is for the quality of the management of the transformation process. No written standards for transformation management in a nursing service are available in Gauteng public hospitals. Consequently, nursing service managers find themselves making major decisions about nursing service transformation with little information about the effectiveness of alternative approaches. The experiences and perceptions of the nursing service managers regarding transformation of nursing services in selected Gauteng hospitals are also not known. Understanding the nursing service managers' experiences and perceptions will provide a basis for the formulation of standards for transformation management in a nursing service.

M.Sc. (Zoology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose of this research was to explore how management explains the difference between the overall service quality ratings of staff at Company X versus the overall service quality ratings of Company X. The organisation conducts customer service measurements on a regular basis to monitor their customers overall service experience regarding the staff and the organisation. The results of the research identified a discrepancy regarding customer perceptions of the service they receive from the staff versus the service Company X is providing. Management was the focus of the study due to management having a direct or indirect influence on service gaps in the organisation. The SERVQUAL model, together with systems theory, was applied as a framework to explore management perceptions as to why a service quality gap exists. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with management staff of Company X who are responsible for customer service. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews and through content analysis six main themes were identified with various subthemes. The theoretical and empirical objectives were addressed and it was concluded that inconsistent practices within the organisation specifically the lack of consistent performance management can create an inconsistent service experience. The findings also revealed that Company X have various focus areas to improve the overall customer experience of the organisation. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology (Research consultation))