This dissertation investigates the pressing issue of education in cardiac arrest during pregnancy, an emergency of life-threatening significance that necessitates a coordinated response from maternal and neonatal healthcare teams. The study encompasses three primary chapters, each addressing a crucial facet of this intricate scenario. In the chapter titled "Cardiac Arrest in Pregnancy: A Scoping Review on Knowledge and Confidence in a Maternal & Neonatal Response," an extensive examination of existing literature illuminated substantial knowledge gaps in the resuscitation of pregnant individuals, a concern that has persisted for over a decade. These gaps encompass critical domains, including a dearth of high-quality research with a heavy reliance on limited experimental designs, small sample sizes that curtail the generalizability of findings, a lack of comprehensive comparisons among various teaching strategies for enhancing knowledge and confidence, an emphasis on short-term outcomes without adequate longitudinal assessments of knowledge retention and clinical impact, a need for tailored education programs catering to diverse healthcare professionals, and a scarcity of research on collaborative learning experiences, particularly concerning neonatology teams. These identified gaps offer valuable opportunities for future research aimed at fortifying the evidence base, refining educational approaches, and ultimately enhancing the management of cardiac arrest during pregnancy and neonatal resuscitation. This manuscript underscores the pressing need to expand educational initiatives beyond obstetrical units and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare teams. The chapter titled, "Escaping PowerPoint: Enhancing Knowledge, Satisfaction, and Self-Confidence in Cardiac Arrest in Pregnancy," introduces an innovative teaching strategy known as the Virtual Escape Room (VER). The randomized controlled study compares the effectiveness of this virtual gamified approach with a traditional online PowerPoint method in improving knowledge acquisition, learner satisfaction, and self-confidence. The findings demonstrate the statistically significant superiority of the VER in enhancing these critical outcomes, highlighting the potential of immersive learning experiences in healthcare education. Notably, the data reveal a substantial increase in mean scores from the knowledge pre-test (M = 59.58, SD = 16.30) to the knowledge post-test (M = 68.24, SD = 17.42), t(64) = 5.635, p < .001 . The assessment tools employed included a knowledge quiz and The National League for Nursing (NLN) Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence instruments. The chapter titled "Puzzling Out the Correlates of Learner Engagement and Exploring Motivational States within a Virtual Escape Room," delves into the intricate aspects of learner engagement within the gamified learning environment of the VER. It uncovers the relationships between engagement, learner satisfaction, and specific engagement components such as enjoyment, creative thinking, and dominance. This manuscript underscores the multifaceted nature of engagement and highlights the imperative need for further research to achieve a more profound comprehension of its role in shaping learning outcomes. The study employed the Gameful Experience Scale (GAMEX) and the Telic/Paratelic State Measure (TPSI) instrument. Notably, statistically significant positive correlations were observed, including r = 0.346 (p = 0.005) between the Enjoyment Score and knowledge post-test, r = 0.305 (p = 0.013) between the Creative Thinking Score and knowledge post-test, and r = 0.255 (p = 0.04) between the Dominance Score and knowledge post-test. Additionally, a significant interaction effect emerged between the T/PSI score (pre vs. post) and the educational intervention (VER vs. control group). T/PSI score increased from 35.83 (SD = 8.67) before the intervention to 38.86 (SD = 9.91) after the intervention, indicating a substantial change. In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference in T/PSI scores before and after the traditional PowerPoint intervention for the control group, where the mean scores changed from 35.89 (SD = 7.02) to 35.57 (SD = 7.94). These findings strongly suggest that the VER condition contributes to a paratelic state among participants when compared to the control condition. This dissertation underscores the paramount importance of effective education in managing cardiac arrest during pregnancy, given the persistent knowledge gaps among resuscitation teams. The introduction of the VER as an innovative educational strategy represents a significant advancement in addressing these deficits. Furthermore, the exploration of engagement and motivational states within the gamified learning environment offers valuable insights into the complexities of learner engagement, paving the way for more effective educational strategies in healthcare settings. Ultimately, these findings have the potential to empower healthcare teams, potentially reducing maternal mortality rates and improving neonatal outcomes in the face of this critical emergency.

Aim The aim of this study was to describe ancillary health care workers’ perceptions of the Ancillary Health Care Learnership programme, and their current employment status within the health care sector. Methods A non-experimental cross sectional survey was used that incorporated complementary mixed method data collection (Balnaves & Caputi, 2001; Polit & Beck, 2010). Quantitative data collected during the first phase, a telephonic interview assisted self-report questionnaire was used to inform semi structured focus group interviews that took place during the second phase to obtain richer descriptions and explore response and results of the phase 1 cross sectional survey (Bell, 2005). A Convenience sample of ninety two (n=92) was achieved for the telephonic interview assisted self- report questionnaire, and was substantially lower that the number of potential participants (N=200). Purposive sampling was used to obtain fifteen (N=15) potential key informant participants, a final sample of nine (n=9) achieved for the focus group interviews. Results The research revealed that majority (69%) of participants had their expectations of the course met. Subjects such as agriculture and business plan were perceived as not valuable and participants recommended that these be removed from the course. Computer course information was seen as and needed addition in order to bridge the skills gap and improve the opportunities for employment.Despite particpants perceptions of the course being met, expectations regarding emplyment were not. Employment rates were low, specifically within the health care sector. Conclusion and Recommendations The Ancillary Health Care Programme has not assisted the graduates in gaining employment. The review of the Ancillary Health Care Programme and some of the unit standards is one of the recommended options that can be done to improve the employment opportunities. / Theses (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2014.