The lecture room instructional management competence of novice nurse educators (NNEs) in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) was investigated. No comprehensive set of generic roles, outcomes and competences for instructional management of nurse educators could be traced in the literature, therefore an analytical study was undertaken. Adhering to the principles for outcomes-based education, three models were established: Q a model for the professional development of nurse educators Q an Education, Training and Development nurse practitioner model, consisting of roles and outcomes for lecture room instructional management Q a model for lecture room instructional management that served as evaluation criteria used in the instrument during the quantitative survey These models were presented to, and evaluated by nurse educators of five universities. The influence of mentorship, reality shock, and professional development on the NNEs' lecture room competence was investigated. The target group consisted of NNEs, their mentors and students in nursing schools in the RSA. A number of respondents were also interviewed and observed. The analysed data indicated that NNEs were not competent when they started teaching, and needed support and supervision from mentors. Findings also indicated the positive influence of mentorship and professional development on competence acquisition. NNEs experienced reality shock requiring support to acquire competence. These aspects justify further research. The recommendations based on this study include that nursing schools use specific evaluation criteria for le<,1ure room competence and for in-service training of NNEs and mentors. Nursing schools should take a more active role in mentoring programmes. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

The lecture room instructional management competence of novice nurse educators (NNEs) in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) was investigated. No comprehensive set of generic roles, outcomes and competences for instructional management of nurse educators could be traced in the literature, therefore an analytical study was undertaken. Adhering to the principles for outcomes-based education, three models were established: Q a model for the professional development of nurse educators Q an Education, Training and Development nurse practitioner model, consisting of roles and outcomes for lecture room instructional management Q a model for lecture room instructional management that served as evaluation criteria used in the instrument during the quantitative survey These models were presented to, and evaluated by nurse educators of five universities. The influence of mentorship, reality shock, and professional development on the NNEs' lecture room competence was investigated. The target group consisted of NNEs, their mentors and students in nursing schools in the RSA. A number of respondents were also interviewed and observed. The analysed data indicated that NNEs were not competent when they started teaching, and needed support and supervision from mentors. Findings also indicated the positive influence of mentorship and professional development on competence acquisition. NNEs experienced reality shock requiring support to acquire competence. These aspects justify further research. The recommendations based on this study include that nursing schools use specific evaluation criteria for le<,1ure room competence and for in-service training of NNEs and mentors. Nursing schools should take a more active role in mentoring programmes. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

The purpose of this study was to describe the competencies needed by nursing intern students as identified by their preceptors and nurse educators, who choose to work as registered nurses in intensive care units in Saudi Arabia. The research questions this study investigated were 1) what do nurse preceptors and nurse educators believe are the competencies for new graduates to allow them to work safely in an intensive care unit in Saudi Arabia, 2) what are the competencies they should possess at the end of their internships. 3) Is there a difference between nurse educators and preceptors in the perception of required or expected competencies of the nursing role in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)? Through the Interpretive Description methodology, data were collected through interviews, the guide for which was developed based on the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses standards for critical care nursing practice. The data were analyzed to identify common themes. Themes for intensive care unit competencies included: 1) needed skill competencies; 2) development of knowledge application competencies; and 3) strategies for quality improvement. A notable aspect of this study was the finding that Saudi Arabia, there was agreement among participants that nursing intern students were not prepared to work in ICU immediately after their internship year. Building on participants’ responses, nursing intern students may acquire satisfactory preparation during their internship through continuous evaluation, consistent guidance, extended time period, and orientation. Consequently, it represents a significant contribution to enriching the nursing intern students’ internship outcomes as well as the literature in the context of Saudi Arabia and in advancing the nursing workforce in Intensive Care Units in Saudi Arabia.

Skills of inquiry are essential outcomes from a baccalaureate nursing education. Students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity can develop effective skills of inquiry. Nurse educators must place emphasis on teaching and learning strategies which engage student intellectual curiosity. However, the concept of intellectual curiosity is not well-studied across multiple contexts of teaching and learning environments within nursing education. In addition, there is little known about the experienced nurse educator and the meaning of student intellectual curiosity across multiple teaching and learning environments. With the increased emphasis on online teaching and learning in nursing education as a solution for expanding student access and capacity, the concept of intellectual curiosity within the context of online learning needs further exploration. Under the assumptions of philosopher Max van Manen (1990, 1997) and Martin Heidegger (1962), the purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of baccalaureate nursing student intellectual curiosity for the experienced nurse educator teaching within the online learning environment. The research question was: What does intellectual curiosity mean to experienced nurse educators teaching in the online environment? A total of eight participants from three different institutions of higher education in the southeastern United States were interviewed through a socratic approach. Diekelmann, Allen, and Tanner’s Steps for Data Analysis (1989) are utilized for data analysis. Three constitutive patterns and seven relational themes emerged through the data analysis process. Ontological considerations of findings, implications for nursing education, and future research investigations are identified.

An increase in reports of undesirable professional behaviour in the nursing profession has prompted the question: How could the internalisation of skills, knowledge, values and beliefs be guided in student nurses to help them become effectively socialised as professional nurses? Using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach, the study addressed the above question. The researcher used focus-group interviews and field notes to explore and describe the perceptions of professional nurses and experiences of student nurses regarding the professional socialisation of students. The data generated from these findings were further used to determine and describe educators’ (N=128) perceptions on their teaching and facilitation of professional socialisation of students, using a self-administered questionnaire. The findings of both the qualitative and quantitative data were integrated to develop and validate guidelines to support educators and professional nurses in the professional socialisation of students. To establish rigour, the researcher applied measures of trustworthiness and performed validity and reliability tests. The qualitative data were analysed by utilising Tesch’s method of data analysis. The themes that emerged as influential in the professional socialisation of students were related to the professional nurse as role model, clinical supervisor, the educator, clinical learning environment, values and beliefs of the nursing profession and cultural and gender orientations. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Educators’ teaching and facilitation strategies revealed that the educator as a role model, the clinical environment, teaching approaches and cultural awareness were important social determinants in the professional socialisation of students. The qualitative and quantitative data were integrated to develop guidelines that were validated by field and guideline experts. The guidelines for educators and professional nurses addressed issues such as the professional nurse as role model and clinical supervisor, the creation of a positive clinical learning environment, the educator as role model, the teaching and support of students, the work ethic of the professional nurse and educator, the students’ behaviour and cultural awareness. These guidelines propose recommendations for educators and professional nurses to support the professional socialisation of students. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

The study comprises an investigation of the quality of the clinical teaching environment of undergraduate students in the accredited Primary health care ( PHC) facilities used by a provincial nursing college in Limpopo. The researcher, who is employed full time in one of the accredited PHC facilities to which undergraduate students are admitted for clinical practice, became aware of the tension between the undergraduate students and professional nurses working in the PHC facility during the performance of clinical practice. Undergraduate students accused the professional nurses of neither supervising them properly during the execution of their clinical practice, nor assessing them on the prescribed practical outcomes. On the other hand, the professional nurses working in the PHC facility complained that undergraduate students were placed at the PHC facilities in large numbers with no clinical accompanist accompanying them. The research objectives were to determine the quality of clinical practice in the PHC clinical learning environment as rated by undergraduate students allocated by a provincial nursing college located working in a PHC facility in a district of Limpopo Province, and to formulate recommendations for the professional nurses in PHC districtmanagement to incorporate supervision for undergraduate students in order to enhance clinical teaching for undergraduate students in Primary health care facilities. The researcher used a quantitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual design. An all-inclusive sampling method was used to select research participants. Participants were undergraduate students of a provincial nursing college in Limpopo. Informed consent was obtained. Ethical approval was obtained from the relevant authorities. Data was collected by using an internationally validated Clinical Learning Environment Supervision and Nurse Teacher Instrument (Saariskoki & Leino-Kilpi, 2008:259-267).. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics and revealed that the clinical practice environment was not conducive to enhancing practical skills development in the real practical PHC practice. Evaluation of study, limitations and recommendations for education, research, practice and policy were discussed. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore nurse educators‟ perception of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE) as summative assessment for students‟ clinical competence ,with the aim of recommending alternatives to the current situation. The rationale behind the study is that the researcher became aware of concerns raised by nurse educators regarding the appropriateness of OSCE as summative assessment of students clinical competence and differences of opinion on the matter. An explorative, descriptive, contextual, qualitative research design was chosen. The sample included nurse educators actively involved in OSCE as summative assessment of nursing students in the provincial nursing college for at least 5 years or more. Data was collected by means of two (2) focus group interview sessions with fourteen (14) participants. During data analysis it became clear that data saturation had not been reached and a third focus group interview was conducted with seven (7) participants from the original sample who were available. The focus of the interviews was to explore participants‟ perception of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation as summative assessment for students‟ clinical competence. The data was independently analyzed by the researcher as well as an independent co-coder according to the principles for content analysis as described by Creswell (2008:251). Three (3) themes and nine (9) sub-themes emerged from the data collected from participants. The first theme described the value of OSCE as summative assessment method for students‟ clinical competence. Theme two described the obstacles in using OSCE as summative assessment for students‟ clinical competence. Theme three described the suggested alternatives. The collected data was discussed and integrated with relevant national and international literature to culminate in three (3) conclusive statements. The conclusive statements served as basis for recommending alternatives to the nursing educators and managers in order to enhance the value of OSCE as summative assessment forstudents‟ clinical competence. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The study comprises an investigation of the quality of the clinical teaching environment of undergraduate students in the accredited Primary health care ( PHC) facilities used by a provincial nursing college in Limpopo. The researcher, who is employed full time in one of the accredited PHC facilities to which undergraduate students are admitted for clinical practice, became aware of the tension between the undergraduate students and professional nurses working in the PHC facility during the performance of clinical practice. Undergraduate students accused the professional nurses of neither supervising them properly during the execution of their clinical practice, nor assessing them on the prescribed practical outcomes. On the other hand, the professional nurses working in the PHC facility complained that undergraduate students were placed at the PHC facilities in large numbers with no clinical accompanist accompanying them. The research objectives were to determine the quality of clinical practice in the PHC clinical learning environment as rated by undergraduate students allocated by a provincial nursing college located working in a PHC facility in a district of Limpopo Province, and to formulate recommendations for the professional nurses in PHC districtmanagement to incorporate supervision for undergraduate students in order to enhance clinical teaching for undergraduate students in Primary health care facilities. The researcher used a quantitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual design. An all-inclusive sampling method was used to select research participants. Participants were undergraduate students of a provincial nursing college in Limpopo. Informed consent was obtained. Ethical approval was obtained from the relevant authorities. Data was collected by using an internationally validated Clinical Learning Environment Supervision and Nurse Teacher Instrument (Saariskoki & Leino-Kilpi, 2008:259-267).. Data analysis was done by using descriptive statistics and revealed that the clinical practice environment was not conducive to enhancing practical skills development in the real practical PHC practice. Evaluation of study, limitations and recommendations for education, research, practice and policy were discussed. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore nurse educators‟ perception of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE) as summative assessment for students‟ clinical competence ,with the aim of recommending alternatives to the current situation. The rationale behind the study is that the researcher became aware of concerns raised by nurse educators regarding the appropriateness of OSCE as summative assessment of students clinical competence and differences of opinion on the matter. An explorative, descriptive, contextual, qualitative research design was chosen. The sample included nurse educators actively involved in OSCE as summative assessment of nursing students in the provincial nursing college for at least 5 years or more. Data was collected by means of two (2) focus group interview sessions with fourteen (14) participants. During data analysis it became clear that data saturation had not been reached and a third focus group interview was conducted with seven (7) participants from the original sample who were available. The focus of the interviews was to explore participants‟ perception of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation as summative assessment for students‟ clinical competence. The data was independently analyzed by the researcher as well as an independent co-coder according to the principles for content analysis as described by Creswell (2008:251). Three (3) themes and nine (9) sub-themes emerged from the data collected from participants. The first theme described the value of OSCE as summative assessment method for students‟ clinical competence. Theme two described the obstacles in using OSCE as summative assessment for students‟ clinical competence. Theme three described the suggested alternatives. The collected data was discussed and integrated with relevant national and international literature to culminate in three (3) conclusive statements. The conclusive statements served as basis for recommending alternatives to the nursing educators and managers in order to enhance the value of OSCE as summative assessment forstudents‟ clinical competence. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Department of Advanced Nursing Science / MCur