M.Cur. / College management is liable for quality management ofthe college to facilitate quality education. Nursing collegeshave the autonomous responsibility for planning, organising, implementing and controlling nursing education in order to ensure the achievement of programme objectives set by the South African Nursing Council. The college is further accountable to the community for the training of nurses to meet their health needs. Through the implementation of quality improvement strategies, which begin with the description of standards, the college manager accepts responsibility for facilitating quality nursing education through quality management. The purpose of the study was to describe standards for a nursing college, which can be used as a management instrument to facilitate quality education, as well as effective functioning of a nursing college. The aim of the study is justified by means of a descriptive, explorative, contextual research design. Standards for a nursing college were developed and validated by utilising a structured two-phase research method. For the development of standards, the Delphi method, round one, was used to identify subjects for standards, after which a preliminary conceptual framework was compiled. A comprehensive literature control was then undertaken to refine the preliminary conceptual framework. A final conceptual framework was formulated which served as a basis for the description of standards. The final validation of standards occurred in the quantifying phase by means of consensus discussions between experts during round two of the Delphi method. The main subjects for which standards were described, include philosophy, mission, strategic planning, personnel management, general management, research role of the tutor, community involvement, academy, students and quality improvement programme. Structural standards, which can be utilized as a management instrument, were described and represented in the form of an accreditation instrument. The purpose of this instrument is for management to use it for self-evaluation, while the standards are implemented and tested in the nursing colleges.

The transition period from student nurses to professional nurses has been acknowledged as being very stressful, particularly in the military health service due to the dual transition. The phase is marked as final year nursing students try to consolidate the experience and knowledge gained during their four year training period with clinical decision making and problem solving skills being applied in the work environment. The students require support and guidance to effect a successful transition from being a student to being a professional nurse. The transition of students in the military health setting might be experienced differently due to the context that is vastly different from the other health care settings (Moore, 2006:541). The aim of the research was to explore the experiences of role transition of final year nursing students, particularly their preparedness to take up the role of a professional nurse in the military health setting in order to assist managers and educators to support and facilitate this professional adjustment appropriately. A qualitative, descriptive, contextual design was employed for the study and followed a three-phase approach. Phase one comprised a qualitative approach, where semi-structured and focus group interviews were conducted to gather the data. Nurse managers, nurse educators, final year nursing students and novice professional nurses formed part of the population for the study. Creswell’s method of data analysis was employed in analysing the data. The second phase dealt with the integrative review of literature on the transition of final year nursing students into professional nurses. Data extracted from the guidelines formed themes that were triangulated to form phase three of the study. Lastly, a best practice guideline was developed to facilitate the transition period of final year nursing students to professional nurses. Principles of trustworthiness were adhered to, participants were treated in a fair manner and confidential information was not divulged without the consent of the participants. Participants were asked to take part voluntarily and without coercion. Ethical approval was requested to give consent for the study to be undertaken and ethical principles were adhered to throughout the study. Findings were then disseminated after the conclusion of the study.

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No clear description exists in S.A. of the role and functions of a forensic psychiatric nurse. The researcher conducted a research project based on more than 20 years of practice experience to define and describe the role and functions of the forensic nurse practitioner. A non-experimental descriptive study was done. Questionnaires and checklists were compiled to determine the perceptions of forensic psychiatric patients/clients (n =24) and nursing staff (n = 15) .The nursing activities in a selected forensic psychiatric unit was evaluated through nonparticipative observation. Results indicated that: • Patients experienced their environment as isolated and has a need for better support by the nursing staff; • Nursing staff indicated their need for more specific training in forensic psychiatric nursing; and • A need exists for specific protocols and procedures to guide his/her practice. The recommendations are made that: • A special training program for forensic psychiatric nursing needs to be planned and implemented; and • Procedures and guidelines must be established to guide the practice of the nurse practitioner. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar bestaan in S.A. geen duidelike omskrywing van die rol en funksies van die forensiese psigiatriese verpleegkundige nie. Die navorser het gegrond op meer as 20 jaar praktykervaring 'n navorsingsprojek gedoen om die rol en funksies van die verpleegpraktisyn te definieer en te omskryf. 'n Nie-eksperimentele, beskrywende studie is gedoen. Vraelyste en kontrolelyste is opgestel om die persepsies van forensiese psigiatriese pasiënte/kliënte (n=24) en verpleegpersoneel (n=15) te bepaal. Die verpleegaktiwiteite in 'n geselekteerde forensiese psigiatriese eenheid is deur nie-deelnemende observasie geëvalueer. Resultate het daarop gedui dat: • Pasiënte hulle omgewing as geïsoleerd ervaar en het 'n behoefte aan beter ondersteuning deur die verpleegpersoneel; • Verpleegpersoneel het aangedui dat hulle 'n behoefte het aan spesifieke opleiding in forensiese psigiatriese verpJeging;en • Daar 'n behoefte is aan spesifieke protokolle en prosedures om sy/haar praktyk te rig . Die aanbevelings word gemaak dat: • 'n Spesiale opleidingsprogram vir forensiese psigiatriese verpleging beplan en geïmplementeer word; en • Prosedures en riglyne daargestel moet word om die praktyk van die verpleegpraktisyn te rig.

M.Cur. (Nursing) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / The manager is responsible for quality education, research and appropriate community service. The aim of this study is to provide guidelines for the purpose of excellent management of a nursing department at a distance education technikon with a view to facilitating the achievement of one of these responsibilities, that is to provide quality education. In South Africa increasing demands are being made on educational structures as everyone needs to be afforded the opportunity for education and training. This also implies demands on the training of nursing staff. Theoretical and vocational training are combined in technikon training. Therefore a nursing department at a distance education technikon should be managed excellent to meet all the demands. In an attempt to make nurse training more accessible, this study focuses on management in the context of a distance education technikon. The paradigmatic perspective guiding this study is described by means of metatheoretical, theoretical and methodological assumptions. The Nursing Theory for the Whole Person is used to state the methodological and theoretical assumptions. The methodological assumptions of this study are based on Botes's research model (1994), which implies that a functional approach has been used. In phase I of the research the experience of managers of distance education nursing departments are investigated and described on the basis of individual interviews. The data is used to formulate propositions to create a tentative conceptual framework. In phase II the experience of managers of departments at a distance education technikon is investigated and described by using a focus group interview. Propositions are formulated by using the data and, together with the statements from phase I, serve as a basis for creating a refined conceptual framework. In phase III of the research a conceptual framework based on the propositions from phase I and II as well as other literature, is described. From this the final conceptual framework is formulated. Phase IV, derived from phase III, sets out guidelines for managing a nursing department at a distance education technikon.

M.Cur. / Although clinical evaluation and examination is regarded as the basis of scientifically founded nursing care, it is inherently a subjective process. This process is complicated by the variability of four inter-related systems, namely the eyaluator, the clinical environment, the student nurse and other individuals. The purpose of the study was the analysis of current evaluation practices and the OSCE and to determine the perception of clinical educational personnel and student nurses in this regard. Consequently a descriptive exploratory survey was done by means of a questionnaire. For the purpose of this study, clinical teaching. Personnel and student nurses associated with the nine affiliated hospitals of one nursing college in the Transvaal were approached. From the obtained data it appears that clinical evaluation and examination remains, to a certain degree, a subjective process. Preconceptions probably influence human judgement. In spite of the occurrence of identified variables the OSCE appears to be a more acceptable approach to clinical examination than traditional long examination methods.

M.Cur. / The South African Nursing Council requires that a student nurse, when following a course which leads to registration as a nurse (general, psychiatric and community) and midwife, must receive instruction in environmental health. A conceptual framework was compiled after a literature study to create possible subject content and practical learning opportunities which belong in the curriculum of the student nurse. During an investigation in part into environmental health aspects in the Southern Transvaal Region the following was accomplished: - The theoretical subject content with regard to environmental health was identified. - The practical learning opportunities to which a student nurse must be subjected were determined. - A guide was compiled which can serve as a manual to persons who are involved in the 1nstruction of student nurses in environmental health. It is clear that health inspectors desire greater participation in the instruction of student nurses in environmental health than is the case at present. In order to create a more significant environmental health component in the curriculum of the student nurse some recommendations were made. Remediation will therefore become a reality in the implementation of the recommendations. Primary recommendations include the following: - Greater participation by health inspectors in the instruction of student nurses in environmental health. - The subject content of environmental health. - Learning opportunities which can be planned for the practical instruction of student nurses in environmental health.

Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Clinical teaching and training is undertaken to correlate theory and practice (Mellish et al., 1998:211). Clinical teaching is the means by which student nurses learn to apply the theory of nursing in a clinical situation so that an integration of theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the clinical situation becomes the art and science of nursing. (Mellish et al., 1998:207). The role of the lecturer/facilitator is to bridge the theory-practice gap between nursing education and practice. Since the merger of the nursing colleges in the Eastern Cape Province (South Africa) and the abolishment of the clinical department in the hospital it became essential to evaluate the clinical facilitation needs of students and tutors. For the purpose of this study the researcher evaluated the clinical facilitation, with the focus area being on the clinical needs and problems of nursing tutors and nursing students at a nursing college in the Eastern Cape Province. The objectives of this study were to determine the following: the clinical facilitation needs of student nurses of the Nursing College, clinical facilitation needs of tutors of the Nursing College, clinical facilitation related problems facing student nurses and tutors in the Nursing College and associations between the clinical facilitation of the campuses of the Nursing College. The following research question was evaluated: What are the needs and problems of nursing students and tutors in clinical facilitation at the Lilitha Nursing College? The research methodology was a descriptive exploratory design with a quantitative approach. The population for this study was the fourth-year nursing students, and all tutors of the nursing college. A convenient sample was drawn. All students available at the time of data collection were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The final sample of students was N =100 (45%) of a total population of 222 students. The final sample of tutors was N=35 (36%) of a population of 97. Reliability and validity were assured by means of a pilot study 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, Department of Health ECP, and Head of the Nursing College and Principals of the campuses. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. Statistical associations with reference to clinical facilitation between the various campuses of the nursing college were determined using the Chi-square tests. The results of this study are presented in percentages, tables and histograms. On completion of the study the following recommendations were made: standardization of policies and procedures; preplanning and publishing of clinical placement dates; manuals, rules, student needs and outcomes be available before clinical placement; improvement of communication between clinical staff, facilitators and students; improvement of infrastructure, equipment and materials.