Thesis (MCur (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A nurse has to develop certain concepts, attitudes, knowledge and skills in nursing. For the purpose of this study the researcher explored a private nursing school in the Southern Cape with the focus on their personal-professional developmental (PPD) programme. The researcher explored the feasibility of this programme by describing the pre-registration nurses’ perceptions on the value and contribution of the programme to their personal and professional development. In particular, the exploration addressed the nurses from a multicultural setting who found it difficult to adapt to the nursing norms, values or working culture. This was done in order to make a difference in the nature of the above-mentioned programme so that it would suit the nurses from different cultures and also set up a programme which will ensure quality nursepatient care through enhanced communication skills, empathy and critical thinking abilities. The objectives set for this study were to explore the perceptions of pre-registration nurses from a multicultural setting who were involved in this programme in order to determine whether the PPD programme contributed to their life enrichment and level of knowledge and to explore the perceptions of the professional nurses supervising the pre-registration nurses with regard to additional knowledge, skills and attitudes gained after the completion of the PPD programme. A quantitative research approach with a smaller qualitative component and a descriptive design was selected. The population for this study comprised all the pre-registration nurses of the abovementioned school (N=120) and all the professional nurses who worked closely with the preregistration nurses (N=27). A structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data. The sample of pre-registration nurses who took part included the entire population (n=120). The non-probability purposive sampling of the professional nurses who took part in this study comprised 14 participants. Reliability and validity were assured by means of a pre-test of the questionnaire 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 and the head of the particular private hospital. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. It seemed that the multicultural pre-registration nurses felt the PPD programme was effective and contributed to the skills they needed to be passionate and knowledgeable nurses. On completion of the study key recommendations were made regarding the improvement of communication between pre-registration nurses and management at ward level, the implementation of a structured programme with measurable, accessible outcomes, and the provision of classes in computer literacy as well as basic research skills. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ʼn Verpleegster moet sekere konsepte, houdings, kennis en vaardighede in die verpleegkultuur ontwikkel. Vir die doel van die studie het die navorser ’n privaat verpleegskool in die Suid-Kaap ondersoek wat hul toespits op ’n unieke persoonlike professionele ontwikkelingsprogram (PPO). Die lewensvatbaarheid van hierdie program, asook die vlak van kennis wat die voorgraadse verpleegsters bereik het en ná voltooiing van die program op pasiënte toepas, is deur die navorser ondersoek. Hierdie program het ten doel om voorgraadse verpleegsters bevoeg te verklaar t.o.v. lewensverryking betreffende kommunikasievaardighede, empatie en kritiese denke. Die doel van die studie was om die persepsies van multikulturele voorgraadse verpleegsters ten opsigte van die genoemde program vas te stel ten einde te bepaal of hierdie program wel bygedra het tot hul lewensverryking en vlak van kennis. Persepsies van professionele verpleegkundiges onder wie se toesig hierdie genoemde verpleegsters werksaam was, is ondersoek om vas te stel of voorgraadse verpleegsters addisionele kennis, vaardighede, empatie en kritiese denke met behulp van die program bekom het. ’n Kwantitatiewe studie met ʼn kleiner kwalitatiewe komponent en ʼn beskrywende ontwerp is gekies. Die populasie het bestaan uit al die voorgraadse verpleegsters van die genoemde skool (N=120) en al die professionele verpleegkundiges wat betrokke is by bogenoemde verpleegsters (N=27). ’n Gestruktureerde vraelys en semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gebruik om data in te samel. Die totale populasie verpleegsters is ingesluit in die studie (n=120). ’n Nie-waarskynlikheids- doelgerigte steekproef van professionele verpleegkundiges wat deelgeneem het was 14. Geldigheid en betroubaarheid is verseker deur die uitvoer van ʼn vooraf toetsing van die vraelys, asook deur kenners in verpleegonderrig, navorsingsmetodologie en statistiek te konsulteer. Data is persoonlik deur die navorser ingesamel. Etiese goedkeuring is van die Universiteit Stellenbosch en die hoof van die spesifieke privaat hospitaal verkry. Geskrewe ingeligte toestemming is van al die deelnemers verkry. Dit wil voorkom asof die voorgraadse verpleegsters in die multikulturele werksomgewing van mening was dat die PPO-program effektief bygedra het tot hul passie vir verpleging en hulle verryk het met kennis. Ná afloop van die studie is die hoof-aanbevelings gedoen ten opsigte van verbeterde kommunikasievaardighede tussen voorgraadse verpleegsters en bestuur op grondvlak, die instelling van ’n gestruktureerde program met meetbare, bereikbare uitkomste, asook die aanbieding van rekenaarklasse en basiese navorsingsklasse.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe registered nurse's perceptions with regard to continuing formal education. A quantitative descriptive, explorative research design was used to study registered nurses views with regard to continuing formal education and to identify the barriers to continuing formal education as experienced by registered nurses. Convenience sampling was used to select the research sample of registered nurses working at four state health institutions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Descriptive statistics, based on calculations using the Microsoft (MS) Excel (for Windows 2000) programme, were used to summarise and describe the research results obtained from the questions completed by the registered nurses. The research results indicated that most registered nurses perceive continuing formal education as beneficial to their personal and professional growth and to improve the quality of patient/client care, but barriers exist which prevent or deter them from undertaking continuing formal education programmes. The main barriers were identified as structural barriers, including lack of funding, job and family responsibilities and lack of coherent staff development planning. / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Saudi Arabian Government has implemented a nation-wide policy to prepare its people for the workforce and has directed that the Saudi Council for Health Specialties (SCHS) be established. Under the SCHS umbrella the Saudi Nursing Board (SNB) has been formed for the purpose of regulating the nursing profession. While Saudi Arabia has for many years been dependent on the international community for nurses, it is now establishing its own nursing workforce. One challenge for the SCHS and the SNB is to ensure that practice standards are developed, since ultimately nursing practice affects the quality of the patient services and patient health outcomes. The Saudi nursing profession has a responsibility to develop its social mandate and provide a full range of services to the Saudi public. Systems and education programmes are required for all aspects of the regulatory process, including continuing professional development. Effective regulation systems are not based on a “one size fits all” approach. Furthermore, nurses need to insist on high quality education to develop both basic and ongoing competence and should be able to depend on the profession for social status and credibility. The purpose of this research was to develop, implement, validate and evaluate a continuing professional development learning programme for nurses working in Saudi Arabia. The learning programme was built from a vision of nurses (regardless of country) engaging in lifelong learning for the purpose of ensuring quality patient care and population health. The development of a continuing professional development learning programme is an initial step in fulfilling the need for educational structures to support standards of practice. The overall outcome of the research was functional by nature in that the knowledge of continuing professional development in nursing was generated and applied to nursing practice in Saudi Arabia. In view of the nature of the question, a mixed methodology was selected. Although the qualitative aspect was dominant, both the qualitative and quantitative aspects were used simultaneously. The design included exploratory and descriptive aspects. Furthermore, the researcher employed qualitative methods to develop, implement and evaluate the provisional learning programme and quantitative methods to validate the provisional programme, resulting in a partial explanation of the research phenomenon. The primary theoretical drive was inductive, as the purpose was to discover rather than to test the learning programme contents. Botes’ Research Model and King’s Theory of Goal Attainment were utilised. They complemented each other, as they both support a comprehensive, dynamic scientific approach to learning (health) outcomes influenced by the quality of nursing practice and practice environment. The research, which was outcomes–based, was carried out in the context of quality patient care (population health) and nursing practice situated within the Saudi Arabian setting, where the nursing regulatory system is emerging. As the questionnaire mean ( X ) results revealed scores of 3.0 to 3.9, data saturation was achieved during the first round of the Delphi technique. Fourteen experts from six different countries were asked to validate the provisional learning programme, which was duly done. The programme was implemented in a tertiary research hospital in Saudi Arabia. Formative and summative evaluations were also conducted. The results of the implementation and evaluation affirmed the effectiveness of the learning programme. Boyer’s Model for Scholarship was used to triangulate the research findings. These results formed the basis for the recommendations and final summary. The five broad recommendations that emerged from the research were that nurses should take on self-regulatory and leadership responsibilities; that they should engage in continuing professional development collaboration; that the nursing profession’s self-regulation responsibilities be acknowledged; that a healthy (quality) workplace environment be ensured; and that further research be done in this field. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die regering van Saoedi-Arabië het ʼn landwye beleid geïmplementeer om die mense van die land vir die arbeidsmag voor te berei en het opdrag gegee vir die stigting van die Saudi Council for Health Specialties (SCHS,) ʼn raad wat spesifiek met gesondheidsdienste gemoeid is. Die Saoedi Raad vir Verpleging (Saudi Nursing Board oftewel SNB) is tot stand gebring met die doel om die verpleegdiens in die land te reguleer. Nadat Saoedi-Arabië vir baie jare van die internasionale gemeenskap vir verpleegkundiges afhanklik was, word ʼn eie verpleegkorps nou in die land gevestig. Een van die uitdagings waarmee die SCHS en die SNB te kampe het, is die noodsaaklikheid om te verseker dat standaarde vir die praktyk ontwikkel word, aangesien die verpleegpraktyk inderdaad die gehalte van pasiënte-diens en gesondheidsuitkomste beïnvloed. Die verpleegberoep in Saoedi-Arabië is daarvoor verantwoordelik om sy maatskaplike mandaat te ontwikkel en ʼn volledige reeks dienste aan die mense van die land beskikbaar te stel. Stelsels en opvoedkundige programme is nodig vir alle aspekte van die reguleringsproses. Dit sluit voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling in. Vir ʼn reguleringstelsel om werklik doeltreffend te wees moet dit op spesifieke behoeftes gerig wees en kan een stelsel nie aan al die vereistes van diverse instellings voldoen nie. Dit is noodsaaklik dat verpleegkundiges op onderrig van ʼn hoë gehalte aandring ten einde basiese en voortgaande bevoegdheid te ontwikkel. Daarbenewens behoort hulle op die beroep te kan steun vir sosiale status en geloofwaardigheid. Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om ʼn voortgesette leerprogram vir die professionele ontwikkeling van verpleegkundiges wat in Saoedi-Arabië werk, te ontwikkel, te implementeer, te valideer en te evalueer. Die leerprogram het onstaan uit ʼn visie van verpleegsters (ongeag hulle land van oorsprong) wat hulle met lewenslange leer besig hou met die doel om diens van ʼn hoë gehalte aan pasiënte asook bevolkingsgesondheid te verseker. Met die ontwikkeling van ʼn leerprogram vir voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling is die eerste stap gedoen om in die behoefte aan opvoedkundige strukture ter ondersteuning van praktykstandaarde te voorsien. Die algehele uitkoms van die navorsing was funksioneel van aard deurdat die kennis van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling in verpleging deur die verpleegpraktyk in Saoedi-Arabië gegenereer en ook daarop toegepas is. Vanweë die aard van die navorsingsvraag is besluit om ʼn gemengde metodologie, dit is kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe aspekte gelyktydig te gebruik, met die kwalitatiewe aspek as die dominante metode. Sowel verkennende as beskrywende aspekte is in die ontwerp ingesluit. Daarbenewens het die navorser kwalitatiewe metodes gebruik om die voorlopige leerprogram te ontwikkel, te implementeer en te evalueer, en kwantitatiewe metodes om die voorlopige program te valideer. Die navorsingsverskynsel is deur middel van ʼn gedeeltelike verklarende metode ontleed. Die primêre teoretiese dryfkrag was induktief, aangesien dit die doel van die navorsing was om die leerprogram se inhoud te ontdek eerder as om dit te toets. Daar is van Botes se Navorsingsmodel en King se Teorie van Doelbereiking (Theory of Goal Attainment) gebruik gemaak. Hulle het mekaar aangevul aangesien albei ʼn omvangryke, dinamiese wetenskaplike benadering tot leer- (gesondheid-) uitkomste, wat deur die gehalte van verpleegpraktyk en die praktykomgewing beïnvloed word, ondersteun. Die navorsing, wat uitkomsgebaseerd was, is uitgevoer binne die konteks van pasiëntediens van gehalte (bevolkingsgesondheid) en verpleegpraktyk, gesetel in die Saoedi-Arabiese milieu, waar die reguleringstelsel vir verpleegkunde aan die ontwikkel is. Data saturasie is reeds bevestig tydens die eerste rondte van die Delphi tegniek met gemiddelde tellings van ( X ) 3,0 en 3,9. Die navorsingsontwerp is daardeur verder versterk. Veertien deskundiges van ses verskillende lande is gevra om die voorlopige leerprogram te valideer, wat hulle ook gedoen het. Die program is in ʼn tersiêre navorsingshospitaal in Saoedi-Arabië geïmplementeer. Formatiewe en summatiewe evaluering is gedoen en die resultate van die implementering en evaluering het die doeltreffendheid van die leerprogram bevestig. Boyer se Wetenskaplikheidsmodel (Model for Scholarship) is gebruik om die navorsingsbevindinge te staaf. Hierdie resultate het die grondslag gelê vir die aanbevelings en die finale opsomming. Die vyf breë aanbevelings wat uit die navorsing voortgekom het was dat verpleegkundiges selfregulerende en leierskapverantwoordelikhede aanvaar; dat hulle aan samewerkingsaksies ten opsigte van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling deelneem; dat die verpleegberoep se verantwoordelikhede ten opsigte van selfregulering erken word; dat ʼn gesonde (gehalte-) werkomgewing verseker word; en dat verdere navorsing op hierdie gebied gedoen word.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe registered nurse's perceptions with regard to continuing formal education. A quantitative descriptive, explorative research design was used to study registered nurses views with regard to continuing formal education and to identify the barriers to continuing formal education as experienced by registered nurses. Convenience sampling was used to select the research sample of registered nurses working at four state health institutions in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Descriptive statistics, based on calculations using the Microsoft (MS) Excel (for Windows 2000) programme, were used to summarise and describe the research results obtained from the questions completed by the registered nurses. The research results indicated that most registered nurses perceive continuing formal education as beneficial to their personal and professional growth and to improve the quality of patient/client care, but barriers exist which prevent or deter them from undertaking continuing formal education programmes. The main barriers were identified as structural barriers, including lack of funding, job and family responsibilities and lack of coherent staff development planning. / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

The Adaptation Process Plan document should serve as a tool for ensuring that the adaptation process of a new employee to an intensive care unit is properly led. It is also supposed to help with feedback and evaluation of the level of the newcomer's skills. The main goal of this thesis was to find out how effectively the Adaptation Process Plan document is currently used for nurses in intensive care units in the Czech Republic. We furthermore aimed to ascertain how the plans are filled in, whether their individual parts are filled in on a regular basis, as well as whether the parts which have been graded as insufficient are explained again to the employee. Last but not least, we tried to compare how the document is used in the Czech Republic and in the United Kingdom. The qualitative research was carried out by interviewing three nurses who have completed the adaptation process to intensive care units - one in the United Kingdom and two in the Czech Republic. The results show that according to our research group, the Adaptation Process Plan document is not effectively used in the Czech Republic, especially in comparison with the United Kingdom. The ways of filling in the document differ in these countries, particularly with regard to its regularity and thoroughness. The parts which had been graded...