M.Cur. / With the announcement of the devolution of primary health care services to the local authority by the Cabinet in 1991, the role fulfilment of the community health nurse becomes more complex and greater demands are continuously made on her. The question, to what extent will the Implementation of primary health care (with the critical elements as framework) make greater demands on her role and function, led to this study. An exploratory, descriptive study, within a contextual framework was carried out. The purpose of the research was to analyse the task of the nursing staff working at local government, to determine which critical elements In primary health care are seen as part of the tasks of the community health nurse and to give guidelines with regard to primary health care and community health nursing. Content analyses done of job descriptions Indicated that some of the critical elements of primary health care are not expected to be performed by the nursing staff. According to the information gained through the questionnaires, nurses do more than is expected of them as Indicated In their job descriptions. " According to the conclusions resulting from this study, most of the critical elements of primary health care is being performed by nurses as part of their duty. The most Important recommendations Include the training of those nurses who feel that they need refresher courses with regard to the examination of patients and the making of diagnoses. Nurses need to know about the changes and what Is expected of them In future as a result of these changes.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a skill that all registered nurses should maintain. In South Africa, a new healthcare trend towards accreditation in this skill is emerging. It is assumed that nurses are competent in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but studies indicate a problem of poor retention ofboth knowledge and skills in this area. A non-experimental, quantitative, descriptive and contextual research project was undertaken with the aim of exploring the knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation of registered nurses working in the wards of selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Peninsula. A convenience sample of thirty registered nurses completed a multiple-choice questionnaire. The questions in the questionnaire were derived from a literature review as well as the basic and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation algorithms. Analysis of the data indicated that the level of knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was inadequate particularly in the areas of medication and the rationale underlying interventions. Recommendations that were made included proposals that cardiopulmonary resuscitation training programmes be revised; and that employers ensure that registered nursing ,staff are formally trained on an annual basis. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

This study explored and described the impact of the rights and obligations of nurses on the delivery of quality patient care in a clinical setting. Quantitative research approach was utilised. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The research results revealed that respondents who participated in this study were aware of their rights and obligations, the effects and impact of factors influencing such rights and obligations on patient care. It was established that “patient abandonment” observed when nurses embark on a strike as their constitutionally enshrined right is not due to a lack of insight about their rights and obligations, but on how such rights and obligations are implemented. The researcher recommends that further research be undertaken to explore the causes of nurses embarking on strike actions despite their high level of knowledge concerning the impact of such actions on patient care in a clinical setting / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a skill that all registered nurses should maintain. In South Africa, a new healthcare trend towards accreditation in this skill is emerging. It is assumed that nurses are competent in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but studies indicate a problem of poor retention ofboth knowledge and skills in this area. A non-experimental, quantitative, descriptive and contextual research project was undertaken with the aim of exploring the knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation of registered nurses working in the wards of selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Peninsula. A convenience sample of thirty registered nurses completed a multiple-choice questionnaire. The questions in the questionnaire were derived from a literature review as well as the basic and advanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation algorithms. Analysis of the data indicated that the level of knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was inadequate particularly in the areas of medication and the rationale underlying interventions. Recommendations that were made included proposals that cardiopulmonary resuscitation training programmes be revised; and that employers ensure that registered nursing ,staff are formally trained on an annual basis. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

This study explored and described the impact of the rights and obligations of nurses on the delivery of quality patient care in a clinical setting. Quantitative research approach was utilised. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The research results revealed that respondents who participated in this study were aware of their rights and obligations, the effects and impact of factors influencing such rights and obligations on patient care. It was established that “patient abandonment” observed when nurses embark on a strike as their constitutionally enshrined right is not due to a lack of insight about their rights and obligations, but on how such rights and obligations are implemented. The researcher recommends that further research be undertaken to explore the causes of nurses embarking on strike actions despite their high level of knowledge concerning the impact of such actions on patient care in a clinical setting / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

D.Cur. / The impressive growth in the extent and range of psychiatric services provided by general hospitals in South Africa, creates stress among nurses employed in these settings which manifests its self in the negative attitudes displayed towards mentally ill people, refusal of dual diagnosis patients transferred from medical surgical units and poor intra-institutional relationships between nurses in medical-surgical units and those who are in the psychiatric unit. This has led to the research study aimed at describing a model for support to assist general hospital nurses mobilize appropriate resources in the process of nursing mentally ill people. The research methodology followed the research model in nursing proposed by Botes (1995). A theory generative, qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was followed. The research methods were dealt with in four steps of theory generation in the following manner: Step 1: Concept analysis: This step was dealt with in two phases which are concept identification and concept definition. During concept identification, a qualitative research strategy which is explorative, descriptive and contextual was used. This was attained through field research conducted in an urban general hospital. A sample of twelve professional was selected from a population of 800 professional nurses employed in a general hospital using a purposive sampling technique. This sample size was determined by saturation of data in themes. Both semi-structured individual phenomenological interviews and observations were used as methods of data collection. The field work was conducted without any preset theoretical framework of reference by using "bracketing" and "intuiting". Giorgi's (1986) method of descriptive data analysis was used. After data analysis, the results were reflected within the Nursing for the Whole Person Theory. Four themes emerged from the results of the study which were:1) the experience with the perception of the mentally ill people, 2) the experience with interpersonal communication patterns, 3) nurses' experience of violence and lastly, 4) the experience of inappropriate patient behaviours. It became clear that the experience of nursing mentally ill people was negative and affected the social, psychological and the physical dimensions of nurses. The results were validated through literature control. The major concept of model was identified as "facilitation of communication". The concept was analysed thoroughly by looking at the dictionary and subject usage. The defining attributes were identified and synthesised through a definition. The other related concepts were identified and classified using a survey list of Dickoff, James & Wiedenbach (1968:430). Step 2: Step 2 dealt with the creation of interrelationship statements between concepts identified in step 1, so that concepts were able to stand in relation to one another. Step 3: dealt with the description of the model using strategies proposed Chin & Kramer (1991). Step 4: dealt with the description of guidelines for model operationalization in practice, education and research. The evaluation of model operationalization will be carried out in future research. To ensure valid results, a model trustworthiness proposed by Guba (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) was used. The following criteria for trustworthiness was applied in all the steps of theory generation: truth value, applicability, consistency and neutrality.

M.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing) / A diagnosis of cancer causes certain fears to arise in a patient, as well as among his family, activating intense emotional responses in everyone concerned. Examples of such emotions are anger. self-reproach, gUilt, heartache, helplessness and mourning. An acceptance of the circumstances does not necessarily occur, and the phases of the mourning process may be continually interchanging. As a result of all these emotions experienced by the patient with cancer as well as his family, mental discomfort is likely to occur. The family has to adapt its usual mechanism for handling internal discomfort, in order to include the pressure and demands to which they will be exposed as a result of the cancer and treatment thereof. Family cohesion will not necessarily be advanced as a result of this heightened pressure, and additional pressure may be placed on relationships within the family. Members of a family often find it difficult to discuss openly their fears, worries and feelings. for the simple reason that they are scared of becoming upset themselves, or alternately upsetting the rest of the family. Holding themselves back in this way may lead to a feeling of being isolated, which in turn leads to feelings of uncertainty being experienced. In this way the members of a family may find themselves becoming less and less involved with each other and with the patient's treatment, all as a result of not being able to talk about their fears and other intense emotions and therefore not being able to realise all these feelings. As a result of the family's uncertainty concerning their handling of the situation, they experience a loss of control and a change in their ability to handle their situation. These factors contribute to their experience of mental discomfort. Mental discomfort is not visible to others, therefore it is very rarely treated by the multiprofessional team. If the members of the team notice the existence of such discomfort, they will still emphasise the medical treatment, since they themselves may be uncertain as to any effective treatment for such a family. The registered nurse who is in continuous contact with the patient and his family, therefore has the challenge to support the family who suffers from mental discomfort in order to lessen their suffering and facilitate their striving towards achieving wholeness once more, whether in hospital, at home or in a community centre. There are several methods of interaction available for the treatment of such a family. Mental discomfort can be reduced by psychiatric nursing accompaniment. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the folloWing: the contribution made by psychiatric nursing accompaniment through the medium of a psychiatric nursing specialist, as regards lessening the mental discomfort of the family of a patient being treated in an oncology unit or at home. A further purpose was to set certain guidelines for the registered nurse, concerning her support of the family of a patient in an oncology unit or at home, thereby lessening their mental discomfort. An exploratory, descriptive, contextual study was done on a family with one member who has been diagnosed with cancer, and who received treatment in an oncological unit and at home. This family submitted themselves to psychiatric nursing accompaniment. A purposive, non-selective sample was used and the family had to satisfy certain specific criteria pertaining to mental discomfort...

M.Cur. / This research study is on the acceptability of clinical community nursing skills in mobile health services. It is aimed at highlighting whether the skills of community nurses working in mobile health services at a certain area in KwaZulu-Natal are accepted by the community they serve. This was of concern to the researcher because it was discovered that a significant number of people in the community in this area flock to the hospitals, private doctors and traditional healers when there are mobile services which travel to various communities, in order to attend to the health needs of their residents. Interviews were conducted with the patients attending the mobile health services to obtain their views, especially on the community nursing skills. Observations were also conducted after the interviews by the researcher on the skills of the community nurses in the mobile health services. The observations were conducted to verify the results of the interviews. Findings from both data collection methods revealed that some community nursing skills are acceptable and others are unacceptable. Guidelines were formulated to render the mobile health services more user friendly.

M.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing) / The objectives of this study were to describe group nursing therapy as a resource utilized by the psychiatric nurse as a way of facilitating the adolescent's mobilization of resources to cope with the violence in their everyday life and to describe guidelines for group nursing therapy to facilitate the promotion, maintenance and restoration of these adolescent's mental health. The situation of violence makes the adolescent susceptible to mental health problems. The adolescent perceive various degrees of violence in their homes, the community and at school. A combination of these violence related situations predisposes the adolescents to developing unhealthy ways of coping with the effects of violence. The number of adolescents referred to psychiatric community services has increased at an alarming rate. The main reasons for their referral was their poor scholastic performance; they were generally labelled as "a lost generation" and also as being mentally ill. The research was based on Nursing for the Whole Person Theory and the functional approach to nursing research was assumed. This implies that the goal of the research was aimed at improving the quality of patient care. The research design was descriptive and qualitative in nature, which was also contextual. The descriptive single case study method was utilized. Reliability was ensured by using as many steps as possible to operationalize the case study - and the research was conducted as if someone were always looking over the researcher's shoulder. Validity control measures were applied to counteract criticism by ensuring that a sufficient operational set of measures was developed and objective judgements were used to collect data by way of coding transcribed audiotaped material from all the sessions of the group nursing therapy...

M.Cur. (Psychiatric Nursing) / The psychiatric nurse, as a member of the multiprofessional mental health team, utilises a goal directed approach to assist the psychiatric patient to mobilise resources to promote, restore and maintain his mental health as an integral part of his quest for wholeness. This goal directed approach is the nursing process which comprises assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation. All four steps of the nursing process and the nurse's interaction wi th the patient are dependent upon therapeutic communication between the nurse and the patient to elicit the necessary information so as to be able to formulate the nursing diagnosis, nursing actions and the patients' outcomes. Therapeutic communication remains important as the core of all nurse-patient interactions. Lack of therapeutic communication with the patient can cause conflict in the patient's internal and external environments since he will be unable to communicate his needs and problems and this will delay the mental health promotion, restoration and maintenance phases. Currently much attention is paid to the pharmacological treatment of the patient as more and more sophisticated psychotropic drugs are produced, and yet the other aspect of the patient's treatment which is equally important is neglected, namely his communication during hospitalisation, especially with the psychiatric nurse as she is the person in direct contact with him and should spend most of her time interacting with him.