Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The profession of nursing is a twofold vocation that has a scientific theory as the foundation of all nursing intervention or skill. Despite clinical preceptorship being a useful strategy of teaching, many training hospitals and clinical facilities are without this avenue of learning and where available, it is often not optimally utilised. The aim of this study was to explore the role of the clinical preceptor in enhancing nursing education at Edendale Hospital and Edendale campus of a nursing college. A mixed method approach was applied utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods to collect information about the experiences and challenges as well as clarify existing problems. Samples were drawn from all stakeholders of nursing education i.e. nursing students, nurse educators and ward managers of Edendale Hospital and Campus using random and purposive sampling respectively. Data were collected using selfadministered questionnaires for students and nursing managers and an interview guide for focus group interviews for nurse educators. Ethical approval was sought from the Health Research Ethics Committee at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University, the Department of Health, the Kwazulu-Natal College of Nursing and Edendale Hospital and Campus. The findings of this study support Weidenbach’s Prescriptive Theory in which the author maintains that nursing is a practice discipline designed to produce explicit desired results which here refers to the enhancing of nursing education with the contribution of clinical preceptorship. Patricia Benner’s Dreyfus and novice to expert models were used to express the need for meaningful practical experience in nursing students and to shows nurse educators how to identify the practical learning needs of the students and assist them acquire competence. The results of the study suggest that the clinical preceptor is a mentor and a guide who facilitates the correlation of theory and practice in nursing education. The results also suggest that students are experiencing problems in clinical practice and that clinical preceptorship is needed. A number of recommendations are made based on limitations identified in the present teaching-learning process. One of the recommendations is that partnership building strategies be fostered between the hospital, the campus and the Faculty of Nursing Education. This team approach could clearly define the role of the clinical preceptor to ensure optimum nursing education. Further research is recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verpleging is ’n tweeledige beroep met ’n wetenskaplike teorie as grondslag vir elke verpleegintervensie of -vaardigheid. Ten spyte daarvan dat kliniese instruksie (“preceptorship”) ’n nuttige onderrigstrategie is, ontbreek dit by baie opleidingshospitale en kliniese fasiliteite, en waar dit beskikbaar is, word dit dikwels suboptimaal aangewend. Die doel van hierdie studie was om ondersoek in te stel na hoe belanghebbendes by verpleegopleiding by Edendale-hospitaal en -verpleegkampus kliniese instruksie ervaar, en om sodoende vas te stel of kliniese instruksie verpleegopleiding by daardie fasiliteite versterk. ’n Gemengde benadering van sowel kwalitatiewe as kwantitatiewe metodes is gevolg om inligting oor die ervarings en uitdagings in te win en bestaande probleme te verklaar. Steekproewe is met behulp van onderskeidelik lukrake en doelbewuste seleksie uit alle belanghebbendes by verpleegopleiding by Edendale-hospitaal en - verpleegkampus geneem, met inbegrip van verpleegstudente, verpleegopvoeders en saalbestuurders. Data is deur middel van selfvoltooiingsvraelyste vir studente en eenheidsbestuurders, en ’n onderhoudsgids vir fokusgroepgesprekke met verpleegopvoeders ingesamel. Etiekgoedkeuring is verkry van die Gesondheidsnavorsingsetiekkomitee van die Fakulteit Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch, die Departement van Gesondheid, die KwaZulu-Natalse Verpleegkollege sowel as Edendale-hospitaal en - verpleegkampus. Die bevindinge van die studie ondersteun Wiedenbach se voorskriftelike teorie, waarin sy volhou dat verpleging ’n praktiese dissipline is wat ontwerp is om bepaalde gewenste resultate te behaal. Patricia Benner se Dreyfus- en beginner-tot-kennermodel is ook gebruik om die behoefte aan sinvolle praktiese ervaring by verpleegstudente te staaf, en om verpleegopvoeders te wys hoe om studente se praktiese leerbehoeftes te bepaal en hulle vaardighede te help ontwikkel. Die resultate van die studie dui daarop dat die kliniese instrukteer as mentor en begeleier die korrelasie tussen teorie en die praktyk van verpleegonderwys fasiliteer. Die resultate dui verder daarop dat student probleme in kliniese praktyk ervar en kliniese instruksie benodig. ’n Aantal aanbevelings word gedoen op grond van beperkinge wat in die huidige onderrig-en-leer-proses uitgewys is. Een van die aanbevelings is die ontwikkeling van strategieë om vennootskappe tussen die hospitaal, die verpleegkampus en die fakulteit verpleegkunde te bou. Hierdie spanbenadering kan die rol van die kliniese instrukteur duidelik omlyn ten einde optimale verpleegopleiding te verseker. Verdere navorsing word aanbeveel.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Background: Preceptorship refers to a teaching and learning approach through which a well experienced clinician is contracted to provide clinical teaching, supervision, role‐modeling of professional and clinical practice skills and assessment of students in a clinical setting. This approach often involves three groups of people, namely: faculty, students, and clinicians (preceptors). The preceptor in this study refers to a registered nurse who supervises and conducts clinical assessment of students in a clinical area, while at the same time is responsible for patient care. The focus of this study was to explore preceptors’ opinions regarding the implementation of preceptorship in the diploma in the nursing curriculum diploma in the nursing curriculum in Botswana. Emphasis was placed on seeking information on how preceptorship is implemented, the strengths and challenges regarding its implementation and suggestions as to how it should be strengthened to contribute positively towards teaching and learning of students. Methodology: A mixed cross‐sectional descriptive design, using a survey was used. . The design was adopted because of its ability to provide a broad understanding of the concept under study by allowing participants to share their experiences and opinions about a specified situation. Both the qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously. A standardized self‐developed structured questionnaire using both closed ended and few open ended questions and consisting of scaled self‐report items and checklists was used to collect data from forty‐four (44) preceptors and three (3) third year level coordinators from the three (3) health training institutions. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while the qualitative data were analyzed for frequency of common themes. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequency tables and charts, as well as measures of central tendencies, were used in the analysis of quantitative data. Results: The findings revealed that preceptorship program was not well coordinated as there were no preceptorship manuals to guide the implementation of preceptorship program. On the positive side, however, preceptors felt comfortable and competent to supervise and assess students, despite the fact that most of them had not received preceptorship training or orientation. With regard to preceptor support, it was evident that there was need for major support in regard to improved communication between preceptor and faculty, improved support by the health facility manager and the need for strengthening preceptor training and orientation. The majority of the respondents have recommended for preceptorship orientation /training targeted at addressing some of the following topics: Student and preceptor roles, curriculum requirements, clinical teaching and assessment skills, leadership skills and how to access resources from the health training institutions. A significant number of preceptors felt that it was important to receive feedback about students’ progress from faculty and to receive feedback from students regarding their experiences in the clinical internship sites. Lastly, preceptors also felt that there was need for introducing incentives into the preceptorship program Conclusion The key areas that emerged from the study indicated an uncoordinated and unstructured preceptorship program in the diploma nursing curriculum. Preceptor support is limited as evidenced by report of lack of training or orientation of preceptors to their preceptorship role. To ensure sustainability of preceptorship program there is need to improve the following areas: preceptorship training and orientation, and preceptorship support by both the health training institution and the health facility managers. Key words: Preceptors, preceptorship, orientation, socialization, student assessment, and faculty support, clinical teaching, mentor, clinical supervisor.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / abstract / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to describe the culture of clinical teaching through a symbolic interactionist framework, by identifying the rituals, faculty behaviors, and student behaviors and characteristics valued by faculty instructing in clinical settings, using content analysis, interviews and observation. Five faculty, one from each clinical specialty, were chosen using specific criteria. College of Nursing archives were content analyzed to ascertain written valued student behaviors and characteristics and faculty were interviewed to learn their stated beliefs. Faculty/student clinical interactions were observed to assess if faculty written and verbalized beliefs were enacted, and twelve students were interviewed for verification of transmission of the values. Peer debriefing, member checking and an audit trail ensured trustworthiness of the data. Faculty used eight rituals: Preparation, Tracking, Discourse, Closet, Repast, Selection, Maneuver, and Documentation, and three types of actions: Teaching, Role Modeling, and Caretaking to transmit their values. Teaching was utilized 55 percent of the time and involved questioning, instructing, guiding, correcting and observing. Role Modeling, used 22 percent, embodied promoting independence, helping, intervening, kidding and admitting fallibility. Caretaking was evidenced 23 percent of the instructor's time and included caring, praising, diffusing anger, allowing mistakes and sharing self. Over one hundred student behaviors and characteristics that faculty valued were identified and collapsed into six descriptors, listed in descending order: assertive, therapeutic, compliant, knowledgeable, disciplined, and skillful. Faculty placed emphasis on human, interactive skills versus knowledge and psychomotor skills, and responded to students with very caring behaviors. They utilized compassion as a way of effecting conformity, and their use of caring behaviors for the exercise of their power was evident.

The primary purpose of the study was to identify liberal education skills necessary for competent, professional nursing practice and to compare baccalaureate and associate degree faculties' perceptions of the importance of liberal education skills and program emphasis on those skills. Further, the study sought to identify underlying factors of liberal education skills perceived by college nursing faculty to be required for competent, professional nursing practice. Finally, the study attempted to identify differences in baccalaureate and associate degree faculties' perceptions of the importance of liberal education skills and program emphasis place on those skills by public and private institutional membership and by National League for Nursing (NLN) geographic accrediting region assignment. The study's survey approach could be classified as a quasi-experimental design. The study utilized a multistage, stratified sample of 432 baccalaureate and associate degree nursing faculty. Seventy-two baccalaureate and 72 associate degree nursing programs were randomly selected from the four NLN geographic regions. Each dean or director of selected programs was requested to select three nursing faculty "most knowledgeable of the nursing curriculum" to complete the instrument. Data for the study were collected by means of the "Liberal Education Skills Inventory for Nursing" (LESIN). Data analysis was accomplished through the use of descriptive statistics, principal factors analysis, and analysis of variance. Major conclusions of the study were (1) nine of the ten LESIN subscales had mean faculty ratings suggesting high skill importance to competent, professional nursing practice; (2) one factor ("conceptual abilities") underlying faculty perceptions of liberal education skills importance was extracted; (3) there were statistically significant differences in baccalaureate and associate degree faculties' perceptions regarding skills importance on two of the LESIN subscales and regarding program emphasis on five of the subscales; (4) on each of the ten LESIN subscales, faculty from public and private institutions did not differ significantly on their perceptions of skills importance and did differ significantly on one subscale regarding program emphasis; and (5) the mean skill importance and program emphasis responses of faculty did not differ significantly on the ten LESIN subscales by NLN geographic accrediting region assignment. In addition, information regarding liberal education skills program evaluation measures or standards was reported.

No description available.

The purpose of the study wass to describe the professional and personal development of nursing students who were placed at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Abused Women and Children for the service-learning trial run of this Gender-Based Violence module i

Administration and faculty are now being held accountable for the learning process in educational programs at the institutional level. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare baccalaureate graduates' perceptions of Ball State University School of Nursing's education program and employers' perceptions of those graduates. This study also examined graduates demographic characteristics such as, personal information, education, professional practice, and professional activities. Stufflebeam's (1966) CIPP Model for evaluation was utilized as a theoretical framework. A convenience sample of all graduates of 19881990 one year after graduation and 1986-1987 graduates five years after graduation and employers willing to participate completed the questionnaires and/or demographic sheet. The perceptions of graduates towards Ball State University School of Nursing's educational programs and employers'perceptions towards the graduates were examined in descriptive design.A list of names was received from Ball State University's Alumni Office. Questionnaires were coded and mailed with a cover letter and a stamped, self-addressed envelope.All participants were informed of rights as human subjects and the confidentiality of this study. A cover letter informed subjects of procedures, risks, and benefits. Ball State University's Institutional Review Board granted permission to conduct the study.The findings of this study of one and five year postgraduates lead to the general conclusion that Ball State University's baccalaureate nursing program has been successful. These findings are consistent with those found in the literature. In general, the graduates expressed satisfaction with all aspects of the baccalaureate nursing education.The findings from the instrument to measure employers' perceptions (one and five years after graduation) were positive. Approximately three fourths of employers indicated the graduates functioned at above expected levels in regards to communication, nursing, leadership skills, andprofessionalism. The graduates had a successful transition into practice, and employers were satisfied with the graduates' performances. / School of Nursing

Nurse educators are faced with the issues of cost containment and documenting the results of continuing professional education (CPE). The results of successful CPE are behavior changes observed in the nursing staff upon returning to the work environment. Continuing professional education requires valid evaluation of instruments to determine its effectiveness, quality, and documentation of behavior changes. The purpose of this study was to establish the validity of four instruments measuring variables of behavior change in nurses after attendance at a CPE program. Cervero's (1985) evaluation model applied to CPE and behavior change was used to guide the study.Data was collected from three different convenience samples and merged for a total of 114 subjects. The four instruments that participants were asked to complete at the CPE programs were: (a) "New Ideas and You" (Brigham et al., 1995); (b) "Social System of the Organization"analysis. "New Ideas and You" (Brigham et al., 1995) (Ryan et al, 1995); (c) "CPE Program and Change" (Ryan et al., 1995); and (d) "The Continuing Professional Education Offering" (Elkins et al., 1995).Findings in this study were revealed through factor outcome to improve the quality of patient care. This end revealed two factors. "Social System of the Organization" (Ryan et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution. "CPE Program and Change" (Ryan et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution and "Continuing Professional Education Offering" (Elkins et al., 1995) resulted in a three factor solution.Conclusions from this study was that the four instruments have some degree of validity and reliability. The highest obtained factor scores confirmed the concepts identified as subscales in the four instruments.Nurse educators need a valid and reliable method of evaluating CPE to assess the effectiveness and extent of behavior changes in nurses after attendance at workshops, seminars, and other CPE programs. These behavior changes are a result of an increased knowledge base with an ultimateresult has a positive impact on the nursing profession, nursing education, and health care. / School of Nursing