MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / See the attached abstract below

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / See the attached abstract below

PhDH / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Introduction and background Professional nurses are responsible to supervise student nurses in the clinical areas in order to assist them in achieving the learning outcomes, develop clinical skills and competence; however, this role is overlooked as pinned to different factors influencing clinical supervision, including the related challenges regarding supervision. This study aimed to explore and describe professional nurses’ and student nurses’ perceptions of clinical supervision in training hospitals of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Research methodology The study used convergent parallel mixed methods design. The population in this study was professional nurses and student nurses working in seven training hospitals of Mopani and Vhembe district of Limpopo Province. Purposive sampling was used to sample districts, hospitals and student nurses whereas, convenience sampling was used to sample professional nurses. Self-administered questionnaires and focus group interviews were used in data collection. Quantitative data was v analysed using Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS), version 22.0 and Tesch’s’ method was used to analyse qualitative data. Findings Perceptions of professional nurses and student nurses revealed several factors influencing supervision and challenges such as staff shortages, high number of student nurses allocated in clinical areas, heavy workload, inadequate material resources, poor communication and inadequate support. The findings were used in formulation of clinical supervision guidelines. Recommendations The recommendations of this study were based on the study findings. Intervention on the challenges of clinical supervision is recommended by utilisation of the formulated guidelines. This will assist in closing the existing gap regarding clinical supervision. / NRF

In contemporary American society, the nursing profession is predominantly made up of white women. Currently, males make up only 6.8 percent of the three million nursing professionals in the U.S. and they are considered gender minorities within the nursing profession and within nursing education. As gender minorities, male students are identified as experiencing nursing programs and the practice of nursing differently than their female counterparts. The purpose of this single instrumental, within site case study was to explore the learning environment for male nursing students and to investigate the nature of the interactions between nursing faculty and male undergraduate students in a Pacific Northwest medical university nursing program. Data was collected in the educational setting through observations, participant interviews, and document analysis. In addition, this study used Kanter's theoretical framework of tokenism to uncover if male nursing students were perceived as tokens in the educational environment. The findings showed that the faculty-student interactions were largely positive; they also revealed that having other males in the class was an instrumental factor in their positive perception of their educational experience. However, the male nursing students also identified areas of discomfort in the educational setting, specifically when practicing clinical skills with female peers, feeling pressured to volunteer and to expose skin during in-class demonstrations, and anticipating that they would be excluded from certain clinical situations. This research indicated that gender differences are present within nursing education and contributed to instances of discomfort for male students. Specific barriers occurred most often when men engaged with female peers and were in clinical settings. These findings provide new insight into when and where men begin to experience gender barriers in the educational environment and are pertinent to understanding the educational environment for men in nursing. Recommendations specifically geared towards assisting students in their first term are suggested for nursing faculty and administrators to ensure that the learning environment is welcoming for men. These recommendations include consciously placing males together in cohort groups and in clinical experiences, reducing instances of visibility and pressure on men in the clinical setting, building faculty awareness of perceived and real barriers for men in the educational setting, and providing faculty with tools to assess and address barriers that are present in the classroom environment.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Despite more than 40 years of research and governmental support, African Americans continue to be underrepresented in the nursing profession compared to the population it serves. Though some progress has been made over the past 20 years, the American Nurses Association (ANA), American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) and Institute of Medicine (IOM) continue to identify increasing diversity as a disciplinary priority. Further understanding of the experiences of African American nursing students is needed to inform decisions about recruitment, retention and successful matriculation of these students. This qualitative descriptive study focused on understanding the experiences, and the meaning those experiences had, for African American students who attended predominately European American schools of nursing. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with fourteen African American nurses who shared their experiences in pre-licensure nursing programs. Thematic analysis revealed two salient themes: "Standing out" and "It's not just about me." The findings from this study shed new light on this persistent issue and inform faculty members and nursing school administrators about the strategies and ways of framing the educational experience that may create environments that are welcoming to African American students to address the retention of African American students in pre-licensure nursing programs.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The nursing shortage has reached unprecedented levels in the United States. In a response to meet current educational needs and demands to recruit, retain, and expand enrollment of students in baccalaureate programs in nursing, the growth of online education has been dramatic. As growth continues, graduation rates and program retention are a concern. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between student motivation, academic context, cost-benefit appraisal, and intent to persist in RNBS completion online programs. The conceptual model used in this study was Student Online Academic Persistence a researcher developed model which is primarily based on the work of Tinto, Bean & Metzner, and Rosenbaum. Research questions: 1. Among students enrolled in RNBS completion online programs, do motivation and context predict cost-benefit appraisal? 2. Among students enrolled in RNBS completion online programs, what is the relationship between cost-benefit appraisal and intent to persist in the program? Data were collected via a Web-based self-report questionnaire and subjected to descriptive and inferential analyses which included the use of linear regression and correlations. From a population of 3606 students from three schools of nursing who were enrolled in an RNBS completion online program, 704 usable surveys were returned, with a response rate of 19%. Technology self-efficacy correlated positively with goal orientation, goal commitment, satisfaction with institution and faculty, cost-benefit appraisal and intent to persist. Goal commitment to the program and satisfaction with institution were found to be important in the persistence of students. A continual decision making process involving cost-benefit appraisal was also found to impact student intention to persist in the program of study. Recommendations for faculty include assuring student technology self-efficacy and developing an online transition course designed to normalize the experience of adults engaging in online education. Future research which further tests the Student Academic Online Persistence model and explores the lived experience of the online student is suggested.

The question the researcher set out to answer was "What is the educational focus of a nursing college when viewed within Bevis and Watson's Humanistic-Educative-Caring Curriculum Paradigm versus a Stimulus-Response Curriculum Paradigm?" The purpose of this study was to develop and test an instrument based on the Bevis and Watson Humanistic-Educative-Caring Model; an educational paradigm shift from the Tylerian rationale in nursing education. A questionnaire comprising 181 Two-Choice Comparative-Value-Statement Items was developed and tested. A non-experimental research design was implemented. During the developmental phase, a non-probability, purposive sample was used; the questionnaire (instrument) was developed; data were analysed by applying content analysis and the questionnaire was refined. During the testing phase a stratified, random sample was used consisting of first to fourth year students from two nursing colleges from the Gauteng Province; the items were tested against biographic data and hypotheses resulting from the Bevis and Watson model. Six conceptual continuums comprise the Bevis and Watson model namely, the Learner Maturity Continuum, the Teacher-student relationship, the Teacher-student structure, the Typology of Learning, Criteria for Teacher-Student Interactions and Criteria for Selecting and Devising Learning Experiences. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilised. The results indicated that the educational focus of the respondents with regard to the Bevis and Watson model was predominantly humanistic. The exception occurred with regard to TUTOR: Teacher-student structure; pertaining to hypothesis 7 on language; and hypothesis 9 on gender, where a behaviouristic orientation appears to prevail. Significant differences were found between the model variables (conceptual continuums) and year group, language, college A and B, and gender. In hypothesis 5, although a humanistic orientation predominated, the 4th year students tended to display an increasing behaviouristic orientation. In hypothesis 8, although a humanistic orientation predominated, college A appeared less humanistic than college B. Recommendations were made regarding nursing education and further research studies to refine the instrument. The implementation of the Bevis and Watson model calls for a curriculum paradigm shift in nursing education. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil.

The purpose of midwifery nursing education is to prepare midwives who are fully qualified to provide high-quality, evidence-based mother and child health care services. A quantitative descriptive explorative design was used to identify and explore midwifery students’ experiences of clinical teaching at Sovenga Campus, (Limpopo College of Nursing), Limpopo province. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data. The research sample consisted of fifty (50) midwifery students from Sovenga Campus. Ethical principles were adhered to. Validity and reliability were maintained. The findings showed that learning opportunities are being utilised and clinical accompaniment by tutors has improved. The findings indicated that clinical teaching in midwifery units does not include implementation of the maternity guidelines and protocols’ being used .A recommendation was that tutors be included in student orientation and the planning of monthly unit in-service programmes. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

This study deals with the role of the unit sister in teaching student nurses in KwaZulu hospitals. The aim of the study was to identify the extent of her involvement in managing the unit to ensure clinical teaching and her involvement in the clinical teaching process. The role theory and the clinical teaching process formed the conceptual framework. Data was collected from sisters in charge of units by means of a questionnaire. The results of the study indicated that:- unit sisters regard good management of the unit as essential for effective clinical teaching. unit sisters regard clinical teaching as one of their important roles and functions as they said they were involved in all activities of the clinical teaching process however the responses were confined to what the unit sisters said they do which might not be what they actually do / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

Text in English / The purpose of this study, was to identify and describe factors, which facilitate or impede learning in clinical learning settings. The study adopted an exploratory descriptive approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative designs. Data collection tool, comprised of two sections: Section 1 focused on demographic characteristics. While section 2 addressed study variables of clinical setting, staffing, patient care/ practice standards, nurse manager's commitment and interpersonal relationships. The last section had two parts; part 1 being close ended Likert type scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Part 2, was open ended, and solicited respondents' feelings opinions and experiences on factors they perceived to facilitate or impede clinical learning. The findings indicate that the majority of settings studied did not provide adequate factors to facilitate clinical learning. Factors such as availability of learning experiences, acceptable unit organization, space and resource availability, and accessibility to students, adequate staffing with qualified staff who actively participate in teaching, appropriate and quality patient care role modelled, lecturer availability and involvement in clinical teaching, team building and inclusion of students in the team, committed nurse managers involved in students' learning, conducive relationships among staff, students and patients, comfort relationships, advocacy and creating conducive relationship by the nurse manager, were identified as necessary for learning. These factors however, were found to be either lacking, inadequate or inaccessible to students. Findings were based on data from a quota sample of 202 participants proportionately drawn from students, nurse managers and nurse lecturers. The study made recommendations to improve and enhance the conduciveness of clinical practice settings used for learning in Botswana. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Science)