Abstract The present study investigates phenomena of caring from the point of view of nursing work in the Western society, approaching the topic from historical and theoretical frames of reference. The historical frame of reference is an entity where descriptions of the concepts and phenomena of nursing, nursing ethics and caring are explored from the point of view of hermeneutic interpretation of history. Data from an earlier period include publications, text books and research papers from the years 1903–1938 on nursing in Finland, nursing ethics and caring and also material on the life work of Ms. Naima Kurvinen (1876–1933), matron at the Oulu Province Hospital. Data from a later period consist of articles, literary work and research papers on nursing work, nursing ethics and caring from the years 1979–2004. The theoretical frame of reference will here be approached from the points of view of phenomenology and philosophical hermeneutics. The data include philosophical literature on phenomenology, philosophical hermeneutics, and the essence, ethics and knowledge of humanity. Heidegger's philosophy of the mind of being proved to be a central theory in interpreting the phenomenon of caring. Morality, autonomy and universality were the three theoretical statements of caring found in the study. Central characteristics describing the moral essence of caring were grouped under four theses as follows: 1. Moral statements describing caring are normative, i.e. they contain moral principles which guide our actions. The good of another individual emerged as the expressed function of caring. 2. Some values, such as humaneness, dignity, health, and well-being can intuitively be named as the good within caring. 3. The act of caring is to place oneself to take care of another person. This is based on freedom, authentic presence and ability to assume another person's preferences. The combination of these qualities describes altruism within caring. 4. The humane essence of man and interaction with others include ethical meanings of caring. Caring is action that protects, maintains and enriches life and involves hope. The autonomous nature of caring is here described with the following three theses: 1. The autonomy of caring signifies the nurse's independence and the special nature of the context. Knowledge and the ability to place oneself to take care of another person are essential prerequisites. 2. The practical knowledge of caring is ethical in nature. 3. Prerequisites explaining caring, such as ethicality, knowledge, and awareness and meanings of nursing describe the phenomenological features of caring, making the act of caring an autonomous one. The following two theses are used to argue for the universal essence of nursing: 1. Our humane and historical qualities are part of universally recognized humane values. Concern represents the manner of being within caring, describes meanings and values given to it and, finally, attaches one's awareness to the real world. 2. The moral of caring is universal in nature. / Tiivistelmä Tarkastelen tässä tutkimuksessa hoitamisen ilmiötä länsimaisen hoitotyön näkökulmasta. Tutkimuksen lähestymistavaksi valitsin historiallisen ja teoreettisen viitekehyksen. Historiallinen viitekehys on kokonaisuus, jossa hoitotyön, hoitoetiikan ja hoitamisen käsitteiden ja ilmiöiden kuvaukset muodostavat historiallisen aineiston, jota tarkastelen hermeneuttisen historiantulkinnan näkökulmasta. Varhaisempi aineisto sisältää suomalaista hoitotyötä, hoitoetiikkaa ja hoitamista käsitteleviä julkaisuja, oppikirjoja ja dokumentteja vuosilta 1903–1938 sekä Oulun lääninsairaalan ylihoitajatar Naima Kurvisen (1876–1933) elämäntyöhön liittyvän aineiston. Myöhäisempi aineisto koostuu hoitotyötä, hoitoetiikkaa ja hoitamista käsittelevistä artikkeleista, teoksista ja tutkimuksista vuosilta 1979–2004. Historiallinen viitekehys on opastanut minua hoitamisen alkuperäistä luonnetta esittävien kysymysten etsimisessä, tutkimuskohdetta kuvaavan aineiston löytämisessä ja sen hedelmällisessä tulkitsemisessa. Teoreettisen viitekehyksen tarkastelunäkökulmiksi valitsin fenomenologian ja filosofisen hermeneutiikan. Aineisto sisältää fenomenologiaa ja filosofista hermeneutiikkaa sekä ihmisyyden olemusta, etiikkaa ja tietoa käsittelevää filosofista kirjallisuutta. Teoreettinen viitekehys mahdollisti tutkimuskulun ymmärtämisen sekä sen esittämisen. Heideggerin olemisen mielen filosofia osoittautui keskeiseksi teoriaksi hoitamisen ilmiön tulkitsemisessa. Hoitamisen ensimmäisen väittämän, moraalisuuden, ominaispiirteet esitän seuraavissa teeseissä: 1. Hoitamista kuvaavat moraalilausumat ovat normatiivisia eli ne sisältävät toimintaa ohjaavia moraaliperiaatteita. Niissä ilmaistu hoitamisen funktio on toisen ihmisen hyvä. 2. Joitakin arvoja voidaan nimetä intuitiivisesti hoitamisen hyvän määritelmiksi. Näitä ovat inhimillisyys, arvokkuus, terveys ja hyvinvointi. 3. Hoitaminen on asettautumista toisen ihmisen hoitamiseen. Asettautumisen perustana on vapaus ja autenttinen läsnäolo sekä kyky toisen preferenssien omaksumiseen. Nämä ominaisuudet yhdessä kuvaavat altruismia hoitamisessa. 4. Ihmisen inhimillinen olemus ja kanssakäyminen toisten ihmisten kanssa sisältävät hoitamisen eettisyyden merkityksiä. Hoitaminen on elämää suojelevaa, ylläpitävää ja rikastavaa sekä toivoa sisältävää. Toisen väittämän, autonomisuuden, olemusta kuvaavat ominaispiirteet esitän seuraavasti: 1. Hoitamisen autonomisuus tarkoittaa hoitajan itsenäisyyttä ja kontekstin erityislaatuisuutta. Tieto ja asettautuminen ovat sen välttämättömiä ehtoja. 2. Hoitamisen praktinen tieto on eettistä. 3. Hoitamista perustelevat ennakkoehdot, kuten eettisyys, tieto ja tiedostaminen sekä hoitamisen merkitykset, kuvaavat hoitamisen fenomenologisia ominaisuuksia. Nämä tekevät hoitamisesta autonomisen. Hoitamisen universaalia olemusta perustelen kahden teesin avulla: 1. Ihmisen inhimilliset ja historialliset ominaisuudet kuuluvat yleismaailmallisesti esiintyviin humaanisiin arvoihin. Huoli ilmentää hoitamisen olemisen tapaa, kuvaa sille annettuja merkityksiä ja arvoja sekä kiinnittää tietoisuuden reaaliseen maailmaan. 2. Hoitamisen moraalin luonne on yleinen.

M.Cur. / The purpose of this study is to establish guidelines for the utilization of narratives in popular literature in nursing education in order to facilitate reflective thinking with nursing students. The purpose of nursing education is to equip the prospective nursing practitioner to be able to function independently and effectively in a multicultural, technological and scientific nursing practice where caring is important. Quality nursing care demands critical analytical thinking (cognitive skills) and moral values (affective skills) of the nursing practitioner. This study investigates firstly the "what" of reflective thinking and concludes that reflection accommodates both thinking skills and values that should be facilitated at the prospective nursing practitioner. The facilitation of reflective thinking is demanding as it is a complex cognitive and affective thinking skill. The research focuses secondly on the way in which the narrative in popular literature can be applied to facilitate reflective thinking in nursing education. According to the constructivist learning approach meaningful learning and reflective thinking occur when coupled to previous knowledge and experience. The nursing student as adult learner has at his/her disposal certain advance knowledge and previous experience. Narratives and popular literature form part of the adult learner's advance knowledge and previous experience. The research design is a philosophical inquiry in which the following research strategies are used namely philosophical analysis as well as qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual strategies. In order to meet the purpose of the research, four goals were set and which were executed in four phases. At first the term reflective thinking was subjected to the process of concept analysis in order to clarify it's specific meaning (connotations and denotations). A theoretical definition of reflective thinking was formulated for the study from the connotations whereas denotations were used as the basis of learning outcomes for the Programme of Euthanasia as an Ethical Issue in Nursing Education (the Programme).

Thesis (M. (Nursing)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Caring for terminally ill cancer patients is considered stressful and heartbreaking. Oncology nurses often consider leaving the nursing profession because of the high levels of stress experienced by these health care professionals. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences and the practices of nurses who care for terminally ill cancer patients in the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital in the Capricorn District of the Limpopo Province. The objectives of this study were to explore and describe the experiences and practices of nurses who care for terminally ill cancer patients and further to describe the relationship between certain demographic variables and nurses’ experiences of death. An additional objective was to develop recommendations and strategies that might assist management of the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital with the development of appropriate skills and the implementation of emotional support that could assist nurses who care for dying cancer patients in the oncology wards. The study followed a phenomenological, descriptive, exploratory and contextual research design, which assisted the researcher to describe and explore the experience and practices of nurses caring for terminally ill cancer patients. Semi-structured interview method was used to collect data, making use of an interview guide, was used because it is a more free-flowing approach, with its structure being limited only by focusing on the research. Field notes were captured during the data collection session by the researcher. A voice recorder was used to capture all the interview sessions. The initial data analysis started with the researcher listening to the recordings and transcribing verbatim all statements made by the participants. Tesch’s open coding data analysis method was used by following the proposed eight steps to analyse qualitative data as outlined in Creswell (2013). Ethical standards as set in Babbie (2013) were adhered to by the researcher. The researcher requested permission to conduct the study from the Limpopo Department of Health Ethics Research Committee and informed consent was obtained from the participants before collecting data. Privacy of the participants was ensured as participants were never called by their names. In the study participants shared different views with respect to caring for dying cancer patients. Some participants regarded caring for cancer patients as stressful and heartbreaking. Other oncology nurses blamed the management for not providing them with courses to assist them with caring for dying cancer patient, nor providing debriefing sessions for them. On the other hand, some oncology nurses believed that relocating to other wards was a better solution. The participants suggested the following improvements for caring for dying cancer patients; oncology nurses should be offered short courses to assist them with the challenges that they come across with regard to caring for dying cancer patients. Oncology nurses need support from the management and colleagues in order to cope with the workload. Oncology nurses need psychological assistance to help them with the psychological stressors they experience. Family members and patients need health education on how to deal anticipatory grief. / University of Limpopo

The abstract on the file is incorrect, use the the one in the system as it summerizes the full text. / This attempted to describe factors contributing to sleep deprivation in the a multidisciplinary intensive care unit in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A quantitative, descriptive research design was adopted and structured interviews were conducted with 34 adult patients. Most factors contributing to these patients' sleep deprivation are basic physiological needs. Much can be done to enhance patients' abilities to sleep if noise (from alarms, monitors, televisions, telephones and footsteps) could be controlled, patients' pain would be managed effectively, doctors would visit the patients regularly, doctors and nurses use lay terms when talking to patients. Visible clocks and windows will help patients to maintain time orientation. Friendly, approachable and respectful nurses who introduce themselves to the patients help' to reduce patients' stress levels and improve their abilities to sleep. / Health Sciences / M.A. (Health Studies)

Transcultural nursing refers to the provision of nursing care to patients whose values, beliefs and life-style differ from those of the nurse. To enable nurses to honour their ethical obligation to provide quality care, they must have the necessary knowledge to nurse patients across cultural boundaries. This study was conducted to determine the nurse's knowledge of and attitudes towards the culturally different patient. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. Although nurses see it as a challenge to nurse patients from different cultures, it was found that they do not have the necessary knowledge to provide culture-sensitive care. Other factors, such as the nurse's attitude towards culturally different patients, communication problems, mistrust, prejudice and a lack of understanding of cultural uses and traditions, contribute to the lack of culture-sensitive care. The nursing profession should pay attention to these problems. / Health Studies / Van Tonder, Sally / M.A. (Nursing)

A qualitative, non-experimental, explorative and descriptive research design based on the phenomenological philosophical tradition by Heidegger to broaden hermeneutics was conducted. The study was conducted at Umkhanyakude District to investigate the perspectives of eligible nursing students relating to the provision of spiritual care to patients. A purposive sample of 9 participants was recruited and consent form obtained. An unstructured interview guide, with a grand tour question, was used to conduct face to face individual interviews. The Thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological method of analysis were employed until three themes, six categories and eleven subcategories emerged from the data. Data analysis revealed that nurses had difficulty to differentiate spiritual care from religious care. Commonly cited methods of providing spiritual care were prayer, reading sacred text and singing spiritual songs. Nurses still felt inadequately prepared educationally on how to provide spiritual care in nursing practice. Most of the participants provided spiritual care out of their own interest and not as part of their professional responsibility. Recommendations proposed that the matter be taken up by nurse managers to conduct related in-service education and mentoring programs and nurse educators to guide curriculum planning which evidently include spiritual care. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

The abstract on the file is incorrect, use the the one in the system as it summerizes the full text. / This attempted to describe factors contributing to sleep deprivation in the a multidisciplinary intensive care unit in KwaZulu-Natal Province. A quantitative, descriptive research design was adopted and structured interviews were conducted with 34 adult patients. Most factors contributing to these patients' sleep deprivation are basic physiological needs. Much can be done to enhance patients' abilities to sleep if noise (from alarms, monitors, televisions, telephones and footsteps) could be controlled, patients' pain would be managed effectively, doctors would visit the patients regularly, doctors and nurses use lay terms when talking to patients. Visible clocks and windows will help patients to maintain time orientation. Friendly, approachable and respectful nurses who introduce themselves to the patients help' to reduce patients' stress levels and improve their abilities to sleep. / Health Sciences / M.A. (Health Studies)

Transcultural nursing refers to the provision of nursing care to patients whose values, beliefs and life-style differ from those of the nurse. To enable nurses to honour their ethical obligation to provide quality care, they must have the necessary knowledge to nurse patients across cultural boundaries. This study was conducted to determine the nurse's knowledge of and attitudes towards the culturally different patient. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. Although nurses see it as a challenge to nurse patients from different cultures, it was found that they do not have the necessary knowledge to provide culture-sensitive care. Other factors, such as the nurse's attitude towards culturally different patients, communication problems, mistrust, prejudice and a lack of understanding of cultural uses and traditions, contribute to the lack of culture-sensitive care. The nursing profession should pay attention to these problems. / Health Studies / Van Tonder, Sally / M.A. (Nursing)

Mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Public Management in the Faculty of Business at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014 / Maternity service in South Africa faces particular problems in the provision of care to birthing mothers. Violence and abuse have been reported and maternity death rates are high, being related to inadequate provision of care (Myburgh, 2007:29). Ethical conduct plays a significant role in service delivery in Midwife Obstetrics Units (MOU) in general. This is of particular importance since every patient, especially pregnant women, should to be handled with the utmost care, respect and dignity. The research problem emanates from nurses’ behaviour towards patients in MOU labour wards, where women continue to be victims of abuse. Ironically, it is regrettable that they are abused by those who are supposed to be their advocates. The objectives of the study were to assess if nurses in MOU labour wards conduct themselves ethically when dealing with patients, to determine the perceptions of patients towards nurses during child birth stages, as well as to examine factors in maternity wards that may influence a nurse’s performance when dealing with patients. The study adopted the quantitative research method to answer the research question and data interpretation was based on statistical analysis. This method was deemed to be the most effective for collection of a large quantity of data and numerical (quantifiable) data is considered objective. A Likert-type questionnaire comprising closed-ended questions was the measurement instrument. This was considered to least inconvenience nurses and postnatal patients to whom these questionnaires were administered. Answer choices were graded from 1 to 4, being strongly agree, agree, disagree and strongly disagree. The population comprised nurses and postnatal patients in MOUs in the Western Cape, South Africa. Consecutive sampling was conducted in two selected MOUs, being Michael Mapongwana (MM) and Gugulethu (GG), with 311 questionnaires being distributed to both nurses and postnatal Patients in these two facilities. The findings indicated that the ethical conduct of nurses in both MM and GG maternity wards was relatively good. However, some survey findings revealed some unsatisfactory gaps that exist in what both hospitals currently offer to patients in the areas of individual patient care, communication and baby security certainty. Furthermore, the findings indicated that a significant number of patients who chose to make use of MM and GG hospitals, are satisfied with the standard of service received during their stay. However, there were some discrepancies in terms of senior management service where excellence in the monitoring role emerged as being lacking. There is a need for improvement in the current levels of ethical conduct of nurses in both the MM and GG labour wards. These needs for improvement relate to working conditions, especially linked to the human resource (HR) function, leadership and management functions, and improved monitoring and control mechanisms.

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / Background: Doctors and nurses working in ICU are always confronted with ethical dilemmas when caring for critically ill patients no matter where they practice. The ethical dilemmas experienced by ICU nurses and doctors include amongst other: freedom of choice, truth telling, distribution of resources and confidentiality. Purpose: The study sought to explore the ethical dilemmas experienced by healthcare professionals working in ICU, Vhembe district in Limpopo province. Setting: The setting of the study was Tshilidzini hospital, Vhembe district in Limpopo Province Methodology: A qualitative, explorative, descriptive design was used. The population was nurses and doctors working in ICU, Tshilidzini hospital, Vhembe district in Limpopo province. A purposive sampling was used to select the study sample, and the study hospital. Data was collected by means of Semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed using Tesch`s method. Ethical considerations were adhered to. Findings: Participants expressed ethical dilemmas related to lack of resources, unsuitable infrastructure, hospital policies and patient`s decision making. Recommendations: The study recommends better policies by government and critical care societies to help guide resource allocation for ICU services. The number of ICU beds must be allocated according to the population it serves, in-service trainings to be conducted on regular bases in order to equip ICU health care professionals with knowledge of ethics and skills of decision-making, an active ethics committee to be elected to assist ICU practitioners when they encounter ethically challenging situation. / NRF