Background Trauma is the leading cause of death in the young (ages 1-44) and the current life situation is responsible for producing emergency injuries from motor vehicle accidents, violence and from acute life threatening illnesses. The training of emergency nurses is therefore of priority based on the increasing demands on the entire emergency health care system. The study evaluates the education and training of emergency nursing programme that has been offered for the past seven (7) years at a Nursing Education Institution (NEI) in the Limpopo province. The programme has not has not been formally evaluated. Aim The overall aim of the study is to explore and describe the views of students pertaining to the emergency nursing programme offered at the NEI in the Limpopo province and to make recommendations for the refinement of the emergency nursing programme, based on the views of the nursing students. Methods A qualitative design working from an Appreciative Inquiry approach was employed. Purposive sampling was used and focus group interviews were conducted with 20 Professional nurses who are trained as emergency nurses at the NEI from 2007 to 2013. Two main themes emerged: theoretical aspects and clinical aspects, which included both positive and negative views. The findings were used to make recommendations to refine the programme / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science

Department of Advanced Nursing Science / MCur

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions/views of student nurses, nurse educators and unit supervisors on accompaniment of student nurses in clinical settings of the Northern Province of the RSA A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional survey was used in this study to describe the perceptions/views of student nurses, nurse educators and unit supervisors on apcompaniment of student nurses in clinical settings. Data was collected during February and March 200 I when student nurses, nurse educators and unit supervisors in the Northern Province completed questionnaires. The study revealed positive and negative perceptions regarding accompaniment of student nurses in clinical settings, including that: • accompaniment in the clinical settings enhanced student nurses' clinical learning experiences • the presence of nurse educators in the clinical settings improved student nurses' accompaniment • facilitators played an important role in the accompaniment of student nurses • accompaniment enhances correlation of theory and practice / Health Studies / MA (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

The aim of this study was to determine the role of the nurse educator in supporting pupil nurses. A quantitative, descriptive survey design was used with a questionnaire as data collection instrument. The sample included pupil nurses following the two year programme for enrolment as a nurse at one of the sub-campuses in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The results revealed that support was offered in the classroom and in the clinical field, though some of the pupil nurses were not happy with the clinical allocations. It was revealed that they were sometimes used as part of the workforce. There was a significant difference between means for the four aspects of support (classroom teaching, clinical teaching, assessment and motivation). The mean ranking for classroom and clinical teaching, were significantly higher than for assessment and motivation. Recommendations with reference to nursing education and further research regarding specific aspects of pupil nurse support were made. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

An exploratory, descriptive design in the phenomenological approach was used to describe and explore how student tutors' experienced the process of evaluation of their clinical teaching in a specific distance-learning programme. The researcher conducted a tape-recorded focus group interview with seven participants who voluntarily agreed to participate. After transcription, the data was analysed using Tesch's (1992:92) method of analysis to code the data into themes in order to identify commonalities. The findings of this study indicated that participants experienced the evaluation process positively and negatively. The negative experiences included difficulty in obtaining access to evaluators, practica facilities, and inconsistencies of evaluators. Recommendations were made for improving evaluation of teaching skills of student tutors in this distance programme. / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

A qualitative exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used to conduct a study. In-depth individual phenomenological interviews with students purposively selected were conducted. Data saturation was reached after interviewing eight students. The following categories emerged: the participants experienced problem-based learning (PBL) as challenging, problematic group collaboration and cohesion, PBL as a good strategy. The challenges experienced included: unfamiliarity with the strategy, inadequate resources in the library, inaccessible computer laboratories because of limited space and operational hours, time pressures and overload. Clinical learning is not given adequate attention and some professional nurses in the clinical areas are not supportive to the university students as compared to college students. Positive conclusions about PBL include that students need the strategy as it promoted critical thinking, improved communication and presentation skills, helped teamwork and learning from others. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health studies)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology. 2014. / Background The KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing trains students to be professional nurses through the R425 programme. Teaching and evaluation are done in English, although the majority speak isiZulu as their home language. Due to inequalities in the South African schooling system, many English Additional Language (EAL) student nurses have poor English proficiency and struggle academically. There is a need to ensure that those selected for nurse-training are academically successful. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between English proficiency, determined by the matriculation English results, and first-year nursing academic results. Methodology A quantitative design was used, and comprised of two phases, namely a self-administered questionnaire and a correlation, retrospective record-review. The total population of first-year nurses was 271. The participating sample amounted to 133 consenting nurses, undertaking the R425 programme at KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing campuses. Stratification sampling was used to ensure that approximately half the sample of nurses attended a rural campus and half attended an urban campus. Random sampling was then used to select the urban campuses and the rural campuses from where students were invited to participate. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis as well as regression analysis was applied, using the SPSS version 20.0. Results Matriculation English appears to be positively related to many factors including the socio-economic situation when growing up, attending a rural primary school, library access at primary school and access to computers in primary and high school. English additional language nurses prefer to be taught nursing in English and consider it an advantage. The examination failure rate of first-year nurses was 24%. Nurses’ with higher matriculation English results on entry to nurse-training obtained better academic results in first-year nursing examinations. Recommendations Language should not be a barrier to admission into higher education, however a certain threshold of proficiency in the language of instruction is recommended. Under-resourced schools need to be addressed, especially in rural areas, including the language of instruction at schools. The matriculation results of the home language should also be considered in admission criteria to higher education. Policy formulation on formal academic support and language training, especially during the first-year of nurse-training is required for those struggling academically.

Background: Literature has shown that negative attitudes and unwillingness to care for HIV-infected patients are prevailing among healthcare workers. This study aimed to assess the attitudes and willingness of student nurses towards caring for HIV-infected patients in some public hospitals in Gert Sibande district, Mpumalanga. Method: A contextual exploratory quantitative descriptive survey was conducted among student nurses enrolled for a four-year nursing qualification in a nursing college at Mpumalanga province. Self-administered questionnaires were completed after obtaining an informed consent. Results: A total of 122 (70.9%) students participated in this survey. Findings showed that most participants had positive attitudes 66 (52.7%) and were willing 121 (99.1%) to care for HIV-infected patients. Significant associations were revealed between participants’ previous HIV testing (p=0.012), age group (p=0.009), and their willingness to provide care to HIV-infected patients. Conclusion: Results showed a generally positive attitude and willingness by participants to care for HIV-infected patients. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / Introduction: There is a global shortage of nurses, particularly in South Africa where there is a scarce resource of professional nurses. Since KwaZulu1Natal College of Nursing (KZNCN) is tasked with the responsibility of training 86% of professional nurses in the province, it is unfortunate to lose 22% of these students through failure and attrition. Most of these failures are in the subject of Anatomy and Physiology. Aim of study: The aim of the study was to establish factors that impact on the success in Anatomy and Physiology in first year student nurses affiliated to KZNCN, in a South African context. Methodology: A quantitative descriptive survey research design was used to establish relationships between variables that impact on nursing students’ success in Anatomy and Physiology. Results: The majority of respondents were Black (86.7%) from rural areas (6􀀀.3%) of KwaZulu1Natal. Their nurse training was in English as a second language (78.6%) but most respondents felt that they were coping well with being taught in English (p 􀀀0.00􀀀). However, respondents with English as a first language obtained significantly higher marks in Anatomy and Physiology I (p = 0.003) and there was a good correlation between matriculation English and Anatomy and Physiology II results (p = 0.02). There was also a good correlation between matriculation Biology/Life Science mark and Anatomy and Physiology I marks (p <􀀀 0.00􀀀). Additionally, good performance in Anatomy and Physiology I was a good indicator for success in Anatomy and Physiology II (p < 0.00􀀀). A significant number of respondents found the academic workload, financial stressors and long working hours stressful but engaged in positive coping skills to address these. Conclusion: Prior knowledge in English and Biology/Life Sciences has a significant positive impact on student performance in Anatomy and Physiology. / M