M.Cur. / The overall objective of this study is to measure the level of work satisfaction among nurses at Athlone, Lobatse Mental and Scottish Livingstone hospitals, and develop guidelines for the nursing service manager to facilitate work satisfaction. The nursing service manager is responsible and accountable for quality personnel management. Personnel management involves the adequate provision and utilisation of personnel as well as the retention and development of personnel. In view of existing problems such as high turnover rates, too much work and the public's concerns about the standard of nursing, there is need to regularly evaluate the level of work satisfaction among nurses. Hence the study address the formulation of guidelines for the nursing service manager to facilitate work satisfaction and empower nurses. Emanating from the above the following questions are relevant: What is the level of work satisfaction among nurses in the three government hospitals ? What measures need to be put in place in order to increase work satisfaction among nurses ?

Thesis (M.Cur.) --University of Limpopo, 2012 / The implementation of a Performance Management System (PMS) and its impact on the professional nurses have never been evaluated and, therefore, the experiences of professional nurses are not known. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of professional nurses with regard to performance assessment at the Polokwane Mankweng Hospital Complex. Upon obtaining the clearance to conduct the study from the Medunsa Reseach and Ethics Committee, permission to conduct the study was granted by the Department of Health. A qualitative research approach was used by applying the principles of a phenomenological, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design. Data were collected from fourteen (14) professional nurses by using unstructured face-to-face interviews. Data were audio recorded and field notes were also written. Trustworthiness was ensured by applying the Lincoln and Guba’s criteria. Transferability was ensured by utilizing purposive sampling to include participats. Confirmability was ensured by by collecting data from thr participants who have experience on the problem studied. Data were analysed qualitatively by using Tech’s open coding method. The results indicated that there was conflict between the nurse managers and professional nurses that was arising from dissatisfaction with the assessment rating and scores allocated. Professional nurses complained about unfair ratings, stating that scores were based on personality and not performance. Those professional nurses who were obtaining high scores were perceived as the nurse managers’ favourites. Professional nurses called for a change in or review of the method of performance assessment. The results indicated that nurse managers were lacking knowledge about performance assessment and, therefore, feedback about performance were not given. It is recommended that on-going training of the nurse managers and a change in the method of assessment will remedy the situation.

M.Cur. / From out the researchers experience of the critical care nursing practice, a need for clinical learning outcomes was identified. There are no listed guidelines or outcomes of what the critical care learner should be able to do at the end of the program, to function as a competent critical care-nursing practitioner. From the above mentioned problemstatement the following question were asked namely: Which knowledge's, skills, attitudes and values do the critical care learner need to function as a compatend critical care nursing practitioner? The main aim of this study was to compile a manual with clinical learning outcomes for the following disciplines within the critical care practice + Cardiology and cardio-thorasic surgery + General surgery and Pulmonary + Neuro-surgery and trauma From out the constructivistic learning approach a contextual, qualitative and describing study was done.The first objective namely the formulation of clinical learning outcomes from out the literature was done by means of a extensive literature survey. The second and third objective of the study namely the formulation of clinical learning outcomes for the different disciplines within the critical care practices. And compiling a manual for the preceptor in the critical care practice was done simultaneously. The clinical learning outcomes was written directly into the format of a manual. Eighty questioners was handed out to critical care trained registered nurses. The data gathered from out the questioners was used in identifying learning outcomes. There are generic clinical learning outcomes, these outcomes are universal for al the disciplines within the critical care practice. Specific clinical learning outcomes where identified for • Coronary and thoracic surgery • Neuro-surgery and • Trauma Specific learning outcomes are outcomes that are only applicable within that specific discipline. If effective clinical guidance are facilitated by means of the clinical learning outcomes and the learner has reached al the outcomes, he/she should be able to function as a competend critical nursing practitioner.

M.Cur. (Intensive Care Nursing) / The problem of intensive care nurses leaving the profession due to non-conducive working environments and uncompetitive conditions of employment is becoming more alarming and is therefore as relevant as ever. The researcher is concerned about the quality of nurse-awareness nurses create in order to practice quality nurse care. Confusion among nurses about their professional rights and responsibilities adds fuel to the fire. The management of health care services is at times not sensitive to the needs of nurses, and nurses are not always recognized for their inherent professional worth. In the adult intensive care unit at which the researcher practices as unit manager she perceived her colleagues to be experiencing some sort of emotional and spiritual discomfort in going about their daily activities. As the researcher felt responsible for the well-being of the staff in the unit she decided to investigate the phenomenon via a formal research study. The objectives of the study were two-fold: Firstly to explore and describe the registered nurse's experience of nursing in the intensive care unit and then to use the information obtained to describe guidelines for the compilation of a support programme for the nurses nursing in the unit The research questions that were generated are: How do registered nurses in the intensive care unit experience nursing there and how can the information be utilized to describe guidelines to support these nurses? The researcher used an exploratory, descriptive, contextual and phenomenological qualitative design to answer these research questions. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with five interviewees who had been possessively selected.

D.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Cur. / College management is liable for quality management ofthe college to facilitate quality education. Nursing collegeshave the autonomous responsibility for planning, organising, implementing and controlling nursing education in order to ensure the achievement of programme objectives set by the South African Nursing Council. The college is further accountable to the community for the training of nurses to meet their health needs. Through the implementation of quality improvement strategies, which begin with the description of standards, the college manager accepts responsibility for facilitating quality nursing education through quality management. The purpose of the study was to describe standards for a nursing college, which can be used as a management instrument to facilitate quality education, as well as effective functioning of a nursing college. The aim of the study is justified by means of a descriptive, explorative, contextual research design. Standards for a nursing college were developed and validated by utilising a structured two-phase research method. For the development of standards, the Delphi method, round one, was used to identify subjects for standards, after which a preliminary conceptual framework was compiled. A comprehensive literature control was then undertaken to refine the preliminary conceptual framework. A final conceptual framework was formulated which served as a basis for the description of standards. The final validation of standards occurred in the quantifying phase by means of consensus discussions between experts during round two of the Delphi method. The main subjects for which standards were described, include philosophy, mission, strategic planning, personnel management, general management, research role of the tutor, community involvement, academy, students and quality improvement programme. Structural standards, which can be utilized as a management instrument, were described and represented in the form of an accreditation instrument. The purpose of this instrument is for management to use it for self-evaluation, while the standards are implemented and tested in the nursing colleges.

The purpose of this study was to describe critical care nurses' perceptions of their experiences with nursing quality assurance activities. Using an exploratory, descriptive design, data were collected in a survey, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire. A convenience sample of critical care nurses, who are members of the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, was used. The results showed that these particular nurses knew what comprised the components of a nursing quality assurance program, however, their participation in these activities was low. In addition, the majority identified that the primary purpose of nursing quality assurance activities was to meet the accreditation requirements of the hospital. Finally, the results also identified that all of this particular group of nurses felt that nursing quality assurance activities involved them, and the majority felt that these activities were part of their professional responsibilities. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

D.Cur. / With the current expanding privatisation of health services in South Africa, the establishing of quality assurance mechanisms is not only essential but is becoming a prerequisite for further privatisation. Privatisation of health care services, together with economical problems, are causing the role fulfilment and accountability structure of the nurse administrator to become much more complex and greater demands are continually made. A profile of the nurse administrator in private hospitals in South Africa, was compiled by means of an explorative descriptive study. This was done to ascertain their preparedness for the formalisation of quality assurance in nursing. The conclusion which was ultimately reached conceded that the nurse administrator in South African private hospitals, is not adequately prepared for her managerial responsibilities. She is, however, according to the registered qualifications, adequately qualified;.. to exercise effective quality control and assurance in the various nursing disciplines. Consequently national nursing service standards for private hospitals were formulated. These standards were validated bya representative group of national experts. The validation process consisted of a two-stage research technique. The statistical validity was calculated by means of a content validity index for each standard. Fourteen (N=275) of these standards (5%) were rejected by the whole group and 25 (9%) require reformulation. The respondents from the private sector rejected three more standards. Standards form the basis of the quality assurance process. These standards should equip the nurse administrator with valuable guidelines to promote a high standard of nursing service management in private hospitals. It is recommended that these standards should serve as optimum standards for nurse administrators in private hospitals.

M.Cur. / Nursing practitioners working in the critical care unit are responsible for quality nursing care of the patient on pressure-controlled ventilation. Pressure-controlled ventilation is a high-risk interaction, with potential life-threatening complications, for example barotrauma.There are, however, in the South-African context no standards for pressure-controlled ventilation with which quality nursing of the patient on pressure-controlled ventilation can be evaluated. The following question is then asked in this study: Which standards should be formulated for the adult patient on pressure-controlled ventilation incritical care units? The goal of this study is then to formulate standards for the adult patient on pressure-controlled ventilation in critical care units. An explorative, descriptive and modified standard-generating research design is followed in this study. The research methodology as suggested by Muller (1998a:606-609; 1998b:636-637) for standard development during the quality improvement process is used in this study. Standard formulation consists out of three phases, namely a development phase, a quantifying-/ validation phase and a testing phase. During the development phase of this study, a literature study is conducted after which concept standards for the adult patient on pressure-controlled ventilation in critical care units are formulated. During the validation phase of this study, the concept standards are validated by means of a consensus debate session with clinical domain experts. Seventeen standards in total were formulated. Standard one to fifteen are structure standards. These standards address the ethico-legal, philosophical and management framework according to which the nurse practitioner functions during the nursing of the adult patient on pressure controlled ventilation in critical care units. It also includes the fascilitating context, as well as facilities, equipment, stock and medication, procedures and protocols and aspect of personnel development necessary to nurse the patient on pressure-controlled ventilation. Lastly in this group of standards the knowledge and skills which the critical care nurse requires for nursing the patient on pressurecontrolled ventilation are described. Standard sixteen is the process standard for nursing the patient on pressure-controlled ventilation.This standard is described as one comprehensive standard to facilitate easy use in practice and to address the nursing process holistically. Standard seventeen can be described as the outcome standard for the nursing of the adult patient on pressure-controlled ventilation and describes the expected aspects of quality improvement.