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)

This study sought to investigate: •!• student nurses' perceived role of tutors, preceptors and professional nurses in fostering the development of interpersonal relationships of students nurses during training •!• student nurses' espousal of positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, friends and relatives of patients •!• Whether or not any significant differences existed between the first and fourth year students' perceptions and espousal of positive interpersonal relationships. First and fourth year student nurses in the Eastern Cape Province were studied. More first, than fourth, year respondents contended that tutors, preceptors and professional nurses facilitated the development of student nurses' interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, friends and relatives of patients. On the espousal of positive interpersonal relationships vis-a-vis patients, friends and relatives of patients and amongst themselves as colleagues, both groups of respondents provided similar response profiles. A posteriori "t" comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in the response profiles between the first and fourth year respondents in their espousal of positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, friends and relatives of patients. The major inference drawn from this was that the four-year comprehensive course should place greater emphasis on the development of interpersonal relationships of student nurses in the Republic of South Africa. / Health Studies / D.Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Science)

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / South Africa is one of 12 countries where the under-five child mortality rate has increased. In response to this challenge, the WHO and UNICEF in the 1990s developed Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), a strategy to reduce child mortality and morbidity. IMCI training was launched in South Africa in 1998. Health care workers trained in IMCI face many challenges when applying the new integrated case management approach. Training settings tend to differ from the actual work environment. Simulation is practiced in an enclosed environment and certain assessments are not possible for example chest in drawing, level of consciousness, oedema amongst others. In South Africa, there has been limited research on IMCI in-service and pre-service training and no research has been conducted regarding the training of student nurses on IMCI and follow up of these learners in the clinical field. Purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to evaluate the IMCI training of learners in the use of IMCI Guidelines in the KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing (KZNCN). Methodology This study followed a descriptive quantitative approach and evaluates the training of the learners and the facilitation and training of lecturers with regards to IMCI in the KZNCN campuses. Data was collected using questionnaires for facilitators and learners on the three campuses. Results The findings of this study revealed that teaching and learning approaches used to facilitate IMCI were adequate except for clinical practice and theory which was reported to be insufficient.

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

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Students undertake their clinical placement in various clinical settings for the exposure to and acquisition of skills related to that particular context. The operating room, for example, is a context that offers the opportunity to develop critical skills related to the perioperative care of the patient. Despite the numerous studies that have been undertaken in this field, few studies that have investigated the operating room as a clinical learning environment in the South African healthcare system have been published. The aim of this study was to determine students’ perceptions of the operating room as a clinical learning environment in a private hospital context. An exploratory, interpretive and descriptive design generating qualitative data was utilized. Data was collected from nursing students undertaking their training at a private nursing education institution. Ten nursing students participated in an open-ended questionnaire (N=10), and twelve students participated in the focus group discussion (N=12). From the results, four themes emerged, namely, ‘interpersonal factors’, ‘educational factors’, ‘private operating room context’, and ‘recommendations’. This study has highlighted some of the challenges experienced by students in the private sector operating room context. Despite the potential learning opportunities, the key findings reveal negative perceptions of students regarding learning experiences. However, the opinion that the operating room offers an opportunity to gain skills unique to this context, as well as facilitates the integration of theory and practice, was also expressed. Some students reported that the emphasis on profitability and cost to patient, and the lack of a mentoring process in this context posed a constraint to learning. Exploration into the specific preparatory needs of students specific to learning outcomes before operating room placement should be considered. It would also be necessary to improve collaboration between lecturers, mentors and theatre managers so that a structured teaching programme may be developed for students entering the perioperative environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studente onderneem hul kliniese plasing in verskeie kliniese omgewings vir die blootstelling aan en aanleer van vaardighede wat verband hou met daardie spesifieke konteks. Die operasiesaal, byvoorbeeld, is ’n kliniese omgewing wat die geleentheid bied om kritiese vaardighede te ontwikkel wat verband hou met die perioperatiewe versorging van die pasiënt. Ten spyte van die talle studies wat in die operasiesaal onderneem was, het slegs ’n paar studies uit ’n Suid-Afrikaanse gesondheidsorg oogpunt, die operasiesaal as ’n kliniese opleidings omgewing ondersoek. Die doel van hierdie studie was om studente se persepsies van die operasiesaal as ’n kliniese omgewing in ’n privaat hospitaal konteks te bepaal. ’n Ondersoekende, verklarende en beskrywende ontwerp wat kwalitatiewe data genereer, is gebruik. Data is ingesamel van verpleegstudente wat hul opleiding by ’n privaat verpleegonderrig instelling ontvang. Tien verpleegstudente (N=10) was genooi om ’n onbepaalde vraelys te voltooi en twaalf student (N=12) het aan die fokusgroep bespreking deelgeneem. Vier temas het na vore gekom, naamlik ‘interpersoonlike faktore’, ‘opvoedkundige faktore’, ‘privaat-operasiesaal konteks’, en ‘aanbevelings’. Hierdie studie het ’n paar van die uitdagings uitgelig wat die studente in ’n privaat sektor operasiesaal ondervind. Ten spyte van die potensiële leergeleenthede teenwoordig in die privaat sektor operasiesaal, toon die belangrikste bevindings egter die negatiewe persepsies van studente jeens hierdie kliniese omgewing. Die opinie is egter ook uitgespreek dat hierdie omgewing ook ’n geleentheid aanbied om unieke vaardighede aan te leer. Dit bied ook ’n geleentheid om teorie en praktiese kundigheid te integreer. Sommige studente rapporteer dat die klem op winsgewendheid en koste vir die pasiënt, asoók die gebrek aan mentorskap in hierdie kliniese omgewing ’n beperking plaas op die leerproses. Die spesifieke voorbereidings behoeftes van studente insake leeruitkomste voordat plasing in die operasiesaal omgewing geskied, moet eers deeglik ondersoek word. Dit is ook nodig om die nodige samewerking tussen dosente, mentors en operasiesaal bestuurders te verbeter sodat ’n gestruktureerde onderrig program ontwikkel kan word vir studente wat die perioperatiewe omgewing betree.

Background: Nursing staff are often involved in counseling patients with regard to health behavior. Although care promoting healthy lifestyle choices is included in the curriculum of nursing students in Germany, several studies of nursing students have reported a high prevalence of unhealthy behavior. This paper focuses on the behavior of female nursing students with regard to body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and cigarette and alcohol consumption. It describes trends through the comparison of results from 2008 and 2013. Methods: Data was collected in two waves at a regional medical training college. First, 301 nursing students were asked to fill out a 12 page questionnaire on health behavior in 2008. The questioning was repeated in 2013 with 316 participating nursing students using the previous questionnaire. Results: 259 female nursing students completed the questionnaire in 2013. 31.6% of them were either overweight or obese, 28.5% exercised less than once a week, 42.9% smoked between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day and 72.6% drank alcohol, wherefrom 19.7% consumed alcohol in risky quantities. In comparison to the data of 266 female nursing students from 2008, there were significant differences in the BMI and alcohol consumption: The percentage of overweight and obese students and the percentage of alcohol consumers at risk increased significantly. Conclusions: Health behavior of female nursing students is often inadequate especially in regard to weight and cigarette and alcohol consumption. Strategies are required to promote healthy lifestyle choices.