M.P.H., Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / Although the nursing sector has not been spared the effects of human resource shortages and Human Immune-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) crisis in Lesotho, it still remains the backbone of the primary health care delivery. There is a well-established linkage between oral health and HIV/AIDS with many of the early symptoms of HIV manifesting in the oro-facial region. However, the lack of oral health personnel at primary health care levels in Lesotho makes Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioners (PHCNPs) often the first health care providers to consult, manage and refer patients with such oral lesions. Aim: To assess the “knowledge, attitude and practice” (KAP) of the PHCNPs regarding oral health and oral HIV lesions in Queen Elizabeth II (QE II) and Roma health service areas (HSA) of Maseru district in Lesotho. Objectives: To assess the demographic profile of PHCNPs in the target health facilities, their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oral health and oral HIV lesions. Methods and Materials: The research was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. A convenience sample of 57 primary health care nurse practitioners (PHCNPs) from QE II and Roma health service areas were identified. During their monthly PHC meeting, a questionnaire was administered to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding oral health and oral HIV lesions. The information gathered was both quantitative and qualitative. Data was entered and analysed using the SPSS statistical package. Results: The response rate was 87.7%. There was 100% consensus regarding the importance of oral health to the total well being of individuals. The majority of the PHCNPs recognised oral candidiasis (OC) (94.7%), bleeding gums (87.7%), herpes lesions (71.9%) and dental caries (75.4%). Lesions such as acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG) (40.3%), angular cheilitis (AC) (56.1%) and apthous ulcerations (24.6%) were also recognised but to a lesser extent. The respondents associated OC (84%), herpes (61%), AC (54%), Oral Hairy Leukoplakia (OHL) (49%), Kaposi‟s‟ sarcoma (KS) (49%) with HIV/AIDS. OC was the most common lesion associated with HIV. Some lesions commonly seen in the clinics such as apthous ulceration and ANUG were not significantly associated with HIV (18% and 33%, respectively). The majority of PHCNPs (81%) indicated that they had knowledge about oral HIV lesions. Twenty nine 6 respondents (50.8 %) reported having received this knowledge through training institutions. Mass media (Radio (53%), TV (40%), and newspapers/magazines (49%)) was one of the major sources of information. Forty-four PHCNPs (77.2%) saw only Zero or one (0-1) HIV patients with oral lesions. Similarly, 15.8 % and 7% of the PHCNPs saw 11 to 20 and more than 20 (21+) HIV patients with oral lesions, respectively. The two thirds of the PHCNPs (67%) said they would not advise patients to seek care from Traditional Health Practitioners (THP) due to their lack of trust and confidence in the practices, knowledge and the patient management of the THPs. However, 16% of them reported that they would refer because they thought traditional medicine boosts the immune system. Only seven respondents (12.3%) routinely washed their hands with antiseptics. However, 44 of respondents (77.2 %) cleaned their instruments with bleach and disinfectants. The majority (89.5%) washed their hands with water and soap. Forty three respondents (75.4%) wore gloves during examination. Routine use of facemasks was limited to only 12 respondents (21.1 %). Ninety eight percent of the PHCNPs stated that they would like to learn to manage oral lesions at health centres. The majority (79%) of the respondents said that they would like to receive more training on the management of oral lesions through workshops. Conclusions: There was an observable correlation between PHCNPs self-assessment of oral health knowledge and the objective knowledge as assessed by ability to identify the oral lesions on a chart ( 2 –sided Fischer‟s test-0.000-0.261).This needs to be confirmed by undertaking a study with a larger sample size. OC was the most common lesion associated with HIV as reported by the PHCNPs. The majority of the participants (94.7%) identified OC and associated it (84%) with HIV infection. The finding indicated that with training and/or mentoring, PHCNPs are likely to confidently diagnose oral HIV lesions. PHCNPs showed a positive attitude towards learning more about the oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS. PHCNPs should be utilised more effectively in the diagnosis and management of HIV/AIDS.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors that motivate the Primary Health Care Nurses to render quality care in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Health Care Facilities (in the Northern Region). The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is located in Gauteng, South Africa. To achieve this, a quantitative, descriptive research study was undertaken. A purposive and voluntary sample of (n=54) Primary Health Care Nurses with two or more years’ experience of working in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, in the Northern Region, participated in the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. Findings from the study indicated those factors that enhance the motivation of the Primary Health Care Nurses and those factors which may demotivate them. The findings further revealed the need for greater motivation for the Primary Health Care Nurses. Based on the study results, guidelines and recommendations were formulated according to the manner in which these nurses’ motivation may be implemented and improved / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

Background: Diabetes type 2 is a chronic disease with rising prevalence worldwide. The implementation of lifestyle changes is an important part of diabetes treatment. Nurses in primary care have a central role to support and guide diabetics for starting and retaining lifestyle changes to prevent later diabetes complications. Aim: The purpose of this study was to describe the primer care nurse’s experiences regarding the type 2 diabetes patients’ compliance to their advice regarding lifestyle changes. The aim was also to describe the primary care nurse’s experiences and reflections of contributing and hindering factors of compliance. Method: A descriptive design with a qualitative approach is used in this study. Eight diabetes nurses from seven health centers were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews conducted and data analyzed by qualitative content analysis method. Results: The emerged theme from the result was that compliance varies and is affected by different influential factors. Factors such as patients’ motivation and understanding of illness, other simultaneous physical and mental disorders, language difficulties and cultural differences have either contributing or hindering effects on compliance. Primary care nurses reported that they used different strategies, such as justifying the small changes at the beginning, establishing of mutual communication and confirmative relationship and give personalized lifestyle advice to improve patient compliance. According to interviews the items that could be improved are arrangements for group therapy sessions, active involvement of the family members in diabetes care, and assigning more resources to approach the desired goals. Conclusion: Compliance to lifestyle advice is a variable affected positively or negatively by various factors such as the individual characteristic, motivation, self-awareness, language difficulties and cultural differences. Diabetes nurses use strategies which improve compliance of diabetics to their lifestyle advice. Group Training, the involvement of the family and access to more resources are areas that need to be developed. / Bakgrund Diabetes typ 2 är en kronisk sjukdom med stigande prevalens i hela världen. Genomförandet av livsstilsförändringar utgör en viktig del av diabetes behandling. Distriktssköterskor i primärvården har en central roll att stödja och vägleda diabetiker genom rådgivning för att kunna etablera livsstilsförändringar samt att upprätthålla för att förhindra diabetes sena komplikationer. Syftet var att beskriva distriktssköterskans erfarenheter och reflektioner av typ 2 diabetespatienters följsamhet till distriktssköterskansråd avseende livsstilsförändringar. Syftet var även att beskriva distriktssköterskans erfarenheter och reflektioner av följsamhetens bidragande och hindrande aspekter. Metod En beskrivande design med kvalitativ ansats användes. Åtta distriktssköterskor från sju hälsocentraler intervjuades. Semistrukturerade intervjuer utfördes som sedan analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet visade att följsamheten varierar och påverkas av olika inflytelserika faktorer. Faktorer såsom patientens motivation och sjukdomsinsikt, andra samtidiga kroppsliga och psykiska sjukdomar, språksvårigheter och kulturella skillnader har antingen bidragande eller hindrande effekter på följsamheten. Distriktssköterskor uppgav att de använde olika strategier som till exempel att motivera till små förändringar i början, etablering av ömsesidig kommunikation och bekräftande relation och att ge individanpassade livsstilsråd, för att förbättra patientens följsamhet. Att genomföra grupputbildningar, involvering av diabetikers familj och tillgång till mer resurser ansågs som områdena som kunde förbättras för att öka följsamheten hos diabetiker. Slutsats: Följsamheten till livsstilsråd var varierande vilket påverkades positivt eller negativt av olika faktorer såsom individens egenskaper, motivation, sjukdomsinsikt, språksvårigheter och kulturella skillnader. Diabetessköterskor använde strategier som gynnade diabetikers följsamhet till livsstilsråd. Grupputbildningar, involvering av familjen och tillgång till mer resurser är områdena som behöver utvecklas.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the factors that motivate the Primary Health Care Nurses to render quality care in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Health Care Facilities (in the Northern Region). The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is located in Gauteng, South Africa. To achieve this, a quantitative, descriptive research study was undertaken. A purposive and voluntary sample of (n=54) Primary Health Care Nurses with two or more years’ experience of working in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, in the Northern Region, participated in the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. Findings from the study indicated those factors that enhance the motivation of the Primary Health Care Nurses and those factors which may demotivate them. The findings further revealed the need for greater motivation for the Primary Health Care Nurses. Based on the study results, guidelines and recommendations were formulated according to the manner in which these nurses’ motivation may be implemented and improved / Health Studies / M. A. (Health Studies)

This study sought to describe the challenges of diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children under the age of 5 years at clinics under the Prince Mshiyeni Hospital at Ethekwini Health District in KwaZulu-Natal. The study showed that primary health care (PHC) nurses do not have adequate knowledge to effectively diagnose PTB in children and, in addition, that PHC clinics are not adequately equipped to effectively diagnose PTB in children. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1995. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1995.

This study sought to describe the challenges of diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children under the age of 5 years at clinics under the Prince Mshiyeni Hospital at Ethekwini Health District in KwaZulu-Natal. The study showed that primary health care (PHC) nurses do not have adequate knowledge to effectively diagnose PTB in children and, in addition, that PHC clinics are not adequately equipped to effectively diagnose PTB in children. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Bakgrund: Traditionellt har vården varit källan till information för människans sjukdomsdiagnos, behandling och prognos. I dagens digitala samhälle, finns samma evidensbaserade sidor som sjuksköterskan hämtar kunskap från tillgängliga för gemene man. Kunskap om sitt egna upplevda hälsotillstånd är idag ett av de mest sökta ämnet på internet och möjligheten att besitta specialistkunskap om sitt tillstånd är därför stor. Sjuksköterskor beskriver i mötet med den pålästa patienten, en känsla av förlägenhet i sin profession då de betraktar det som osannolikt att vara uppdaterad i nivå med den senaste kunskapen som patienten hämtat. Motiv: Det är angeläget att genomföra denna studie för att belysa de utmaningar en distriktssköterska som arbetar på en hälsocentral ställs inför, i ett samhälle där digitaliseringen gjort kunskap lättillgängligt.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att belysa distriktssköterskors erfarenheter av att möta pålästapatienter som hämtat information från internet inför ett primärvårdsbesök. Metod: Data för denna studie har inhämtats från åtta distriktssköterskor från fem hälsocentraler i Västerbotten. För att öka förståelsen av sjuksköterskans erfarenheter av den pålästa patienten har åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer utförts. Intervjuerna har analyserats utifrån en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Studien synliggör varierande erfarenheter av den pålästa patienten. Det framkom att distriktssköterskorna var eniga om att pålästa patienter som hämtat information från internet inför ett primärvårdsbesök kan vara både ansträngande och tidskrävande. Samtliga distriktssköterskor hävdar samtidigt att en påläst patient inte behöver vara något negativt. Konklusion: Slutsatsen pekar försiktigt mot att dagens digitaliserade samhälle medför att patienten ställer högre krav på distriktssköterskans kompetens. Studien belyser utmaningar och känslor som sjuksköterskor kan möta i sitt arbete med en påläst patient och synliggör potentiella behov av åtgärder som kan underlätta arbetet med den pålästa patienten som hämtat information från internet inför ett primärvårdsbesök. / Background: Traditionally, healthcare has been the source of information for diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. In today's digital society, the same evidence-based pages that the nurses' draws knowledge from is available to the public. Knowledge of one's own experienced health condition is today one of the most sought-after topics and the opportunity to possess specialist knowledge of one's condition is high. Nurses describe feelings of embarrassment in their profession as they consider it unlikely to be up to date with the latest knowledge. Motive: It is important to perform this study to describe the challenges a primary health care nurse faces in daily work where digitalisation has made knowledge easily accessible. Aim: Primary health care nurses’ experiences of meeting knowledgeable patients who retrieved information on the internet prior to a primary care visit. Methods: Data has been obtained from eight primary health nurses’ from five health centers in Västerbotten. To increase the understanding of the primary health nurses' experience of the knowledgeable patient, eight semi-structured interviews were held. The interviews were analyzed according to a qualitative content analysis. Result: The study highlights varying experiences. It emerged that primary health care nurse’s agreed that knowledgeable patients who obtained information from the internet prior to a primary care visit can be both exhausting and time-consuming. Although, all primary health care nurses’ claim that a knowledgeable patient does not have to be something negative. Conclusion: The conclusion cautiously points to the fact that today's digitalized society sets higher demands on the primary health care nurse's competence. The study highlights the challenges and emotions that the primary health care nurse may encounter. The study highlights potential needs for measures that can facilitate the work.

Bakgrund: Antalet äldre personer med multisjuklighet ökar i samhället och allt fler vårdas i hemmet. Att utifrån detta tillämpa personcentrerad vård skapar nya utmaningar. Lagen om samverkan vid utskrivning från slutenvård (SVU) och upprättande av samordnad individuell plan (SIP) innan utskrivning är interventioner som kan främja personcentrerad och integrerad vård i hemmet. Samordning genom SIP sker många gånger mellan hälso- och sjukvård och socialtjänst. Distriktssköterskan utses ofta till fast vårdkontakt för patienten och därmed ansvarig för SIP.  Motiv: Hälsocentral och kommunal hemsjukvård är viktiga samarbetspartner för integrerad vård på primärvårdsnivå och distriktssköterskan är ofta ansvarig för SIP. För att identifiera vad som hindrade och främjade tillämpning av SIP undersöktes distriktssköterskans erfarenheter av det. Resultat av studien kan öka förståelsen av SIP som arbetssätt. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att belysa distriktssköterskors erfarenheter av att arbeta med SIP på primärvårdsnivå. Metod: Under år 2021 genomfördes individuella semistrukturerade intervjuer med distriktssköterskor (n=8). Kvalitativ innehållsanalys användes för att analysera data. Resultat: Utifrån intervjuerna framkom varierande erfarenheter av att arbeta med SIP. Arbetssättet upplevdes främja personcentrerad och patientsäker vård men det framkom även svårigheter att använda det. Erfarenheterna beskrevs som fyra kategorier: förutsättningar för ökad delaktighet, behov av ansvarsförtydligande, säkerhet för alla inblandade, och otillräckligt inarbetat arbetssätt.  Konklusion: Sammanfattningsvis visade studien att SIP kan ha betydelse för tillämpning av patientsäker och personcentrerad vård. SIP kan genom hembesök och digitala möten förbättra patientens delaktighet samt bidra till en sammanhållen, integrerad vård i hemmet. Bättre struktur för att tillämpa arbetssättet efterfrågades, utan att riskera att SIP blir en standardiserad arbetsrutin. / Background: The number of people with multimorbidity is increasing, hence healthcare is often provided at their home. Furthermore, striving to apply person-centred care creates new challenges. Interventions to promote person-centered and integrated care are based on the law for coordination of care at discharge from hospital and demands establishment of a coordinated individual plan (CIP) before discharge. Coordinating care through CIP often occurs between healthcare and social services. The district nurse is often appointed to be the permanent contact concerning care for the patient and thus responsible for CIP.  Motive: Primary care centres and municipal units for home care are important partners in integrated care at primary care level and district nurses are often responsible for CIP. To identify the barriers and facilitators for the using of CIP, we explored the district nurses' experiences about it. The results of the study may contribute to better understanding of CIP as a working method. Aim: The purpose of this study was to highlight the district nurses' experiences of working with the CIP at primary care level. Methods: In 2021, individual semi-structured interviews with district nurses were conducted (n=8). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Result: From the interviews, various experiences emerged regarding the experiences of using CIP. Using CIP was experienced as facilitating person-centred care and patient safety, but several obstacle and difficulties to adopt it were identified. The experience resulted in four categories: prerequisites for increased participation, need for accountability, safety for all involved, and insufficiently established working method.  Conclusion: In summary, the study showed that CIP is important for the application of patient-safe and person-centered care. Through home visits and digital meetings, CIP can improve patient participation and contribute to a cohesive, integrated care at home. Better structure for using the CIP as working method was requested, in order to avoid that CIP  becomes only a standardized work routine.