<p>Comparative analysis of the CPD systems internationally and nationally revealed that CPD is mandatory for some whilst for other countries it is compulsory, but not mandatory for licensing purposes. Licensing occurs on a yearly basis, but CPD recognition is accredited over a time period with expiry deadlines and minimum requirements. A portfolio was a common method of recording and proof of evidence for CPD, and a continuous theme was that CPD is needed to ensure competency. The Nursing Act 33 of 2005 makes provision for CPD for nurses but to date the South African Nursing Council has not yet decided on a model of CPD for implementation for SA nurses.</p>

Pain is a very common problem experienced by the general population and children in particular. It goes beyond personal suffering and affects all dimensions of the quality of life and general functioning of both adults and children, be it the physiological, psychological or financial aspects. Children may suffer from pain that may either be chronic or acute, depending on the diagnosis. Assessment of pain in children is equally important as that of adults, except that they lack the verbal fluency and cognitive development to communicate their pain. Children’s experience of pain is similar to that of adults. Pain assessment is a key aspect in the nursing management of children and delivery of care within the Primary Health Care (PHC) setting. Effective pain assessment is thus reliant on comprehensive assessment of the child and his or her pain. The aim of this research was to explore and describe practices and perceptions of professional nurses working in a PHC facility regarding pain assessment of children under five years in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and to formulate recommendations for professional nurses in PHC facilities to facilitate pain assessment in PHC settings. A qualitative study design was used and data was collected with the use of focus groups. A purposive sampling was conducted to select participants who represent the target population. The sample used for the study included all the professional nurses working in PHC facilities registered with the South African Nursing Council and that have at least one year of experience. The practical training of the researcher to conduct an interview was done prior to the actual research. A pilot focus group was conducted and the interview schedule was finalised. Semi-structured focus groups were used to obtain data from the participants. The researcher conducted 6 focus group interviews attended by 32 professional nurses. Data was collected until data saturation was achieved. Trustworthiness was ensured in accordance with the principles of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Data was captured on a digital voice recorder and transcribed verbatim. Field notes were taken during each focus group. Data analysis was done by means of content analysis by the researcher and an independent co-coder. After consensus and saturation, three major themes emerged. Each theme was identified and divided into sub-themes and was consequently discussed together with the relevant data obtained from literature. The findings indicated that professional nurses perceive the assessment of pain in children under five years as a challenge. The combination of signs and symptoms to make decisions with pain assessment was identified as an area of concern. The participants further p erceived the history provided by the parent as important in the process of pain assessment. The conclusions drawn are that the professional nurses acknowledge that they don’t take sufficient notice of pain in children under five, which means that children with pain are neglected. Professional nurses maintain that there is a need for sufficient pain assessment and the need for guidelines and tools to assess pain in children under five, especially in the PHC setting. These professional nurses support the availability of guidelines to assist them to conduct effective and comprehensive pain assessment. The research report concluded with the researcher’s recommendations for nursing education, nursing research and nursing practice with specific formulation of guidelines for the facilitation of professional nurses to truly render effective and comprehensive pain assessment in PHC settings. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Pain is a very common problem experienced by the general population and children in particular. It goes beyond personal suffering and affects all dimensions of the quality of life and general functioning of both adults and children, be it the physiological, psychological or financial aspects. Children may suffer from pain that may either be chronic or acute, depending on the diagnosis. Assessment of pain in children is equally important as that of adults, except that they lack the verbal fluency and cognitive development to communicate their pain. Children’s experience of pain is similar to that of adults. Pain assessment is a key aspect in the nursing management of children and delivery of care within the Primary Health Care (PHC) setting. Effective pain assessment is thus reliant on comprehensive assessment of the child and his or her pain. The aim of this research was to explore and describe practices and perceptions of professional nurses working in a PHC facility regarding pain assessment of children under five years in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and to formulate recommendations for professional nurses in PHC facilities to facilitate pain assessment in PHC settings. A qualitative study design was used and data was collected with the use of focus groups. A purposive sampling was conducted to select participants who represent the target population. The sample used for the study included all the professional nurses working in PHC facilities registered with the South African Nursing Council and that have at least one year of experience. The practical training of the researcher to conduct an interview was done prior to the actual research. A pilot focus group was conducted and the interview schedule was finalised. Semi-structured focus groups were used to obtain data from the participants. The researcher conducted 6 focus group interviews attended by 32 professional nurses. Data was collected until data saturation was achieved. Trustworthiness was ensured in accordance with the principles of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. Data was captured on a digital voice recorder and transcribed verbatim. Field notes were taken during each focus group. Data analysis was done by means of content analysis by the researcher and an independent co-coder. After consensus and saturation, three major themes emerged. Each theme was identified and divided into sub-themes and was consequently discussed together with the relevant data obtained from literature. The findings indicated that professional nurses perceive the assessment of pain in children under five years as a challenge. The combination of signs and symptoms to make decisions with pain assessment was identified as an area of concern. The participants further p erceived the history provided by the parent as important in the process of pain assessment. The conclusions drawn are that the professional nurses acknowledge that they don’t take sufficient notice of pain in children under five, which means that children with pain are neglected. Professional nurses maintain that there is a need for sufficient pain assessment and the need for guidelines and tools to assess pain in children under five, especially in the PHC setting. These professional nurses support the availability of guidelines to assist them to conduct effective and comprehensive pain assessment. The research report concluded with the researcher’s recommendations for nursing education, nursing research and nursing practice with specific formulation of guidelines for the facilitation of professional nurses to truly render effective and comprehensive pain assessment in PHC settings. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

This study investigated the clinical accompaniment of nursing students in a rural hospital. Nursing students are allocated to clinical facilities for clinical exposure and learning opportunities; to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills and professional socialization under guidance and support from professional practitioners. Although the rural hospital, as context for this study, provides unique and challenging learning opportunities for clinical teaching and learning, the environment as such and the relationship between the stakeholders (nursing students and professional nurses) seem to be questionable and not conducive for learning. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design served as framework for this study. Data was collected by means of semi–structured focus–group interviews with samples selected from two (2) populations of stakeholders with first hand experience of the clinical accompaniment of nursing students allocated to the rural hospital for clinical exposure and learning. The first sample consisted of thirteen (n=13) nursing students and the second sample consisted of professional nurses (n=6) directly involved in the clinical accompaniment of the nursing students. The focus of the interviews was the participants' experience of the clinical accompaniment in a specific rural hospital. Data was analyzed by means of the process of content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Three (3) themes and eight (8) subthemes emerged from the data collected from the nursing students. The data collected from the professional nurses resulted in five (5) themes and eleven (11) subthemes. The collected data was integrated with relevant national and international literature to culminate in eight (8) conclusive statements. The conclusive statements served as basis for the proposal of guidelines to improve the clinical accompaniment of nursing students in a rural hospital and to enhance learning in the clinical practice area. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study investigated the clinical accompaniment of nursing students in a rural hospital. Nursing students are allocated to clinical facilities for clinical exposure and learning opportunities; to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills and professional socialization under guidance and support from professional practitioners. Although the rural hospital, as context for this study, provides unique and challenging learning opportunities for clinical teaching and learning, the environment as such and the relationship between the stakeholders (nursing students and professional nurses) seem to be questionable and not conducive for learning. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design served as framework for this study. Data was collected by means of semi–structured focus–group interviews with samples selected from two (2) populations of stakeholders with first hand experience of the clinical accompaniment of nursing students allocated to the rural hospital for clinical exposure and learning. The first sample consisted of thirteen (n=13) nursing students and the second sample consisted of professional nurses (n=6) directly involved in the clinical accompaniment of the nursing students. The focus of the interviews was the participants' experience of the clinical accompaniment in a specific rural hospital. Data was analyzed by means of the process of content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Three (3) themes and eight (8) subthemes emerged from the data collected from the nursing students. The data collected from the professional nurses resulted in five (5) themes and eleven (11) subthemes. The collected data was integrated with relevant national and international literature to culminate in eight (8) conclusive statements. The conclusive statements served as basis for the proposal of guidelines to improve the clinical accompaniment of nursing students in a rural hospital and to enhance learning in the clinical practice area. / Thesis (M.Cur.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar as Representações Sociais dos profissionais enfermeiros, expressas nas situações em que a sexualidade do doente mental constitui um fato evidente, nas instituições prestadoras de assistência psiquiátrica. O recurso técnico-metodológico foi construído a partir das contribuições dos procedimentos projetivos, denominado Técnica de Investigação em Situações Cotidianas - T.S.C. O instrumento foi composto de dezesseis pranchas contendo reproduções gráficas da atuação cotidiana desse profissional, das quais utilizou-se somente seis, para a análise da sexualidade do doente mental. Dezessete enfermeiros que trabalham em hospital psiquiátrico de Ribeirão Preto fazem parte da amostra. Através de sua manifestação discursiva, verificou-se que o profissional enfermeiro nega a sexualidade do doente mental, circunscrevendo-a ao rol dos desvios, transgressões e doença (entre outros), na medida que para ele constituem de fato atos ilegítimos. Ao negar, adota uma posição de afastamento, em atitude ora repressiva, ora não repressiva e/ou defensiva. Tal posicionamento revela a estratégia adotada sobre esse saber e poder, na qual cumpre as determinações do seu estatuto profissional e vai de encontro às expectativas institucionais e sociais. / The objective of this research was to identify the Social Representations of Nursing professionals expressed in situations in which the sexuality of mental sick person makes up a visible fact, in psychiatric assistance institutions. The technical-methodological resourage was built up from contributions of projective procedures, called Investigation Technique in Daily Situations - I.T.D.S.. The instrument was composed by sixteen boards containing graphic reproductions of aily action of this professional from which it was selected only six boards to analyze the mental sick person?s sexuality. Seventeen nurses who work in psychiatric hospital in Ribeirão Preto composed the sample. Through their discursive manifestation we can know their Social Representations showring that they denies the mental sick person?s sexuality, restraining it as a deviation, misbehavior and a disease (among others), while it constitutes, in fact, a real illicit act. Doing this, they assume a position of distance, either reprehensive or non-reprehensive and/or defensive. This position reveals an adopted strategy about this knowledge and power, in which it fulfills the determinations of this professional code and then, meets the institucional and social expectations.

Thesis (Master of Nursing)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / In the fight against the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), one of the aspects to be taken into consideration is the self-esteem of pregnant women. Professional nurses in maternity settings need to support pregnant women, with a focus on providing balanced care to meet all of the women’s needs and build their self-esteem. Self-esteem reflects one’s subjective emotional evaluation of one’s worth. A decrease in the self-esteem of the individual with HIV/AIDS infections is common and professional nurses should advise patients on the appropriate ways to deal with HIV/AIDS. A supportive environment for HIV/AIDS women could enhance their self-esteem. The researcher overheard HIV/AIDS positive patients in a maternity unit express their feelings of worthlessness and wondered how he could support them to have self-worth. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the role of professional nurses in promoting a healthy self-esteem in hospitalised, pregnant women with HIV/AIDS in a maternity unit in a public hospital in Cape Town. The study was qualitative in nature, departing from assumptions of the theoretical framework of Eric Erikson. An exploratory, descriptive, contextual, qualitative design was followed when the semi-structured interviews were conducted. The accessible population comprised of 15 professional nurses working at the maternity unit. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a sample of 11 professional nurses (participants) working in a maternity unit who met the eligibility criteria. Individual interviews were conducted with eight participants as a starting point until data saturation was reached. After obtaining permission from the necessary authorities, the researcher visited the manager of the unit. Two pilot individual interviews were conducted to determine whether the research questions were understood. The researcher explained the purpose and information on the information sheet and obtained informed consent. Interviews lasted 45 minutes were conducted in a private room and recorded. The researcher used an interview schedule and made field notes while conducting the interviews. Data triangulation of the interviews and field notes ware done. Thematic analysis coding was applied to analyse data. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability. The following ethical principles of privacy, the right to withdraw and anonymity were followed. The findings indicated HIV/AIDS-related stigma as the main cause of a poor self-esteem among pregnant women with HIV/AIDS. Participants furthermore felt that there is a need for training and skills development of professional nurses to enable them to understand how to support HIV/AIDS pregnant women and enhance their self-esteem. It was concluded that professional nurses should support pregnant women with HIV/AIDS places a socio-economic burden on societies and has set the world into spending millions on healthcare settings in an attempt to curb the disease.

Background: Research on nursing practice has highlighted a relationship between non-nursing tasks (NNTs), nursing tasks left undone (NTLU), and internationally it was found that these factors have an effect on job satisfaction. Since the last study done on NNTs and NTLU in 1988, much has changed in South Africa`s health system. Current South African studies have revealed that decreased numbers of PNs in South Africa experience satisfaction. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between NNTs, NTLU and job satisfaction on both individual PN level and unit level in South Africa, and contributes to the international debate. Aim: To investigate the relationship between NNTs, NTLU and job satisfaction among professional nurses (PNs) in medical and surgical units in private and public hospitals in South Africa. Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used including 1166 PNs in 60 medical and surgical units in 55 private hospitals and seven national referral hospitals in South Africa who completed the survey. Measures: Relationships between NNTs, NTLU, job satisfaction and aspects of job satisfaction. Results: The three main NNTs performed were filling-in for non-nursing services (d=0.47), cleaning patient’s rooms and equipment (d=0.48) and obtaining supplies and equipment (d=0.64). Nationally more than 50% of PNs reported the following NTLU – comfort/talk with patients (62.2%), educating patients and family (57.9%) and develop or update nursing care plans/pathways (51.6%). PNs in private hospitals are more satisfied with their jobs than PNs in public hospitals. PNs were most dissatisfied with the opportunities for advancement (M = 2.60) and educational opportunities (M=2.64) aspects of job satisfaction. At unit level, NTLU positively correlated with three NNTs, and job satisfaction correlated mostly and negatively with NTLU. Conclusion: South African PNs perform many NNTs. However, the performance of NNTs does not influence their job satisfaction to the extent the NTLU does. Although PNs in this study indicated that NNTs do not have a significant influence on NTLU, it may reveal a greater issue, in that PNs have grown accustomed to performing NNTs as part of their workload. Clarifying professional nurses’ scope of practice and increased use of support services may provide PNs with more time to conduct nursing tasks which should improve job satisfaction. Recommendations for practice, education, policy/orientation programmes and research are made from the findings of this study. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Background: Research on nursing practice has highlighted a relationship between non-nursing tasks (NNTs), nursing tasks left undone (NTLU), and internationally it was found that these factors have an effect on job satisfaction. Since the last study done on NNTs and NTLU in 1988, much has changed in South Africa`s health system. Current South African studies have revealed that decreased numbers of PNs in South Africa experience satisfaction. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between NNTs, NTLU and job satisfaction on both individual PN level and unit level in South Africa, and contributes to the international debate. Aim: To investigate the relationship between NNTs, NTLU and job satisfaction among professional nurses (PNs) in medical and surgical units in private and public hospitals in South Africa. Method: A cross-sectional survey design was used including 1166 PNs in 60 medical and surgical units in 55 private hospitals and seven national referral hospitals in South Africa who completed the survey. Measures: Relationships between NNTs, NTLU, job satisfaction and aspects of job satisfaction. Results: The three main NNTs performed were filling-in for non-nursing services (d=0.47), cleaning patient’s rooms and equipment (d=0.48) and obtaining supplies and equipment (d=0.64). Nationally more than 50% of PNs reported the following NTLU – comfort/talk with patients (62.2%), educating patients and family (57.9%) and develop or update nursing care plans/pathways (51.6%). PNs in private hospitals are more satisfied with their jobs than PNs in public hospitals. PNs were most dissatisfied with the opportunities for advancement (M = 2.60) and educational opportunities (M=2.64) aspects of job satisfaction. At unit level, NTLU positively correlated with three NNTs, and job satisfaction correlated mostly and negatively with NTLU. Conclusion: South African PNs perform many NNTs. However, the performance of NNTs does not influence their job satisfaction to the extent the NTLU does. Although PNs in this study indicated that NNTs do not have a significant influence on NTLU, it may reveal a greater issue, in that PNs have grown accustomed to performing NNTs as part of their workload. Clarifying professional nurses’ scope of practice and increased use of support services may provide PNs with more time to conduct nursing tasks which should improve job satisfaction. Recommendations for practice, education, policy/orientation programmes and research are made from the findings of this study. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The study explored professional nurses' experience of working in a remote rural hospital in the Eastern Cape Province. A qualitative phenomenological design was used and the study was conducted in a remote rural hospital in region `D'. Eight professional nurses were selected non-randomly from a population of professional nurses who had been working in the hospital for more than one year. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants and semi-structured phenomenological interviews were conducted to collect data. Colaizzi's eight-step method was used for data analysis. The themes that emerged from the data analysis were shortage of human and material resources, poor access, communication problems and lack of safety and insecurity. The study found that the professional nurses at the remote rural hospital experience many obstacles to quality service delivery. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)