INTRODUCTION. The perinatal mortality rate is of concern worldwide. In South Africa at the time of the study, 2000, it was estimated to be of the order of 40/1000 live births. However in the setting in which this study took place, namely Tembisa, (Ekhuruleni, Gauteng, South Africa) it was said to be 50/1000 live births. One of the patient- related avoidable factors that has been found to be associated with perinatal and to a lesser extent maternal mortality, is either no, or late initiation of antenatal care. It has been found in an area which, is in many respects similar to Tembisa that 50% of women go the private general practitioner (PGP) for confirmation of pregnancy but, due of lack of funds, do not continue care with the private practitioner but, initiate care in the public sector and in a proportion of these women, this is at an advanced gestational age, making it difficult to prevent or intervene if there are problems in the pregnancy. As (PGP’s) are well placed in the district to render antenatal care, it was decided to perform a study looking at the effect of involving them in the antenatal care of women who presented to them for confirmation of pregnancy. METHODS Sixteen general practitioners agreed to be part of the study. The women who confirmed their pregnancy and who were going to deliver in Tembisa hospital were included in the study after giving written informed consent. They comprised the intervention group, the first antenatal visit was performed, the findings were recorded on the antenatal card which is used in the public sector and which was introduced to the private practitioner at 2 workshops held by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Pretoria prior to the study. The woman was then to attend antenatal care with the private practitioner until delivery. The private general practitioners waived the costs normally associated with this care for the period of the study. The control group consisted of the women who confirmed their pregnancies in the public health care sector known as the public service health care workers group (PSHCWG). Data collection took place in the postnatal ward of Tembisa hospital over the period of 3 months. By means of systematic sampling, 100 cards from the PGPG and 100 cards from the PSHCWG were obtained. The 2 groups were compared with respect to gestational age at initiation of care and a modified version of the Quality Check for Antenatal Records Score (MQCARS), an audit score which, when applied to the antenatal card, gives a measure of the effectiveness of record keeping, and whether problems in the antenatal period are detected and appropriately managed. RESULTS. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gestational age at initiation of care [PGPG mean gestational age -19.96 (5.86), PSHCW 25.96(5.98,) p<0.0001]. The majority of women in the PGPG initiated care in the 2nd trimester (79%) while the majority of the women in the PSHCWG (53%) confirmed their pregnancies in the third trimester. Six per cent of PGPG confirmed their pregnancies in the first trimester compared to the PSHCWG (3%). The two groups differ significantly with respect to the total MQCARS with the PGPG group performing better [(8.16 (1.55) vs. 16.34(2.58), p<0.0001]. The associated sub- scores are statistically different [History score 5.99 (0.10) vs.7 (0.96), Examination score 9.59(1.29) vs.8.03 (1.85) Interpretation Score 2.55(0.50) vs.2.80 (0.49)]. CONCLUSION Despite the limitations of the study it is felt that if private general practitioners in Tembisa are involved in the antenatal care of those women who confirm their pregnancies with them, there is a reduction in the gestational age at initiation of care. There is a small difference between the two groups in record keeping, detection and management of problems. / Dissertation (MCur)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Nursing Science / unrestricted

Compassion fatigue (CF) is a problem seen within healthcare institutions worldwide, especially critical care units and emergency departments (EDs). The problem identified in this quality improvement (QI) project was CF, experienced by nurses in the ED. The effects of CF cross nurse-patient boundaries and negatively impact a patient's expectations of having a quality care experience. The Iowa model's evidence-based team approach was used to guide the development of the education initiative for nurses on recognizing, preventing, and identifying methods of coping with CF in the ED. The outcome products for the project included an extensive review of the literature, a curriculum plan to educate ED nurses on CF, and a pretest/posttest to validate ED nurses knowledge about CF. The content of the project was measured by 2 master's-level prepared education experts using a dichotomous scale. The format evaluated content material using total scores of 1 for content (not met) and total scores of 2 for content (met). The average score was 2, which demonstrated the objectives for the education initiative were identified and the goals were met. The content experts also conducted content validation of each of the 14 pretest/posttest items using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not relevant) to 4 (highly relevant) that resulted in a content validation index of 1.00, showing that the test items were covered in the curriculum. Recommendations were made for item construction improvement and omission of the Iowa model from the curriculum plan and pretest/posttest. The project promotes social change through the facilitation of patient satisfaction, quality of patient care, and prevention of CF on nursing staff.

Abortion and severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia remain the major causes of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe. Based on this problem, factors associated with maternal mortality due to abortion and severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were investigated to improve pregnancy outcomes. Cases and controls were selected from 4895 abortion and 318 severe preeclampsia/ eclampsia obstetric records to conduct a retrospective case-control study. Significant risk factors identified for reducing maternal mortality due to postabortion complications included the administration of oxytocic drugs and evacuations of the uterus whilst anaemia and sepsis apparently reduced these women's chances of survival. No significant factors could be identified which influenced maternal deaths among women suffering from severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. Magnesium sulphate was not routinely administered, as recommended internationally. In both groups, cases apparently received better reported quantitative care than controls. Recommendations based on this research report include improved midwifery education and in-service training, regular audits of patients' records and changed policies for managing these conditions more effectively in Zimbabwe. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-06-16T22:55:36Z No. of bitstreams: 1 25.pdf: 1986648 bytes, checksum: 2a0ccf033f8c13466acd5aaba5b4995c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-06-16T22:55:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 25.pdf: 1986648 bytes, checksum: 2a0ccf033f8c13466acd5aaba5b4995c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Nenhuma / A aplicação de Protocolos Assistenciais de Cuidado em Enfermagem (PACE) busca qualificar as práticas de cuidado, e para isso, a Educação Permanente em Saúde (EPS) é utilizada como uma ferramenta educativa, no sentido de promover o conhecimento sobre segurança do paciente. Objetivos: Implantar no Hospital Universitário de Canoas - RS (HU), os PACE adotados na Rede Mãe de Deus, com vistas ao processo de certificação; verificar como os técnicos vivenciam a aplicação dos PACE identificar contribuições que os PACE podem trazer para o HU; propor um plano de EPS com vistas à aplicação dos PACE. Método: Estudo desenvolvido com dez técnicos de enfermagem, do tipo exploratório-descritivo, enfoque qualitativo. Resultados: Dos Grupos Focais emergiram categorias: interferência da infraestrutura do hospital na assistência de enfermagem; interferência do trabalho desenvolvido pela equipe de enfermagem na assistência ao paciente; EPS como transformadora no cotidiano de trabalho da equipe de enfermagem; elaboração de uma ferramenta que favorece a aplicação das Metas Internacionais de Segurança, e um plano de sugestão de EPS com vistas à aplicação dos PACE. Conclusão: o Estudo servirá de guia para implantar melhorias na prática assistencial. Existem dificuldades, mas os processos de trabalho que dependem das pessoas estão ocorrendo. / The Application of Nursing Care Protocols (NCP) seeks to qualify the care practices, and for this, the Permanent Health Education (PHE) is used as a working tool, to promote knowledge about patient safety. Objectives: Implement in Hospital Universitário de Canoas - RS (HU), NCPs adopted in Network Mãe de Deus, with view to certification process; verify how technical team identifies the application od NCPs; identify contributions that NCPs may bring to HU; propose a PHE plan towards the implementation of NCP. Method: Study conducted with ten practical nurses, exploratory-descriptive, qualitative approach. Results: From the focus groups, categories were emerged: interference of the hospital infrastructure in nursing care; interference of nursing staff work in patient care; PHE as a modifier in the daily work of the nursing staff; development of a tool that promotes the implementation of the International Safety Goals and a PHE cue plan towards the implementation of NCPs. Conclusion: This study will serve as a guide to implement improvements in care practice. There are difficulties, but the work processes that depend on people are happening.

The thesis attempts to outline the extent to which the decision-making role of nurses is utilized, and the main factors that affect decision-making of nurses within the scope of provision of nursing care. The research has found out that nurses utilize their decision-making role to an insufficient extent hence the sense and purpose of decision-making must be emphasised again. This task may be assumed by managing nurses. Managing nurses may also contribute by more effective defending of competences of nurses. From the factors needed by nurses for effective decision-making, attention should be paid particularly to education. It is necessary to make possible for nurses to extend their knowledge and thus to obtain theoretical insight (e.g. in respect of decision-making) to be used by them while providing care to a patient/client.

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the knowledge of student nurses regarding the cost concepts in health economics, specifically the efficient allocation of resources and determining the cost of interventions, in order to prepare them to deliver cost-effective yet quality nursing care. An explorative and descriptive quantitative design was used. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Respondents were student nurses studying towards becoming professional nurses in their final year of study (comprehensive programme). The results revealed an apparent lack of knowledge among student nurses regarding cost concepts in health economics, although respondents agreed that knowledge of health economics is essential for nursing practice. The results led the researcher to draw a strong conclusion that there is a need for the inclusion of a module regarding health economics in the nursing curriculum and in continuous professional development (CPD) workshops and in-service training. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Abortion and severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia remain the major causes of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe. Based on this problem, factors associated with maternal mortality due to abortion and severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were investigated to improve pregnancy outcomes. Cases and controls were selected from 4895 abortion and 318 severe preeclampsia/ eclampsia obstetric records to conduct a retrospective case-control study. Significant risk factors identified for reducing maternal mortality due to postabortion complications included the administration of oxytocic drugs and evacuations of the uterus whilst anaemia and sepsis apparently reduced these women's chances of survival. No significant factors could be identified which influenced maternal deaths among women suffering from severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. Magnesium sulphate was not routinely administered, as recommended internationally. In both groups, cases apparently received better reported quantitative care than controls. Recommendations based on this research report include improved midwifery education and in-service training, regular audits of patients' records and changed policies for managing these conditions more effectively in Zimbabwe. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

The thesis deals with circumstances of cooperation between members of a family of a person with dementia and social facility staff. The thesis examines the importance of cooperating family in the process of optimizing the institutional care of such clients. The text presents some modern approaches to the care of seniors who suffer from dementia, in which it is essential to know the sufferer's personal biography. Of a great importance not only in this regard is the cooperating family which by placing the senior in a social care institution should not dispose of responsibility towards him or her. Of important are also the approach of the institution and the activity of the facility staff which should engage the family members into the process of providing care to their family member.

Midwifery is the backbone of women and child healthcare. The shortage of staff in maternity units is a crisis faced by many countries worldwide, including South Africa. This study aims to investigate and explore the perceptions of midwives on the shortage and retention of staff in a public institution. An explorative, descriptive generic qualitative design method was followed. Non-probability, purposive sampling technique was used. The study was conducted at one tertiary hospital in the district of Tshwane, Gauteng Province. A total of 11 midwives were interviewed. Thematic coding analysis was followed in analysing data. Midwives are passionate about their job, despite the hurdles related to their day-to-day work environment. They are demoralised by a chronic shortage of staff, and feel overworked. Staff involvement in decision-making processes is a motivational factor for midwives to stay in the profession. / Health Studies / M.A. (Public Health)

Le système juridique français accorde une grande importance aux droits du patient, essentiellement à travers la loi du 4 mars 2002. Ce texte a été construit de manière à placer le patient au centre du dispositif et à lui attribuer des droits liés à sa qualité de sujet de droit. Cette idée est quasiment absente dans la législation tunisienne. En Tunisie, la législation relative aux droits des patients est insuffisante. Il est vrai que le législateur tunisien a défini certains droits pour le patient. Cependant, ces consécrations législatives ne nous permettent pas de confirmer l’idée selon laquelle le patient est le centre de la relation médicale, particulièrement parce que le paternalisme médical trouve encore une consécration en Tunisie. L’étude comparative a montré certaines convergences entre les deux systèmes juridiques mais aussi d’importantes divergences. Ainsi, pour un pays, comme la Tunisie, dont le système sanitaire confronte des difficultés intenses non seulement sur le plan infra-structurel mais également législatif, le code de la santé publique en général et la loi du 4 mars 2002 pour les droits des malades, en particulier, peuvent constituer une source efficace pour des changements en profondeur. Cependant, si en France la loi du 4 mars 2002 occupe une place primordiale dans le corpus des règles du droit de la santé, on ne peut nier que les droits du patient confrontent aujourd’hui des difficultés de mise en œuvre. En effet, même si le souci du législateur français était de protéger au maximum les droits des patients, certaines failles restent à signaler / The french legal system attaches great importance to patient rights, mainly through the law of 4 March 2002. This text was constructed to place the patient at the center of the device and assigning the rights to as a subject of law. This idea is almost absent in tunisian law. In Tunisia, legislation on the rights of patients is inadequate : the rights of patients are devoted so scattered in several legal texts. It is true that the tunisian legislature has defined certain rights for patients. However, these legislative consecrations do not allow us to confirm the idea that the patient is the center of the medical relationship, particularly because medical paternalism still finds consecration in Tunisia. The comparative study showed some convergence between the two legal systems but also important differences. Thus, for a country like Tunisia, whose health system confronts severe difficulties not only its infrastructure but also the legislative, the code of public health in general and the law of 4 March 2002 for the rights of patients, particular, can be an effective source for in-depth changes. However, if in France the Law of 4 March 2002 occupies a prominent place in the corpus of rules of health law, there is no denying that the patient's rights today facing implementation difficulties. Even if the concern of the french parliament was to maximally protect the rights of patients, some flaws still to report