Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree in Masters of Technology in Nursing, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / INTRODUCTION Globally, the use of alternative therapies by the public as well as healthcare workers has been widely documented. In South Africa, no studies have been done on alternative therapies specifically related to nurses. The vast amount of media attention with regards to alternative therapies related to the positive and negative outcomes has sparked major interest in this topic. The aim of the study was to determine the perceptions of professional nurses at nine hospitals within the uMgungundlovu District, South Africa, towards alternative therapies in a nursing context. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The objectives of the study were to determine the professional nurses’ perceptions as well as knowledge of alternative therapies. The possible barriers in providing alternative therapies in nursing practice was also explored in order to make recommendations to guide professional nurses with regard to alternative therapies in patient care. METHODOLOGY A quantitative exploratory research approach underpinned this study. A survey questionnaire was used to obtain information from professional nurses who had consented to participate. The total population of professional nurses was 1218. A total of 616 questionnaires were distributed to participants at the nine participating hospitals. Three hundred and eighty six (386) questionnaires were returned, which resulted in a 63% response rate. FINDINGS It was evident from the data that professional nurses used various forms of alternative therapies. The results revealed that almost 69% (n=265) used prayer/spiritual healing, followed by 53.9% (n=207) who used nutritional supplements, whilst 51.9% (n=199) used music therapy. Participants rated their satisfaction on the information received regarding alternative therapies in nursing education as follows: prayer/spiritual healing 71.1% (n=271), nutritional supplements 71.7% (n=273), music therapy 57.9% (n=220), massage therapy 46.7% (n=216) and support groups 80.3% (n=306). About two thirds (n=272) felt that alternative therapies was beneficial rather than a threat to patient’s health. However, 60% (n=229) agreed that the use of alternative therapies that were not tested in a scientific manner should be discouraged. More than 80% (n=313) of the sample thought that health professionals should have the ability to advise patients in the clinical setting about the most commonly used alternative therapies. More than half of the sample (n=254) stated that they did encounter patients in the clinical setting who enquired about alternative therapies. Only 39.6% (n=153) stated that they felt confident to advise patients about alternative therapies, whilst 26.7% (n=103) stated that they were unable to do so. As the evidence base for the use of alternative therapies grows, so too does the demand increases for the integration of alternative therapies in nursing education. Nurses being the patient’s advocate need to be well versed regarding the use and safety aspects of alternative therapies. / M

M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Student counselling services, typically located within a holistic developmental approach, aim to render comprehensive student services to service users in relation to their psychological, social,educational and spiritual well-being. However, a number of cognitive and affective barriers reportedly reduce the likelihood of young people at universities seeking professional psychological help for personal-emotional problems. Accordingly, the aim of this study, which is located within the Theory of Reasoned Action, was to explore students’ attitudes towards utilising student counselling services, as well as their interpretations of the influence of age, gender and education on their attitudes and self-rated knowledge regarding seeking psychological help. The study thereby attempts to provide an understanding of the factors that influence help-seeking behaviours in university students. The research sample consisted of twenty nine students from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. The data was collected through focus group discussions, which were conducted using an open-ended and participantcentred approach to the discussion. The qualitative approach of the study was informed by the theory of social phenomenology. Data gathered from the focus group discussions was thematically analysed. The results suggest that attitudes have a potentially important influence on intentions to seek out psychological counselling. Findings show that students feel shame and guilt when they are struggling psychologically and as a result avoid seeking psychological intervention for fear of being negatively stigmatised. The study revealed that education around mental health disorders and the management thereof was crucial in order for them to be demystified and de-stigmatised, and to facilitate openness in the sharing of these problems, and society’s understanding and acceptance of people experiencing psychological disorders. Results also indicate that there is a shift taking place in these attitudes, and suggest ways in which this change can be further facilitated, such as the utilisation of peer helpers who could play a key role in facilitating and reinforcing help seeking behaviour. The outcomes of the study may further contribute to informing universities’ goal to provide accessible, quality and effective development and support services to its students.

This thesis makes a conceptual contribution to the field of school leadership studies with a descriptive and analytical representation of the current practice and development of leaders in English Primary schools. The aim of the research is to investigate the development of nineteen school leaders, nesting their own vivid descriptions of their leadership development within a professional researcher enquiry for new knowledge and understanding. An extensive literature review locates the argument in a historical and cultural context, directed by the first research question: ‘What are the knowledge claims about the changes to school leadership and management in the policy and research literature in the last twenty-five years?’ The second research question asks: ‘What are the knowledge claims of the practice of school leadership in Primary schools as found in the official and research literature?’ Findings from the literature provide knowledge of the official expectations and advice given to school leaders in the implementation of their work. The literature also provides knowledge of leadership practice associated with issues of power, micro-politics, social and moral frames used by leaders as social agents in interpreting their leadership. Research questions three and four direct the field-research asking: ‘How are leadership roles practised and developed in Primary schools?’ and ‘What are the empirical findings that build knowledge of Primary school leadership practice and development?’ A case-study methodology structured the field-work, with qualitative research conducted in four Primary schools in North-West England during one academic year, 2008-2009. The empirical data for the case was primarily collected from nineteen members of four Senior Leadership Teams (SLT) through semi-structured interviews and observations of SLT meetings. The analysis of the full research findings is presented in an original construction of leadership, conceptualised as the PIVOT. This framework presents the key findings as integrated factors in a holistic frame around a central point, the PIVOT of leadership, which is explained as the Purpose, the Identity, the Values, the Options and the Trust, presenting wider issues for educational leadership decisions. The final research question five asks: ‘What recommendations can be made for policy and practice regarding school leadership development in Primary schools?’ Findings from the case-study make a contribution to knowledge about current school leadership practice and development, explained as a holistic, integrated approach underpinned by a wider, educative rationale, identified in the PIVOT framework. This raises issues for policy-makers and school practitioners in the development of Primary school leaders as educational leaders and provides a resource for further research enquiry by academic researchers with an interest in developing Primary school leaders.

The background of this examination is that we live in a dynamic and complex global business environment which requires entrepreneurial thinking and action in organisations (intrapreneurship) if they are to secure viability. Companies in dynamic environments have to deal efficiently with operational tasks in existing businesses and at the same time achieve innovation in existing and new business with a medium to long term focus. This requires flexibility and adaptability to be able to use the opportunities and threats arising from changes in the business environment. The research work in this thesis clarifies the role of intrapreneurship and develops the design concept for holistic intrapreneurship. In the research process a frame of reference with five central findings on the role of intrapreneurship in a dynamic business environment is firstly introduced. In this process, the idea is that holistic and economic thinking together with management oriented theoretical concepts form a fruitful basis for the examination of intrapreneurship. Subsequently in the literature study there follows a synoptic illustration of the individual theoretical concepts on the role of intrapreneurship, the business environment and systems theory concepts. In a further literature analysis, the tasks identified for holistic intrapreneurship are examined and conveyed as a design concept in the synthesis. Three empirical studies reflect the theoretical findings in practical situations. Taking into account the results of the survey, the design concept is extended by elements for the development of a vital, entrepreneurial learning organisation. Entrepreneurial organisations have equally to understand the role of intrapreneurship as a concept for shaping the future as the external environments and the interaction between the organisation and its environment. This complex of themes is worked on in chapter 3 and nine design elements for the specification of the role of intrapreneurship are derived. On the basis of this, entrepreneurial information gathering, shaping of the future and organisation design are derived as central tasks of the entrepreneurial organisation and are analysed in chapter 4. A design concept for holistic intrapreneurship with a role model for the organisation, a conceptual framework for the understanding and analysis of the global business environment as well as a qualitative systems model for the interaction of the entrepreneurial organisation with the business environment is introduced in chapter 5 to aid with implementation of the entrepreneurial tasks. The role of intrapreneurship and the implementation of the role model in practice are examined in chapter 6. In this process, implementation of the role model based on the division of labour is recorded and condensed across all firms. In chapter 6.4, learning areas for the development of an entrepreneurial orientation and for a context-related strengthening of the five entrepreneurial roles in a vital entrepreneurial learning organisation are outlined. The novel contribution of the thesis is to present an integrated concept of holistic intrapreneurship derived from theory-based exploration which thus focuses on the entrepreneurial action of the organisation as a whole and the achievement of viability in a global and dynamic environment. This concept contains learning by the entrepreneurial actors, the entrepreneurial teams and the whole entrepreneurial organisation and defines the building blocks of a vital, entrepreneurial learning organisation. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM) / unrestricted

This research study was aimed at the Grade 2 Afrikaans Home Language learners who encounter reading, comprehension and phonics barriers in an inclusive classroom. The Grade 2 Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) Home Language curriculum and pass requirements that the learners have to master in the mainstream, was a major concern. Consequently, seventy per cent of the Grade 2 Afrikaans learners have already failed Grade 1 or 2; and some seemed to be borderline cases; as their pace of development was so slow. The intervention programme was implemented intensively outside normal school hours, through qualitative and quantitative data collection, known as the multi-method. The research approaches were conducted through action research and case-study research. Bronfenbrenner’s model indicated that intrinsic and extrinsic factors cannot be disregarded in the learner’s holistic development; therefore, parent involvement was vital during the research study. As the Individual Learner Support Team (ILST) coordinator at the research school, I have experienced the despair and perplexity of the teachers, when dealing with teaching challenges; but also, that of the learners, who face barriers to learning. A sample of six learners was identified; and one parent in each household was active during the study. The parent’s responses varied from limited to worthy feedback throughout the intervention programme. The learners’ responses were observed during the intervention programme, the classroom situation; and their perceptions during the semi-structured interviews were recorded. The intervention programme links with the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support of SIAS process; and it involved the assistance of a remedial expert by applying remedial education, without psychometric tests. The findings revealed that the learner must be intrinsically motivated to co-operate fully. And this relates to both intrinsic and extrinsic influences. Recommendations are offered to the various stakeholders, who are directly or indirectly engaged in the learner’s scholastic development, to ensure corrective and supportive measures, which are conducive to learning.

The specialist responsible for providing prescribed exercise as a form of medicine to the South African population is the biokineticist. Biokinetics is a relatively new profession developed in response to empirical research supporting exercise as medicine. Although the role of the biokineticist is clearly defined by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), there is still confusion concerning this profession and its services. At present, the dominant medicalscientific and capitalist-economic discourses offer a narrowly mechanistic and instrumental understanding of the human body and its treatment, which contributes to this confusion. This dissertation proposes a new point of departure, enriched by historical and philosophical understandings of the human body, from which the biokineticist can begin to redefine him/herself. The study aims to shift biokinetics as a practice away from the reductionist and dehumanising influences of instrumentalist, scientific and neoliberal capitalist-economic discourses, and to restore to biokineticists, and their clients, the ability they need to interact as relatively autonomous individuals. The study draws on the ideas of Michel Foucault, specifically on his notions for ‘discipline’, ‘docility’, and ‘the care of the self’ (1991; 2005), as well as Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari and their ideas of ‘becoming’ and ‘rhizomatic thinking’ (1983; 1987); ultimately presenting a philosophically enriched, holistic representation of the human body. From here recommendations for best practice in contemporary biokinetics are suggested that encourage interactions and connections between the professional and his/her patients, which move beyond the mere physiological interpretations currently dominating health discourse.

This doctoral research focuses on groundwater degradation in Lagos, Nigeria. Groundwater is a critically important natural resource in Lagos that is presently troubled by pollution that emanates from solid waste and wastewater. The city generates 10,000 metric tons of waste and 350 million gallons of wastewater daily, all of which are improperly managed and are heavily polluting its groundwater. This direct environmental pollution is aggravated by indirect problems of over-urbanization, and legal and institutional shortcomings. Over-urbanization in Lagos has resulted into a monumental population of 21 million people in the tiny city, which generates the enormous quantities of solid waste and wastewater. The population places a tremendous burden on the city’s water resources, forcing residents to revert to groundwater which is suffering the plight of pollution, and hence the concern of this research. The pollution problem is worsened by civic apathy to environmental matters, and unresolved by a nascent water sector whose evolving governance structures do not adequately address the multi-dimensional pollution problem. In the final analysis, the absence of holistic and comprehensive groundwater legislation that addresses all these problems challenges the sustainability of this vital resource. The research adopts a cross-disciplinary approach by combining several methodologies: historical legal analysis, important insights from scientific studies and from sociological studies that rationalize the demographical movement to Lagos which is at the root of the pollution problem; field work investigation to confirm the fact, source, and extent of polluted groundwater; and a comparative approach by examining the European Union’s legal framework for managing groundwater and waste in order to extract sustainable practices for adoption in Lagos. It concludes with a range of recommendations for incorporation into a legal framework that will help to improve the sustainability of the groundwater resource. The study contributes to knowledge by attempting to close a vacuum, which is the paucity of studies that investigate underlying social factors that trigger groundwater pollution, and also by providing broad and holistic recommendations for law reform. It addresses the role of law in remediating the pollution, managing the effects of over-urbanization and overpopulation on groundwater, strengthening institutions, and eliminating legal inadequacies.

Spirituality in the discipline of nursing has gained popularity over the past two decades. National and provincial nursing associations and colleges expect nurses to be educated in providing spiritual health assessments and interventions in order to provide holistic nursing care. There is a paucity of research in the nursing literature on the meaning of spirituality from the perspectives of individuals who experience chronic mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. Spirituality remains an elusive construct, challenging psychiatric nurse educators, researchers and practitioners in the development of nursing curricula to guide psychiatric nursing practice. The focus of this research study was to develop a substantive theory about the experience of spirituality among individuals living with schizophrenia using grounded theory methodology in the tradition of Glaser and Strauss (1967). Forty semi-structured interviews and four focus groups were conducted with 20 participants who self-reported to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Findings: The substantive theory "spirituality as connection" indicates that spirituality for persons living with schizophrenia involves a dialectical process in which one strives to be connected to one's spiritual self (body-mind-spirit), significant others (family, friends, G o d / Higher Power, health care professionals), community (others living with a mental illness, others who are well, a faith community, the community in which participants lived), and nature, while at the same time experiencing situations and incidents that promote disconnection from these sub-themes. Strategies used by participants to achieve connection included: taking prescribed atypical anti-psychotic medications, maintaining their health and a healthy lifestyle, use of prayer / meditation, caring for self and others, and engaging in creative activities that added meaning to their life experiences. Among the 17 factors contributing to connection, exemplars are: reconnecting with one's spirit through prayer and meditation, attending drop-in centres for persons living with a mental illness, and walking / hiking in nature. Outcomes include feeling peaceful, love, contentment, being accepted and nurtured by others. Among the 14 factors contributing to disconnection, exemplars are: the effect of the illness on relationships with other people, the stigma of being in a psychiatric ward, being unemployed, and taking typical antipsychotic medications. Outcomes include feeling powerlessness, isolation, rejection and alienation. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2015-12-04T13:46:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 viviangemilianopinto.pdf: 15850259 bytes, checksum: 65455db19a02c670e8a88c96f7e3c1aa (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2015-12-07T03:20:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 viviangemilianopinto.pdf: 15850259 bytes, checksum: 65455db19a02c670e8a88c96f7e3c1aa (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-07T03:20:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 viviangemilianopinto.pdf: 15850259 bytes, checksum: 65455db19a02c670e8a88c96f7e3c1aa (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-06-10 / FAPEMIG - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Diante da escassez hídrica que se impõe como uma ameaça global, torna-se premente que as relações do homem com os recursos hídricos sejam repensadas e as formas de gestão reconstruídas. Sabendo-se que os subsídios para a gestão das grandes bacias hidrográficas se fundamentam na dinâmica das pequenas bacias e suas inter-relações, esta tese tem como objetivo buscar um olhar holístico da bacia hidrográfica do Ribeirão Espirito Santo (BHRES), situada em Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, identificando suas características bióticas e abióticas, pesquisando-se, de forma mais detalhada, as vazões ecológicas. Dada as dificuldades de se aprofundar a investigação ecohidrológica em toda a BHRES, determinaram-se dois trechos a serem estudados, um de cabeceira e outro de foz. Nesses dois trechos, buscou-se conhecer sua topobatimetria, sedimentos, características hidrodinâmicas, qualidade da água, ictiofauna e a relação com a vazão ecológica. Os resultados indicaram que os dois trechos estudados apresentam características bióticas e abióticas de ambientes moderadamente poluídos. Porém as particularidades das áreas marginais dos dois trechos implicam características de inundação bastante distintas, já que o primeiro trecho possui algumas depressões marginais, formando pequenas lagoas, ambientes amplamente reconhecidos pela sua importância na manutenção e integridade da biodiversidade aquática. Os dois trechos estudados, apesar de se situarem em posições bastante distintas na BHRES, não apresentam diferenças significativas com relação à granulometria dos sedimentos, parâmetros de qualidade da água, abundância, riqueza, diversidade e composição da ictiofauna. Essas caracteristicas permitiram a construção de curvas de adequação de habitat univariadas da ictiofauna investigada para a bacia hidrográfica como um todo. A metodologia de habitat, associada a uma ferramenta de reconhecimento do fluxo natural de cursos de água permitiu identificar o excedente hídrico nos dois trechos estudados, sinalizando para uma maior cautela na concessão de outorga de direito do uso da água em trechos de cabeceira, uma vez que, nos meses mais secos do ano não se identificou excedente hídrico; ao contrário, os fluxos naturais já impõem condição estressante às espécies analisadas. Por outro lado, o trecho de foz possui excedente hídrico superior à vazão de referência de outorga do estado de Minas Gerais nos meses mais úmidos e ainda é capaz de suportá-la nos meses mais secos. Note-se que as vazões mínimas remanescentes determinadas pelas legislações brasileiras se mostram incompatíveis com as necessidades para manutenção do ecossistema. / Under tre framework of the water scarcity that is imposed as a global threat, it is urgent that we rethink man's relationship with water resources and the reconstruction of approaches management. Given that subsidies for the management of large river basins are based on the dynamics of small basins and their interrelations, this thesis aims to pursue a holistic view for the Espírito Santo Stream Basin (ESSB), located in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil, identifying their biotic and abiotic characteristics, researching up in more detail the ecological flow. Due to the difficulties of deepening ecohydrological research across ESSB, we determined two river stretches to be studied, one bedside and the other near the mouth. In these two stretches, we sought to know its topobathymetry, sediment, hydrodynamic characteristics, water quality, fish populations and the relationship with the ecological flow. The results indicated that the two stretches studied have biotic and abiotic characteristics of moderately polluted environments. However, the particularities of the marginal areas of the two stretches imply very different flood characteristics. The first stretch has some marginal depressions, forming small ponds, with such an environment widely recognized for its importance in the maintenance and integrity of aquatic biodiversity. The two sites studied, though situate themselves in very different positions in ESSB, do not differ significantly with respect to the grain size of the sediment, water quality parameters, abundance, richness, diversity and composition of fish populations. These characteristics allowed the construction of univariate habitat suitability curves of fish populations investigated for the river basin as a whole. The habitat methodology associated to a river natural flow recognition tool identified the water surplus in the two stretches studied, signaling greater caution with respect to granting right of water use in bedside stretches since it did not identify up water surplus; in the driest months of the year. In contrast, natural streams already impose stressful condition to the analyzed species. On the other side, the mouth stretch has a water surplus flow superior than Minas Gerais State flow reference for granting in the wettest months and is still able to support it in the driest months. It should be noted, that the remaining minimum flows determined by the Brazilian legislation appears to be incompatible with the needs for ecosystem maintenance.