Browsing by Author "Brysiewicz, Petra"

Now showing 1 - 11 of 11
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    The effectiveness of cultural competence training for health professionals in community based rehabilitation: a systematic review of the literature.
    (Wiley, 2008) Chipps, Jennifer; Brysiewicz, Petra; Simpson, Barbara
    Aims: To find and review studies in which investigators evaluated cultural-competence training in community-based rehabilitation settings; critique study methods, describe clinical outcomes, and make recommendations for future research. Background: A review of the effectiveness of cultural-competence training for health professionals in community-based rehabilitation settings was conducted. Data Sources: Research citations from 1991–2006 in CINAHL, Medline, Pubmed, PsycInfo, SABINET, Cochrane, Google, NEXUS, and unpublished abstracts were searched. Methods: Searching, sifting, abstracting, and assessing quality of relevant studies by three reviewers. Studies were evaluated for sample, design, intervention, threats to validity, and outcomes. A meta-analysis was not conducted because the studies did not address the same research question. Results: Five studies and one systematic review were evaluated. Positive outcomes were reported for most training programs. Reviewed studies generally had small samples and poor design. Conclusions/Implications: The paucity of studies and lack of empirical precision in evaluating effectiveness necessitate future studies that are methodologically rigorous to allow confident recommendations for practice.
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    Informal mobile learning in nurse education and practice in remote areas-a case study from rural South Africa
    (Elsevier, 2014) Pimmer, Christoph; Brysiewicz, Petra; Linxen, Sebastian; Walters, Fiona; Chipps, Jennifer; Gröhbiel, Urs
    BACKGROUND: With the proliferation of portable digital technology, mobile learning is becoming increasingly popular in nursing education and practice. Most of the research in this field has been concentrated on small-scale projects in high income countries. Very little is known about the ways in which nurses and midwives use mobile technology in remote and resource poor areas in informal learning contexts in low and middle income countries. OBJECTIVES: To address this gap, this study investigates whether nurses use mobile phones as effective educational tools in marginalized and remote areas, and if so, how and why. SETTING AND METHODS: In rural South Africa, 16 nurses who attended an advanced midwifery education program, facilitators and clinical managers were interviewed about their use of digital mobile technology for learning. Techniques of qualitative content analysis were used to examine the data. RESULTS: Several rich “organically-grown”, learning practices were identified: mobile phone usage facilitated (1) authentic problem solving; (2) reflective practice; (3) emotional support and belongingness; (4) the realization of unpredictable teaching situations; and (5) life-long learning. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that mobile phones, and the convergence of mobile phones and social media, in particular, change learning environments. In addition, these tools are suitable to connect learners and learning distributed in marginalized areas. Finally, a few suggestions are made about how these insights from informal settings can inform the development of more systematic mobile learning formats.
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    Out of chaos leaders emerged
    (Elsevier, 2023) Brysiewicz, Petra; Chipps, Jennifer
    There has always been a recognition for the need of a strong nursing workforce in his- tory. After the end of World War II, President Truman in the Associated Press, 1946, February 28, stated that nurses are “one of the most important groups of health workers in the country.”1 More than 70 years later, in 2020, the Year of the Nurse, with more than 5 million cases of COVID-19 recorded around the world, “nurses were standing firm against the onslaught of the virus and have saved many thousands of lives” (ICN President, 2020).2 Toward the end of 2019, our world changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and our lives, both personally and professionally, were irrevocably altered. Although hailed as heroes,3 nurses were faced with finding new ways of living and new ways of work- ing while navigating this changed landscape. For nurses across the globe, numerous new challenges emerged but so too has there been the emergence of a resilient work- force with new learning and ways of doing.
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    Parents perceptions of stress in a neonatal intensive care unit in Rwanda
    (Curationis, 2015) Chipps, Jennifer; Musabirema, Priscille; Brysiewicz, Petra
    BACKGROUND: Having a newborn infant hospitalised in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is an unexpected and stressful event for a family. A number of potential stressors to which family members of patients in these units may be exposed have been identified, although no studies about this issue have been conducted in Rwanda. AIM: The aim of this study was to describe and analyse parental perception of stress that resulted from having their infant admitted to a NICU in Kigali, Rwanda. METHOD: A quantitative survey was used to describe and analyse parents’ perceptions of stress when they had an infant admitted to a NICU. The Parental Stress Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was used to measure the level of stress that those parents experienced. RESULTS: The results indicated that parents experienced stress from having their infants cared for in a NICU. The most stressful events were the appearance and behaviour of the baby with a mean score of 4.02, whilst the subscale items related to sights and sounds were found to be the least significant source of stress for parents with a mean score of 2.51. In addition, the current study found that parents’ age, educational level, occupation, and infant birth weight were associated with parental stress. CONCLUSION: The study established that a range of factors was responsible for parental stress when a baby was cared for in a NICU. Identification of these factors could enable health professionals from a hospital in Kigali, Rwanda, to facilitate parents’ adjusting and coping.
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    Student evaluation of a Clinical Self-Study Laboratory
    (Elsevier, 2007) Saakane, Keetsemang; Mugarurwa, John; Shahidi, Timothe'e; Maputhege, Maphosa; Chipps, Jennifer; Brysiewicz, Petra
    INTRODUCTION: Being clinically competent is an essential component of any nursing curricula to ensure that on completion the nursing graduates are able to practice safely and effectively as a nurse. Clinical Self-Study Laboratories have become increasingly popular in nursing education in recent years as a way of ensuring a variety of skills are taught to the nursing students. These clinical skills laboratories are used to teach communication and interpersonal skills, psychomotor skills, promote the development of collaborative skills required in nursing as well as being able to help integrate theory and practice [Morgan, R., 2006. Using clinical skills laboratories to promote theory–practice integration during first practice placement: an Irish perspective.However, it is essential that these programs be subject to routine quality assurance and effectiveness evaluation. METHODOLOGY: The purpose of the study was to conduct a process evaluation of the implementation of the Clinical Self-Study Laboratory (CSSL) in the School of Nursing, University of KwaZulu-Natal. The process evaluation included a descriptive quantitative satisfaction survey of first and third year Bachelor of Nursing students, a checklist to assess the quality of the CSSL equipment and a retrospective record review of utilisation of the CSSL by students. RESULTS: The CSSL appears to be well implemented and utilized by students. Students reported that it was accessible and that the equipment in the laboratory was of a reasonable quality. A few students reported dissatisfaction with some of the equipment and requested that more equipment and trained personnel be made available.
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    A survey of university students' perceptions of learning management systems in a low-resource setting using a technology acceptance model
    (Wolters Kluwer Health Inc, 2015) Chipps, Jennifer; Kerr, Jane; Brysiewicz, Petra; Walters, Fiona
    Learning management systems have been widely advocated for the support of distance learning. In low-resource settings, the uptake of these systems by students has been mixed. This study aimed to identify, through the use of the Technology Acceptance Model, the individual, organizational, and technological factors that could be influencing the use of learning management systems. A simple quantitative descriptive survey was conducted of nursing and health science students at a university in South Africa as part of their first exposure to a learning management system. A total of 274 respondents (56.7%) completed the survey questionnaire, made up of 213 nursing respondents (87.7%) and 61 health sciences respondents (25%). Overall, the respondents found the learning management system easy to use and useful for learning. There were significant differences between the two groups of respondents, with the respondents from health sciences being both younger and more computer literate. The nursing respondents, who received more support and orientations, reported finding the learning management system more useful. Recommendations are made for training and support to ensure uptake.
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    A survey of University Students' Perceptions of Learning Management Systems in a Low-Resource Setting using a Technology Acceptance Model
    (Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc., 2015) Chipps, Jennifer; Kerr, Jane; Brysiewicz, Petra; Walters, Fiona
    Learning management systems have been widelyadvocated for the support of distance learning. Inlow-resource settings, the uptake of these systemsby students has been mixed. This study aimed to dentify, through the use of the Technology AcceptanceModel, the individual, organizational, and technological factors that could be influencing the use of learning management systems. A simple quantitative descriptive surveywas conducted of nursing and health science students at a university in South Africa as part of their first exposure to a learning management system. A total of 274 respondents (56.7%) completed the survey questionnaire,made up of 213 nursing respondents (87.7%) and 61 health sciences respondents (25%).Overall, the respondents found the learning management system easy to use and useful for learning. Therewere significant differences between the two groups of respondents, with the respondents from health sciences being both younger andmore computer literate. The nursing respondents, who received more support and orientations, reported finding the learning management system more useful. Recommendations are made for training and support to ensure uptake.
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    A systematic review of the effectiveness of videoconference-based tele-education for medical and nursing education.
    (Wiley, 2012) Chipps, Jennifer; Brysiewicz, Petra; Mars, Maurice
    BACKGROUND: Rural nurses and doctors typically have little opportunity to further their education and training. Studies have shown high participant satisfaction with the use of educational technology, such as videoconferencing, for education. A review of effectiveness of videoconference-based tele-education for medical and nursing education was conducted. AIMS The aims of this study were to: (1) systematically review the literature and critique the research methods on studies addressing the review question: “How effective is videoconference-based education for the education of doctors and nurses?” (2) summarize the existing evidence on the effectiveness of videoconference education for medical and nursing staff; and (3) apply the findings to South Africa and other countries across the globe. Methods: Research citations from 1990 to 2011 from cumulative index of nursing and allied health literature, Medline, Pubmed, PsycInfo, EBSCOhost, SABINET, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, unpublished abstracts through NEXUS and Internet search engines (Google/Google scholar) were searched. Review methods included searching, sifting, abstraction, and quality assessment of relevant studies by two reviewers. Studies were evaluated for sample, design, intervention, threats to validity, and outcomes. No meta-analysis was conducted as the studies provided heterogeneous outcome data. RESULTS: Five studies were reviewed. Videoconference and face-to-face education is at least equivalent and one study reported an increase in knowledge and knowledge integration. Recommendations: Despite the methodological limitations and heterogeneity of the reviewed studies, there appears to be sufficient evidence of effectiveness to provide a rigorous Grade B evidence-based recommendation of moderate support. Conclusions: The use of videoconferencing for nursing and medical education should be encouraged along with guidelines for the use of videoconferencing. The paucity of studies and the lack of empirical precision in evaluating effectiveness of these interventions necessitate future rigorously designed experimental studies.
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    T​​he effectiveness of in-hospital psychosocial intervention programmes for families of critically ill patients - a systematic review.
    (Health and Medical Publishing Group, 2006) Brysiewicz, Petra; Chipps, Jennifer
    Background. A review of in-hospital psychosocial intervention studies for families with a relative in a critical care unit was conducted. Purpose of review. To review the literature on studies addressing the topic, discuss research methods critically, describe clinical outcomes and make recommendations for future research efforts. In doing so, empirically tested interventions producing positive outcomes may be applied to support families who have a relative in a critical care unit. Data sources. Research citations from 1991 to 2006 from CINAHL, Medline, Pubmed, PsycInfo, SABINET, Cochrane and SCOPUS databases, Internet search engines and unpublished abstracts through NEXUS were searched. Review methods. Citations were reviewed and evaluated for sample, design, intervention, threats to validity and outcomes. Review studies were limited to those that evaluated in-hospital interventions in family members of patients in a critical care unit. Results. Six studies were reviewed. Positive outcomes were reported for all of the intervention strategies. All but one of the studies reviewed studied small samples and single critical care units, and were poor in design. Conclusions. The paucity of interventional studies and the lack of systemic empirical precision to evaluate effectiveness of these interventions necessitate that future studies be methodologically rigorous.
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    Using mobile phones and social media to facilitate education and support for rural health midwives in South Africa
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2015) Chipps, Jennifer; Pimmer, Christoph; Brysiewicz, Petra; Walters, Fiona; Linxen, Sebastian; Ndebele, Thandi; Grohbiel, Urs;
    BACKGROUND: Empirical studies show the value of mobile phones as effective educational tools to support learning in the nursing profession, predominantly in high income countries. PROBLEM STATEMENT: The rapidly increasing prevalence of mobile phone technology in Africa nourishes hopes that these tools could be equally effective in lowly resourced contexts, specifically in efforts to achieve the health-related Millennium Development goals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception and use of mobile phones as educational and professional tools by nurses in lowly resourced settings. METHODOLOGY: A quantitative survey using self-administered questionnaires was conducted of rural advanced midwives. RESULTS: Fifty-six nurses (49.6%) from the 113 rural-based midwives attending an advanced midwifery training programme at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, filled in a questionnaire. The results showed that, whilst nurses regarded their technology competences as low and although they received very little official support from their educational and professional institutions, the majority frequently used mobile functions and applications to support their work and learning processes. They perceived mobile devices with their voice, text, and email functions as important tools for the educational and professional activities of searching for information and engaging with facilitators and peers from work and study contexts. To a lesser extent, the use of social networks, such as WhatsApp and Facebook, were also reported. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: It is concluded that educational institutions should support the appropriate use of mobile phones more systematically; particularly in relation to the development of mobile network literacy skills.