Browsing by Author "Jeggels, June"

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    Experiences of first-year University of the Western Cape nursing students during first clinical placement in hospital
    (University of the Western Cape, 2010) Abubu, Janiere; Jeggels, June; Dept. of Nursing
    In nursing education the clinical component comprises an important part of the students’ training. Clinical teaching and learning happens in simulated as well as real world settings. First–year students spend the first quarter of their first year developing clinical skills in the skills laboratory. In the second-term they are placed in real service settings. This study was aimed at exploring the experiences of first year nursing students of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) during their first clinical placement in the hospital. A qualitative phenomenological exploratory study design was used and a purposive sample of twelve nursing students was selected to participate in the study. The research question was “Describe your experiences during your first placement in hospital?” Written informed consent was given by every participant and ethical approval was obtained from the relevant UWC structures. In-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted, audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded and sub-categories, categories, and themes were extracted during the data analysis process. Trustworthiness of the data collection and data analysis processes were ensured. Many of the first year nursing students described their experience in hospital as being stressful. However, the first placement in hospital allowed them to work with real patients and provided them an opportunity to develop a variety of clinical skills. Even though the hospital environment was unfamiliar and the ward staff unwelcoming, the patients’ acknowledged and valued their contribution to patient care. Students tend to seek support from family members and lecturers. It is recommended that first year nursing students be prepared adequately for their first placement in hospital as well as to provide practical and emotional support to students during their hospital placement.
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    Exploring nurse preceptors’ perceptions of benefits and support of and commitment to the preceptor role in the Western Cape Province
    (AOSIS OpenJournals, 2014) Cloete, Inez S.; Jeggels, June
    BACKGROUND: A preceptor is a specialised tutor who provides practical training to students in the practice setting. They are frequently used to orientate nursing students to prepare them for their duties as professional nurses. In the Western Cape Province professional nurses attend a training programme to prepare them for the role of preceptor. After completion of the training it is unclear how the trained nurse preceptors perceive their preparation for the role. The perceptions of preceptors may influence their commitment to their role. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore nurse preceptors’ perceptions of benefits, support and commitment to the preceptor role. A conceptual framework guided the study which replicated previous studies that explored nurse preceptors’ perceptions. METHOD: A quantitative approach utilising a descriptive correlational design was used in this study to address the research questions. A convenience sample was drawn from preceptors (n = 60) who had completed a preceptor training programme at the University of the Western Cape. Instrumentation for the study included the following scales: preceptors’ perceptions of benefits and rewards, preceptors’ perceptions of support, and commitment to the preceptor role. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0. RESULTS: The findings indicate that nurse preceptors were committed to their role. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study are supported by Kanter’s model of structural determinants of behaviour in organisations, since preceptors who see themselves as having access to opportunity and support are likely to be committed to their role.
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    Factors influencing the infant feeding choices of HIV-positive mothers at a level two hospital in Cape Town
    (Mark Allen Healthcare, 2015) Jeggels, June; Morgan, Jenna J.
    BACKGROUND/AIMS: Following the decision by the South African Department of Health in 2012 to withdraw the provision of free infant formula milk to HIV-exposed infants, policy makers have grappled with the need to develop guidelines to help HIV-positive mothers decide whether they should breastfeed their babies. The objectives of this study were to assess the infant feeding choices of HIV-positive mothers and to determine factors influencing their behaviours prior to the process of withdrawing the provision of free infant formula milk. METHODS: A quantitative approach was employed in this study, including the use of a survey to collect descriptive data on a consecutive sample (n=100). Data analysis was carried out using the IBM SPSS Version 20. RESULTS: More than half (54%) of the participants indicated that their infants were exclusively breastfed, and 46% of the participants reported exclusively formula feeding. There was no statistical difference between both groups with regards to: race; employment status; obstetric history; HIV disclosure status; knowledge and awareness of infant feeding recommendations or policies regarding breastfeeding promotion. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study show that health-care workers are the main providers of counselling on infant feeding. Inconsistent messages from health professionals, health facility practices and government policies were also observed.
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    A reflection on the application of grounded theory in the exploration of the experiences of informal carers
    (AOSIS OpenJournals, 2009) Jeggels, June
    Abstract: The aim of this paper is to reflect on the application of a qualitative research method that presents novice researchers with a variety of challenges. It is suggested that prospective users of the grounded theory method should seek guidance from experts in the field. However, to find these experts has proved to be quite challenging. The research topic lends itself to a qualitative study in general using the grounded theory method in particular. A qualitative approach was followed to describe the experiences of informal carers within their unique contexts. The guidelines of Strauss and Corbin (1990,1998) formed the basis for the development of the grounded theory. The challenges that will be described in a fair amount of detail in this paper include: an understanding of interpretive research paradigms, the philosophical underpinning of the method; its focus on social context; the inductive data analysis processes that allows for the emergence of a substantive theory from empirical data. Prospective scholars should also recognize that grounded theorists follow different approaches to the application of the method. Some subscribe to the traditions of the founders (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), while others choose the analytical rules and procedures proposed by the followers of the method (Strauss & Corbin, 1990,1998). In this paper I reflect on the application of the grounded theory method to explore the experiences of informal carers during the transition of the elderly from hospital to home. The research outcomes showed that informal carers were facilitating care during the transition of the elderly from hospital to home by revealing the link between facilitating care, the basic social process, and other categories associated with informal health care. These categories include: the prior relationship between the carer and the elderly, the traumatic incident, the need for role fitting, maintenance- and repair care, as well as, the consequences of facilitating care, i.e. connected or disconnected care. It is recommended that informal carers be recognized as essential community assets and that they are included in the health care system of the country; that they need information as well as financial and material resources and that they require the support of family, home-based workers and professionals alike.
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    A report on the development and implementation of a preceptorship training programme for registered nurses
    (AOSIS OpenJournals, 2013) Jeggels, June; Traut, Annalene; Africa, Florence
    BACKGROUND: Clinical supervision represents an important aspect in the development of nursing students’ clinical skills. At the School of Nursing (SoN) the clinical supervisors employed by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) have limited contact sessions with students in the clinical setting. However, with the increase in student numbers a need was identified to strengthen the support given to nursing students in the service setting. OBJECTIVE: A preceptorship training programme for nurses was developed in 2009, aimed at improving the clinical teaching expertise of professional nurses. The planning phase, based on a preceptorship model, represents a collaborative undertaking. by the higher education institution and the nursing directorate of the Provincial Government Western Cape. Method: A two-week, eight credit, short course was approved by the university structures and presented by staff members of the school. The teaching and learning strategies included interactive lectures, small group activities and preceptor-student encounters in simulated and real service settings. Some of the course outcomes were: applying the principles of clinical teaching and learning within the context of adult education, understanding the preceptor role and managing Results: To date, fifty-four participants have attended the course. Following an internal review of the pilot programme in 2010, relevant adjustments to the programme were made. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that all the stakeholders be involved in the development and implementation of a contextually relevant preceptorship training programme. It is further recommended that the school embarks on an extensive programme evaluation.
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    Revitalization of clinical skills training at the University of the Western Cape
    (Curationis, 2010) Jeggels, June; Traut, Annalene; Kwast, M
    Most educational institutions that offer health related qualifications make use of clinical skills laboratories. These spaces are generally used for the demonstration and assessment of clinical skills. The purpose of this paper is to share our experiences related to the revitalization of skills training by introducing the skills lab method at the School of Nursing (SoN), University of the Western Cape (UWC), To accommodate the contextual changes as a result of the restructuring of the higher education landscape in 2003, the clinical skills training programme at UWC had to be reviewed. With a dramatic increase in the student numbers and a reduction in hospital beds, the skills lab method provided students with an opportunity to develop clinical skills prior to their placement in real service settings. The design phase centred on adopting a skills training methodology that articulates with the case-based approach used by the SoN. Kolb's, experiential learning cycle provided the theoretical underpinning for the methodology. The planning phase was spent on the development of resources. Eight staff members were trained by our international higher education collaborators who also facilitated the training of clinical supervisors and simulated patients. The physical space had to be redesigned to accommodate audio visual and information technology to support the phases of the skills lab method. The implementation of the skills lab method was phased in from the first-year level. An interactive seminar held after the first year of implementation provided feedback from all the role players and was mostly positive. The results of introducing the skills lab method include: a move by students towards self-directed clinical skills development, clinical supervisors adopting the role of facilitators of learning and experiential clinical learning being based on, amongst others, the students' engagement with simulated patients. Finally, the recommendations relate to tailor-making clinical skills training by using various aspects of teaching and learning principles, i.e. case-based teaching, experiential learning and the skills lab method.
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    Trained nurse preceptors ’ perceptions of a preceptorship training programme offered by a university in the Western Cape
    (International Scholars Journals, 2014) Jeggels, June; Traut, Annalene; Africa, Florence
    The School of Nursing at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Directorate of Nursing Services in the Western Cape Department of Health undertook a collaborative project to strengthen the clinical teaching skills of professional nurses in the province. A preceptorship training programme was developed by the school and professional nurses from public hospitals and higher education institutions attended the training. It was, however, unclear whether they perceived a change in clinical teaching skills following the training. The purpose of this research was to explore the trained nurse preceptors’ perceptions of the preceptorship training programme offered by UWC. The objectives were to compile a profile of the participants and to describe their perceived changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes as a result of the training. A qualitative approach was used to carry out an exploratory, descriptive and contextual study. An abstraction tool was used to compile profiles of the participants from records. Purposive sampling was used to select participants from tertiary, regional and district hospitals for three focus group discussions. The data showed that the 80 trained preceptors would be able to precept 1 600 students in the province. Five themes emerged from the qualitative data, relating to the change in knowledge about clinical teaching; change in clinical teaching skills; change in attitude; self-awareness; and training challenges. It is recommended that the preceptorship training programme remains a collaborative project.