UWCScholar :: Browsing by Author "Julie, Hester"

Browsing by Author "Julie, Hester"

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The academic transitional experience of postgraduate students in the faculty of community and health sciences at the University of the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2009) Hoffman, Jeffrey Corne; Julie, Hester; Dept. of Nursing; Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
Transition has been the major focus of educational institutions. The focal argument of the majority of research into student transition deals with the challenges that students faced when they moved from high school to first year at university. Not much focus has been placed on the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies. Postgraduate enrollment rates have steadily grown over the past few years in Higher Education Institution`s (HEI). Support systems have been put in place to assist students. In spite of these available support systems, postgraduate students still find themselves facing challenges when engaging with postgraduate studies. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the academic transitional challenges postgraduate students' experience as reflected by the inconsistencies in the enrollment and throughput rates. Secondly, to determine whether students utilised available support systems, e.g. the Academic Writing Centre and the Postgraduate Enrolment and Throughput (PET) programme at the Faculty of Community and Health Science at University of the Western Cape. This was a quantitative study. A cross sectional survey has been conducted by means of a computerised self-administered questionnaire (CSAQ). The study population was postgraduate students in the Faculty of Community and Health Science at masters' level. Both course work and research students were included in the study. No sampling method was employed due to the small size of the population. Data was collected to explore the academic preparedness of postgraduate students, and there primary motivations for studying and the utilization of available support services at the University of the Western Cape.
The academic transitional experiences of masters’ students at the University of the Western Cape
(AOSIS OpenJournals, 2012) Hoffman, Jeffrey C.; Julie, Hester
Transition has been a major focus of educational institutions. However, most of the research into student transition focuses on the challenges related the transition from high school to university. Not much emphasis has been placed on the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies, despite the steadily increasing postgraduate enrollment rates in higher education institutions. The discrepancy between the enrollment and completion rates is an indication that postgraduate students are facing transitional challenges when engaging with postgraduate studies. The aim of this research study was to describe the academic transitional experiences of masters’ students in the Faculty of Community Health Sciences at the University of the Western Cape. The objectives were to determine the academic preparedness of postgraduate students, to explore their primary motivations for pursuing postgraduate studies, and to assess their utilisation of the available support services at UWC. A quantitative, exploratory, descriptive research design was employed. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with masters’ students during 2009, using convenience sampling. Data was statistically analysed using the SPSS to provide descriptive statistics. The majority of the sample indicated a lack of academic preparedness, even though most of them had a bachelor’s degree. The primary reasons listed as motivation for master’s study were to improve knowledge and reaching self-actualisation. The majority is still eager to complete their studies. Most support systems were utilised and students rated these services as a positive experience that facilitates smooth academic transition. However, concerns are that not many students utilised the academic writing centre and those who did, rated the overall service as average. One of the main recommendations was that a research culture needs to be established at undergraduate level, as this would give students greater exposure to research activities.
Academics’ knowledge and experiences of interprofessional education and practice
(Health and Medical Publishing Group, 2016) Julie, Hester; Hess-April, Lucia; Wilkenson, J.; Cassiem, Wagheda; Rhoda, Anthea
BACKGROUND. Interprofessional education (IPE) can be seen as the vehicle to address the health and social problems of society through collaborative approaches. Since IPE should be facilitated by educators who are skilled in this area, faculty development initiatives should be based on the principles of IPE and collaborative practice (IPECP). OBJECTIVE. To explore academics’ knowledge and experiences of IPECP. METHODS. The study used an exploratory descriptive design and the appreciative inquiry framework underpinned data gathering and analysis. The data were collected using workshops, and the participants of the workshops shared their knowledge and experiences of IPECP, which were audio-recorded and analysed using thematic analysis. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa. RESULTS. The analysis revealed three themes: knowledge of IPE; experiences of IPECP; and enablers of IPECP aligned to the dream and discovery phases of appreciative inquiry. The findings revealed that academics were knowledgeable about the concept of IPE and that their experiences with IPECP ranged from clinical supervision to research. Regarding enablers of IPECP, they provided important input, which could facilitate IPECP in a university faculty. These included competencies for IPECP, professional development and a common practice framework. CONCLUSION. The academics who attended the faculty development workshops were knowledgeable about the concepts of IPECP. They concluded that for IPE to be effective, a common practice framework should be adopted in the faculty to inform specific teaching and learning strategies and outcomes.
Analysis of depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment in residents using the interRAI-LTCF in a long-term care facility in the Cape metropole in South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Mayer, Linda; Chipps, Jennifer; Julie, Hester
Worldwide concerns have been raised about the presence and association of depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, and dementia in older adults (60 years and older), which are often unrecognised and untreated in long-term care facilities (LTCF’s). The progression of cognitive impairment to dementia reduces quality of life with negative consequences of physical, mental, and psychosocial health. In many LTCF’s internationally, the standardised interRAI system is used to capture depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment. However, there is a fragmentation of systems for making evidence-based decisions to plan and manage care for residents with depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, and dementia. This study, being the first of its kind in South Africa, addressed this gap, by describing a profile of depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment in residents, and analysing their coexistence, using the interRAI-LTCF in a LTCF in the Cape Metropole in South Africa. A quantitative, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional secondary data analysis was conducted using the records of all 173 resident’s medical records of residents with a last interRAI-LTCF assessment from 2014 and 2016. The objectives were to determine the levels of depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment, and to assess variously associated demographics and clinical variables between depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment of the interRAI-LTCF in residents in a LTCF. Secondary data were analysed, using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 25, to test any statistically significant relationship between the extracted variables (Significance was set as p˂0.05). The prevalence of possible depression, using the Depression Rating Scale (DRS) of the interRAI-LTCF in the residents in this study was 36.4%, of whom 54.3% had a documented clinical diagnosis of depression. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 39.3%, using the Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS), of whom 34.1% had a documented clinical diagnosis of cognitive impairment/dementia. There were more females than males with the possibility for depression and cognitive impairment, especially in those who were older than 80 years of age, those without partners, and who had ≤12 years of education. The DRS and the CPS were able to predict the possibility for depression and CI. There is a 55.9% risk of possible depression with CI present as compared to a 23.8% risk of possible depression when CI is not present. That means that people meeting criteria for CI on the CPS are 2.3 times more likely to meet the criteria for possible depression on the DRS. Similarly, there is a 60.3% risk of CI with possible depression present as compared to a 27.3% risk of CI when possible depression is not present. That means that people meeting criteria for possible depression on the DRS are 2.2 times more likely to meet the criteria for CI on the CPS. The logistic regression confirmed the coexistence between depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment.
Assessing the attitude of nursing staff working at a community health centre towards the mental health care user
(University of the Western Cape, 2018) Hendricks, Michelle; Julie, Hester
The South African health care system shifted the focus of treating psychiatric disorders from institutional care level mental health services to facilitate this process of integration into the Primary Health Care (PHC) settings. All the provinces were thus engaged in improving mental health care services at community level by providing training for professional nurses in mental health at PHC settings. Consequently, mental health nursing has also changed considerably by shifting the focus of mental health care to the primary care level. It is however, suggested that the current revolving door syndrome experienced at psychiatric institutions was partly due to inadequate community-based psychiatric services. It was also suggested that the attitudes and knowledge of health professionals towards mental illness has a major impact on service delivery, treatment and outcome of mental illness. The aim of this research study was to assess the attitude of nursing staff working at a Community Health Centre (CHC) towards the mental health care user. A CHC was chosen that renders 24 hour services. The inclusive sample included all the different categories of nurses permanently employed at this CHC. The Attitude Scale for Mental Illness questionnaire was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics: means, median and standard deviations were calculated for the following variables: separatism; stereotyping; restrictiveness; benevolence; pessimistic prediction and stigmatization. In conclusion it can be said that the nursing staff with more experience irrespective of category of nurse has less of a stereotyping attitude towards mental illness. The longer the nurse worked at the setting and irrespective of their nursing qualification the more positive their attitude towards the MHCU became.
Community- based service-learning through reflective practice.
(University of the Western Cape, 2004) Julie, Hester; Kortenbout, E; Dept. of Nursing; Faculty of Community and Health Sciences
Domestic violence is a pervasive problem in South Africa. The School of Nursing at the University of Western Cape has responded to the challenge of training sensitive, knowledgeable and skilled health personnel by developing a Management of Gender- Based Violence Module. The purpose of this study is to describe the professional and personal development of nursing students who were placed at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Abused Women and Children for the service-learning trial run of this Gender- Based Violence module in 2003. A qualitative, contextual, and descriptive design was therefore used to provide rich information from in-depth descriptions of students’ perceptions and experiences with regard to the service-learning module. Purposive, convenient sampling was used because the key informants, 27 female students involved in the trial run of the module, were selected to “illuminate" the research question. Content analysis was done and to ensure credibility, data triangulation was done using focus group, project reports and the students’ journals. Informed consent to use data from the previously mentioned sources was obtained from students. The overall findings indicate that the service-learning programme allowed students to achieve the goals defined by the community, services and the university. Students came to understand the supportive roles that health professionals can play and recognised that the development of the attributes of caring, advocacy and civic ngagement is essential to their professional development. Comments in their reflective journals revealed that students valued their service-learning experience, and believed that this experience would expand into future collaborative relationships within civil society. The recommendation is that further in depth research be conducted given the promise shown by this educational approach.
Cracking the nut of service learning in nursing at a Higher Education Institution
(AOSIS Publishing, 2015) Julie, Hester; Adejumo, Oluyinka; Frantz, Jose M.
BACKGROUND: The readiness of academics to engage in the service-learning (SL) institutionalisation process is not accentuated in research on SL institutionalisation in South Africa. The argument has been advanced that SL scholarship and willingness of key stakeholders are crucial for SL institutionalisation at the academic programme level. AIM: The research focus of the study being reported here was on readiness of respondents to embed SL in the curricula of the nursing programme. METHOD: This study used a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive design. A self administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a stratified sample comprising 34 respondents. The data were analysed for descriptive statistics using SPSS 19. RESULTS: The demographic profile of the respondents indicated that 31 (66%) were between 31 and 50 years old; 36 (75.16%) had a minimum of 10 years’ nursing experience; 19 (39.6%) had a master’s degree, two (4.2%) had a doctorate; and 29 (60.4%) had been employed by the school for a maximum of five years. The results indicated that the nurse educators were in need of SL capacity-building because 9 (18.8%) had limited or no knowledge of SL and 24 (50%) confused SL with other forms of community engagement activities. However, only 15 (33%) of the clinical supervisors and 13 (27%) of the lecturers indicated a willingness to participate in such a programme. CONCLUSION: The school was not ready to embed SL in the academic programme because of a lack of SL scholarship and willingness to remediate the identified theory–practice gaps.
Critical success factors for institutionalising service-learning in a nursing programme at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa
(AOSIS OpenJournals, 2014) Julie, Hester; Adejumo, Oluyinka;
Scholars in the fields of community engagement contend that the service-learning (SL) policy implementation in higher education is more likely to be successful when there is a strong institutional commitment and the policy implementation is well conceptualised. Research indicates that most higher education institutions in South Africa failed to operationalise the national SL policy, which mandates the incorporation of social responsiveness in their academic programmes. This quantitative study investigated whether a university in the Western Cape had created an enabling environment for a school of nursing to institutionalise service learning in the nursing programme. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using total sampling (n=48) to collect data on the operationalisation of the critical success factors and the stage of SL institutionalisation for each of Furco’s five dimensions. Furco’s self-assessment tool for service-learning institutionalisation was modified. A descriptive analysis was done using SPSS version 19. The results indicated that all of the success factors were present in the institutional structures and policies. However, the institution is perceived to be performing best in the dimensions of student support, philosophy and mission, and institutional support for SL. It can thus be concluded that the institution has created an enabling environment for mainstreaming SL in the nursing programmes.
A cross-sectional profile of male students registered for the Bachelor of Nursing at a nursing training institution n the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2020) Noordien, Ilhaam; Julie, Hester
Men comprise about 10% of the nursing population globally and approximately 15% of the nursing workforce according to the South African Nursing Council. There has been an increase noted in the number of males entering the nursing profession. However, it is reported that male nurses experience discriminatory encounters related to gender bias, nursing culture, lack of equity in learning opportunities, and the stigmatisation of male nurses by the media. Although figures indicate that men remain a minority within this female-dominated profession, a university in the Western Cape reported an increased enrolment of males in the nursing programme. However, little is known about what motivates them to enter this female-dominated profession and the challenges they face within the nursing profession. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compile a profile of the current male student nursing population at his school of nursing. The objectives were to identify factors motivating male students to choose nursing as a profession; identify the perceived challenges of male students in the nursing programme; and determine any associations. A quantitative, descriptive study design was used to collect data from the study population, 218 male students registered for the undergraduate nursing programmes in 2018. Stratified sampling was used to select male students for participation in the crosssectional survey and 143 completed the self-administered questionnaire. The tool in this study was adapted from studies conducted by Bartfay et al (2010) and from O’Lynn (2003, 2013). The Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient for the Likert scale questions to determine the motivation for choosing nursing was 0.700 -and 0.905 for the perceived challenges. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to calculate descriptive and inferential statistics. Spearman’s correlations to calculate the strength of the relationship between the dependent variables. Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal- Wallis tests were used to determine the associations between the different variables. A response rate of 65.5% (143) was obtained. The majority of the male students, 84% (120) were aged between 18-25 years and 13% (18) between 26 and 33 years. The majority, 77% (110) were Blacks, 19% (27) Coloureds and 1% (2) White. Forty four percent (63) resides in the Eastern Cape, whilst 39% (56) is from the Western Cape. The spread across the different year levels from 1st to 4th year of the B. Nursing programme are 25% (35), 27(39), 21% (29) and 20% (28) respectively. The majority, 88% (126) had no previous nursing experience before commencing the nursing programme but 53% (76) were studying. The majority, 95% (137) were single and 79% (114) indicating no dependents. The desire to make a difference in society (97%, n=137) and always wanted to be a nurse (38%, n=54) were identified respectively as the most and least important intrinsic factor for entering the nursing profession. The highest rated extrinsic factors for choosing nursing ranging from 92% -76% included having a stable career; variety of career paths; travelling abroad; career mobility and using nursing as a steppingstone to other careers. However, 39% (56) were encouraged by family to do nursing. In terms of perceived challenges, the majority of male students indicated that media portrayed nursing as a female profession, 86% (122) and male nurses as gay or effeminate, 71% (102). Challenges in the clinical settings reveal that 71% (102) of the respondents fear being accused of inappropriate touching of female patients, 82% (118) indicated that female patients were reluctant to receive care from male nurses, and 78% (112) perceive that female colleagues utilize male nurses primarily to lift heavy objects or heavy patients. Finally, the results indicate that extrinsic motivations were significantly associated with the respondents’ race (p = 0.004) and province (p = 0.047). A significant association was found between intrinsic motivation and the age of those respondents who considered nursing as a profession (p = 0.000). There was a significant association between extrinsic motivations and the age when the respondents considered nursing (p = 0.016). The main recommendation that nurse educators and clinical staff be informed of the challenges and gender-based issues that male student nurses face and implement remedial actions in both the classroom and clinical areas.
Determining institutional support needed for embedding service-learning in nursing at a Higher Education Institution in the Western Cape
(University of Western Cape, 2018) Hendricks, Sergio Lester; Julie, Hester
Service-learning (SL) is regarded as a teaching and learning method combining community participation with content-based class discussion and reflection. It involves a teaching and learning assessment process with community members. It therefore combines theory-based knowledge learnt at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) and the learning experiences produced through community engagement. National guidelines developed by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) are available for higher education to institutionalise service-learning (SL) in South African HEIs, but widespread inconsistencies with the implementation of these guidelines have been reported. This thesis is informed by a previous study conducted at an HEI in Western Cape that identified constraining factors required to institutionalisation SL within an academic programme. The aim of this study was to determine the institutional support needed for embedding service-learning in nursing at a Higher Education Institution in the Western Cape. A quantitative, descriptive, cross sectional survey design was used. The study population consisted of 60 nurse educators (lecturers and clinical supervisors). All-inclusive sampling was used because of the small number in the population. All questions were statistically analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS 24) to provide descriptive statistics. The data was summarized, and the descriptive statistics were presented as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation.
Determining learner nurses' perceived levels of competence and willingness to practise in a maternity unity at a university in the Western Cape Province
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Isaacs, Charlene; Julie, Hester
Midwifery is a health profession where a qualified midwife provides care to a woman during her pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. Apart from taking care of the mother, the midwife is expected to take care of the new-born baby as well until the health of mother and baby is in a satisfactory condition which will allow them to be discharged from the midwife’s care. The purpose of the study was to determine the perceived levels of competence and willingness of learner nurses to practise in a maternity unit after completion of the midwifery component of the undergraduate curriculum at a university in the Western Cape. The current study provides nursing institutions with an opportunity to review the content of the midwifery curriculum in order to prepare learner nurses adequately to practise after graduation and, thus, facilitate the provision of improved maternal care and childcare. A descriptive research design was used to determine the perceived levels of competence and willingness to practise in a maternity unit of final-year undergraduate learner nurses. Pretesting was conducted prior to the collection of data to measure the reliability and validity of the adapted, structured questionnaire. All-inclusive sampling (n=247) was used, which included all learner nurses registered as 4th year undergraduate learner nurses at this institution during the time of data collection. Data was collected by means of an adapted questionnaire which included closed-ended questions and one open-ended question. Three themes were identified: Positive views; Negative views; and Competences in midwifery practice areas. The collected data was cleaned, and entered into and analysed using SPSS v24. The Cronbach’s alpha score calculated for the competence levels of respondents were 0.82%, while the section on willingness to practise scored 0.95%. The findings of the study revealed that learner nurses perceive themselves competent while performing basic obstetric procedures in low-risks areas. However, the learner nurses perceive themselves to have low competence levels when they have to perform more complicated obstetric procedures. The results also show that learner nurses need more time in high-risk areas to increase their perceived competence levels. Furthermore, the results show that learner nurses are very willing to perform these procedures once they are qualified midwives.
Development of a mindfulness-based unit management training programme for professional nurses in Ondo State, Nigeria
(2021) Ogundele, Alice Igbekele; Julie, Hester
Professional nurses constitute the highest number of health manpower all over the world. The nature of their work make them prone to physical and emotional trauma which sometimes affect the care they render. Therefore, nursing requires that professionals demonstrate acceptable levels of self-awareness and self-control which is congruent with the key principles of mindfulness contributing to a standard of nursing practices that do not always reach by providers as expected. Likewise, Nurse Managers are expected to utilise mindfulness principles in the planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling activities of their units. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a mindfulness-based unit management training programme for professional nurses in Ondo State, Nigeria. The objectives of this study were to: (a) determine the level of individual mindfulness of professional nurses. (b) measure the extent to which individual mindfulness impacts professional nurses’ mindfulness. (c) determine the effect of professional nurses’ mindfulness on unit management performance of professional nurses. (d) design mindfulness-based unit management programme for professional nurses. (e) verify the developed mindfulness-based unit management training programme for professional nurses.
Development of a training programme for professional nurses to promote the use of postpartum family planning in Epe local government area, Lagos state, Nigeria
(University of the Western Cape, 2022) Igbinoghodua, Omo-Ojo Betty; Julie, Hester
Postpartum family planning (PPFP) is the initiation of family planning methods among postpartum women, within 12 months after delivery. During this period, the women are a vulnerable group of people with high unmet need for family planning. They are exposed to the risks of unwanted pregnancy, which potentially, could increase maternal mortality, due to the consequences of too frequent pregnancies. Studies have revealed a consistent low use of family planning during the postpartum period. Additionally, it has been documented that the low use of postpartum family planning, most likely, was attributed to inadequate services that had been rendered at healthcare centres, as well as poor motivation by those providing family planning services. A training programme for nurses, to improve health services, was identified as the most appropriate for quality healthcare services, to influence the behavioural skill and good decision making of the PP women, regarding the use of PPFP.
The development of an implementation framework for service learning during the undergraduate nursing programme in the Western Cape Province
(AOSIS Publishing, 2015) Julie, Hester
BACKGROUND: Service-learning (SL) is a contested field of knowledge and issues of sustainability and scholarship have been raised about it. The South African Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) has provided policy documents to guide higher education institutions (HEIs) in the facilitation of SL institutionalisation in their academic programmes. An implementation framework was therefore needed to institutionalise the necessary epistemological shifts advocated in the national SL policy guidelines. OBJECTIVES: This article is based on the findings of a doctoral thesis that aimed at developing an SL implementation framework for the School of Nursing (SoN) at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). METHOD: Mixed methods were used during the first four phases of the design and development intervention research model developed by Rothman and Thomas. RESULTS: The SL implementation framework that was developed during Phase 3 specified the intervention elements to address the gaps that had been identified by the core findings of Phases 1 and 2. Four intervention elements were specified for the SL implementation framework. The first intervention element focused on the assessment of readiness for SL institutionalisation. The development of SL capacity and SL scholarship was regarded as the pivotal intervention element for three of the elements: the development of a contextual SL definition, an SL pedagogical model, and a monitoring and evaluation system for SL institutionalisation. CONCLUSION: The SL implementation framework satisfies the goals of SL institutionalisation, namely to develop a common language and a set of principles to guide practice, and to ensure the allocation of resources in order to facilitate the SL teaching methodology. The contextualised SL definition that was formulated for the SoN contributes to the SL operationalisation discourse at the HEI.
The development of an implementation framework for service-learning in the undergraduate nursing programme in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2014) Julie, Hester; Adejumo, Oluyinka
In this doctoral thesis, I explored how the national guidelines for higher education to institutionalise service-learning as a particular type of community engagement were implemented in South African higher education institutions. Whilst the particular School of Nursing where the study was conducted was cognisant of the national policy imperative on service-learning as stipulated in the guidelines of the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC), operationalisation within the academic programmes had not been addressed. An intervention study was thus undertaken to develop a service-learning implementation framework for the School of Nursing using the multi-phased design and development model of Rothman and Thomas (1994). The factors that influenced the implementation of the HEQC’s service-learning policy guidelines in the nursing programmes were explored during the first phase: problem analysis and project planning. During this phase, the research focused on the readiness of the school to institutionalise service-learning at organisational and individual level because service-learning scholars advocate a systems approach to service-learning institutionalisation. At organisational level, the research question investigated whether the higher education institution had created an enabling environment for the school to institutionalise service-learning successfully in the academic. The factors that were associated with readiness at organisational (school) level were those cited as critical success factors for service-learning institutionalisation by Furco (2002) or better known in South African terminology as service-learning good practice indicators. Individual readiness was determined in terms of service-learning scholarship and willingness to participate in service-learning -capacitating activities.
Environmental and nursing-staff factors contributing to aggressive and violent behaviour of patients in mental health facilities
(Aosis openJournals, 2014) Julie, Hester; Van Wijk, Evalina; Traut, Annalene
BACKGROUND: Aggressive and violent behaviour of inpatients in mental health facilities disrupts the therapeutic alliance and hampers treatment. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to describe patients’ perceptions of the possible environmental and staff factors that might contribute to their aggressive and violent behaviour after admission to a mental health facility; and to propose strategies to prevent and manage such behaviour. RESEARCH DESIGN: A qualitative, phenomenological study was utilised, in which purposefully sampled inpatients were interviewed over a six-month period. Inpatients were invited to participate if they had been admitted for at least seven days and were in touch with reality. METHOD: Forty inpatients in two mental health facilities in Cape Town participated in faceto- face, semi-structured interviews over a period of six months. Tesch’s descriptive method of open coding formed the framework for the data analysis and presentation of the results. Trustworthiness was ensured in accordance with the principles of credibility, confirmability,transferability and dependability. RESULTS: Analysis of the data indicates two central categories in the factors contributing to patients’ aggressive and violent behaviour, namely, environmental factors and the attitude and behaviour of staff. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of the inpatients included in this study, aggressive and violent episodes are common and require intervention. Specific strategies for preventing such behaviour are proposed and it is recommended that these strategies be incorporated into the in-service training programmes of the staff of mental health facilities. These strategies could prevent, or reduce, aggressive and violent behaviour in in-patient facilities.
Evaluating blogging as a reflective strategy in a service-learning module for undergraduate nursing students
(Africa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance, 2014) Boltman-Binkowski, Haaritha; Julie, Hester
Literature suggests that blogging has the potential to be a transformational technology for teaching and learning. It is claimed that blogging is a useful practice for development of higher-order learning skills, active, learner-centred pedagogy, authentic learning, associative thinking, and interactive learning communities. At a school of nursing students are expected to be active participants in constructing knowledge and to build upon constructive learning principles through the use of e-tools such as forums, chat rooms and blogs. Hence an online module was designed for the fourth-year undergraduate nursing programme that requires students to engage in and reflect on a service learning community project. The reflection activities were accomplished through blogging and were expected to be completed according to the allocated structure. The main pedagogic objective was to reflect upon and discuss module content and/or issues that arose out of their learning experiences. Quantitative methods were used for this study. The purpose was to evaluate whether blogging could enhance reflective learning and the depth of the reflection that arose as a result of blogging. Results showed that students engage in both reflective and non-reflective thinking through blogging, with varying levels of depth of reflection.
Experiences of advanced psychiatric nursing graduates involved in a service-learning project at a higher educational institution in the Western Cape
(University of Western Cape, 2020) King, Hatchwell Aldoneal; Julie, Hester; Hoffman, J
The re-engineering of the healthcare landscape requires Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) to employ teaching and learning approaches that would produce graduates, who could respond to the transformative initiatives within the healthcare system. Graduates are required to become involved in a service-learning project, as part of their learning experience, within the Masters of Nursing in Advanced Psychiatric Nursing programme. Their learning and teaching activity is intended to prepare them to become competent advanced psychiatric nurse specialists, who are able to address social transformation.
Intimate partner violence among undergraduate student nurses at a tertiary institution in the Western Cape
(University of the Western Cape, 2012) Kordom, Ashley Gurshin; Julie, Hester; Arunachallam, Sathasivan
Intimate partner violence (IPV), a form of gender-based violence (GBV), has become one of the emerging serious public health issues. It affects all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and religious groups. Internationally, IPV has also become an increasingly common phenomenon among students at tertiary institutions. In South Africa, there is a paucity of literature that investigates this phenomenon especially among undergraduate student nurses who are supposed to render care to survivors of IPV. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of IPV and factors associated with IPV among undergraduate student nurses at a tertiary institution in the Western Cape.A quantitative, descriptive study was conducted. An adapted version of the WHO’s instrument designed to measure partner violence was used to collect the data. This questionnaire was administered to the eligible respondents after lecture time. The total population consisted of 984 undergraduate student nurses. The printed class lists of the 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd- and 4th-year undergraduate student nurses were used as the sample frame. Stratified random sampling method was used to obtain a sample of 243 respondents to ensure that the sample size was representative of the population. The completed questionnaires were analysed quantitatively by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The results are presented in the form of tables, pie chart and graphs. Spearman’s correlations were used to calculate the strength of the relationship between the dependent variables. Multivariate analysis was done using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test to determine the associations between the different variables.The results from the study showed that 42% of undergraduate student nurses experienced IPV during their lifetime. The socio-demographic factors associated with IPV were age (p=0.009*), study year level (p=0.001*) and marital status (p=0.021*). The study also found that family history factors like the respondent’s mother’s educational status (p=0.005*), financial support during need (p=0.031*) and witnessing of abuse as a child (p=0.008*) were factors related to IPV. In this study, certain substance use factors such as dagga (p=0.004) and cigarette smoking (p=0.000*), alcohol use in their lifetime (p=0.000*), time elapsed since joining university(p=0.000*) and having male or female friends who drink (p=0.000*) were significantly associated with IPV. The study highlighted the need to raise awareness on IPV among undergraduate student nurses.
Intimate partner violence amongst undergraduate nursing students
(Unisa press, 2014) Kordom, A.; Julie, Hester; Arunachallam, Sathasivan
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is reported to be rife among the student population at tertiary institutions and the general population. Yet the abuse is under diagnosed by nurses in health care settings. Research indicates that nurses’ personal experiences of this type of abuse play a role in the management of survivors. Hence, this study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with IPV among the undergraduate nursing student population at a tertiary institution in the Western Cape, South Africa. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by the stratified random sample. The reported lifetime prevalence of IPV included psychological, physical, financial and sexual abuse. IPV was significantly associated with the educational status of the respondent’s mother, financial support and witnessing of abuse during childhood. A support structure is thus needed to prepare the undergraduate student nurses emotionally before commencing with their training in the management of survivors of IPV.

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