The Health Care Needs of the Physically Disabled Patient in a Home-Based Care Environment: Implications for the Training of Ancillary Health Care Workers

According to existing literature; ancillary health care workers (AHCWs) often do not meet the health care needs of patients with physical disabilities (physically disabled patients) in a home-based environment; because of inadequate training programmes. The purpose of this research study was to explore the health care needs of physically disabled patients in long-term; home-based care in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg and; based on results; to offer recommendations for the training of AHCWs. Qualitative; exploratory; descriptive and contextual means were employed in data collection and analysis. The population consisted of eight physically disabled participants who employed an AHCW to assist them with their long-term home care. Purposive sampling was used with subsequent snowballing to identify further participants for the study. Individual interviews were conducted; where participants had to answer the questions (1)'What are your health care needs?' and (2) 'How should these be met?' Data saturation was ensured; after which Tesch's method of data analysis was followed. Three categories of health care needs were identified (1) physical health care needs; (2) interpersonal relationship needs and (3) social needs; and 12 themes were derived from these categories. These categories of health care needs should be addressed in the training of AHCWs. From the themes; recommendations were described for the training of AHCWs on the health care needs of the home-based physically disabled patients. The AHCW should assist in the adaptation of the environment to the patient's individual needs; and should use knowledge and critical thinking skills to ensure a patient-centred care setting

The Role Played by Recruitment Agencies in the Emigration of South African Nurses

Active recruitment of foreign nurses might offer solutions to many countries' nursing shortages. During 1999; the International Council of Nurses (ICN) expressed concerns regarding the aggressive international recruitment of nurses.The ICN maintained that internationally recruited nurses might be particularly at risk of exploitation or abuse. The ICN denounced unethical recruitment practices that might exploit nurses (ICN; 1999a:1-6). Many nurses who leave the Republic of South Africa might use recruitment agencies' assistance. These concerns raised by the ICN indicated the need for obtaining information about the emigration of South African nurses and the role played by recruitment agencies. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how recruitment agencies contributed to the emigration of South African nurses. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. A purposive sample of recruitment agencies that recruited South African nurses to practise in foreign countries (N=4) was drawn. The second sample; a purposive sample selected through snowball sampling consisted of South African registered nurses who were practising in foreign countries (N=27). The findings obtained from structured interviews conducted with recruitment agencies were supported by findings from e-mail responses from nurses working in foreign countries. These research results indicated that recruitment agencies in South Africa provided professional services to nurses who wanted to work in foreign countries. Contrary to research reports published in other countries; no evidence was found of nurses being exploited by recruitment agencies in South Africa

The Contribution of the Clinical Nurse Instructor to the Development of Critical Thinking Skills of the Student Nurse in Namibia

A quantitative; non-experimental and exploratory study was undertaken to determine the contribution by the clinical nurse instructor to develop critical thinking skills of student nurses in Namibia. The study was conducted at the training hospitals of Namibia; namely Windhoek; Oshakati and Onandjokwe State hospitals. Clinical nurse instructors from all disciplines were included in the study; as well as student nurses in their second; third and fourth year of undergraduate nursing study. The findings of the study revealed that; although the clinical instructors in the training hospitals of Namibia are aware of their responsibility; they do not focus on the development of critical thinking of student nurses in Namibia. A need for in-service programmes to emphasise the development of critical thinking skills of both clinical nurse instructors and student nurses was identified