ABSTRACT
Background: Being in its fourth decade; HIV remains an epidemic that requires combined efforts for the global fight. The strategies planned and implemented in the fight against HIV include reversing and halting the spread of HIV; increasing health care access; and strengthening the health care system. South Africa has made the fight one of its top priorities; and has developed plans to increase the role of nurses in the management of HIV; demonstrating its willingness; commitment and progress in the fight against HIV.Objective: This article presents the validation process conducted to confirm the integration and mapping of the HIV and AIDS related nursing competencies into the four-year Bachelor of Nursing programme at a university in South Africa.Methods: This study adopted a constructivist paradigm; using a qualitative approach; applyingthe design step of the process model of curriculum development; to validate the inte gration of the mapped HIV and AIDS related nursing competencies into the undergraduate nursing curriculum.Results: For each competency; outcomes were developed for each year. Participants confirmed completeness of outcomes and appropriateness of the mapping of the HIV and AIDS related outcomes into the nursing curriculum; as well as the feasibility and practicability of the integration.Conclusion: Required resources for integration of HIV and AIDS related nursing competencies; such as human resources and nurse educators' continued personal development were identified; as well as barriers to integration; and measures to eliminate them were discussed. The importance of integration of HIV and AIDS nursing competencies into the curriculum was reiterated
Subject(s)
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , HIV Infections , Nursing , Professional Competence/educationABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to compare the extent to which the different teaching approaches applied in the Baccalaureus Curationis programme adequately prepare graduating learners for professional competence. The research methodology was a quantitative approach; based on descriptive research; with a clinical competence development model to guide the data collection procedure. The target population of the study included a sample of 250 learners in the four-year B.Cur programme; that extended from first-to-fourth-year. Stratified random sampling was applied to select the sample learners for this research and data were collected by means of a five-point Likert scale questionnaire. Data were organised and managed using the SAS statistical software package. Descriptive statistics were gathered with measures of central tendency and dispersion included; and their findings were illustrated on descriptive tables. A correlation technique was applied to determine the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable. The results of the study indicated that progression in competence did not occur as learners progressed through higher levels of their training; except during the third-year of study. However; the study's results confirmed the strengths of the Case-based clinical reasoning approach to teaching and learning. This approach is able to combine the strengths of the traditional methods; which dealt with large class sizes and that had a focus on learner centred learning; with a focus on clinical practice. This approach provides realistic opportunities for learners to experiment with solutions to dilemmas encountered in real life situations; from the protected and safe environment of the classroom. The first-year learners who were observed in this study; who although novices; were exposed to Case-based teaching approaches and showed more self-perceived competence than learners in later years. This occurred in spite of the limited exposure of the first-year learners to real life clinical situations. The outcome of this study recommends that more studies are conducted; in the School of Nursing at the University of the Western Cape (UWC); to explore teaching and learning approaches that fully maximise the clinical and theoretical competencies of the learners. The outcome further recommends that learner-centred teaching approaches; such as Case-based method; are applied to all year levels of study in the B.Cur programme; due to its proven value when it was applied to first-year learners. The Case-based clinical reasoning approach to learning; that has been implemented at the school; promotes competence and self confidence in learners and has enhanced their sense of responsibility to be actively involved in their own learning