Preceptor support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations for continuing development

Background: Mentally fit preceptors may be more capable and flexible in providing students with system, emotional and cognitive support in the clinical learning environment (CLE) in the face of any life-threatening outbreaks. Existing professional development programmes for preceptors emphasise the development of preceptor competence in a normal CLE with minimal focus on their ability to engage with adverse events that challenge their mental health. Objective: The study sought insight from preceptors' experiences during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to identify their professional development programme needs while providing support to students during accompaniment. Method: A mixed methods convergent parallel design was used to collect data from 24 preceptors at a nursing education institution (NEI). Eleven preceptors responded to the survey that included the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Stress Scale (CSS) and Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) to collect quantitative data. Semi structured interviews were conducted with five purposively selected preceptors to collect qualitative data regarding their experiences while accompanying students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Subscales within the CSS and BAT instruments were mapped against an existing preceptor support framework. Overall CSS data for each subscale indicated an average score varying from no stress to moderate stress, while BAT data shows that respondents rarely experienced burnout. However, some respondents experienced very high levels of stress and burnout. Qualitative data supplemented results. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic influenced preceptors' role in supporting students and reflecting that they amended their functioning role. Existing preceptor professional development programmes should be reviewed to ensure that the necessary concepts that foster resilience are integrated to enhance the functional role of preceptors in adversity.

WhatsApp as a support strategy for emergency nursing students during the COVID­19 pandemic

Students in emergency nursing had already commenced their postbasic training at universities when the Higher Education Institutions were compelled to discontinue face-to-face contact with students and switched to various online modes of delivering content and facilitating learning in response to the government's hard lockdown rules. Health services assumed students reverted to fulltime staff, while students envisaged completing the postbasic programme. In addition to the stressors all frontline workers encounter, these students had academic-related stressors. This short report aims to describe the use of WhatsApp™ as a support strategy for emergency nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lecturer initiated a WhatsApp™ group, including all students and the clinical facilitators from various healthcare facilities. The communication stream from 1 March to December 2020 was exported in a Portable Document Format, followed by thematic analysis to identify the support provided. Support for emergency nursing students during the COVID-19 was multifaceted and included system, academic and emotional support. WhatsApp™ as a strategy to provide support to students during the COVID-19 pandemic served its purpose but could add to additional workload for the lecturer at odd or inconvenient hours.

Perceptions of patients regarding diabetes-related health communication strategies in the Free State, South Africa

Background: This study researched the perceptions of patients diagnosed with diabetes concerning diabetes-related health communication strategies in the Free State province in South Africa. The prolongation and quality of life of patients diagnosed with diabetes are affected by lifestyle choices. An enabler of risk reduction is health communication which informs, influences and motivates individuals to adopted health-focused lifestyles. Aim: This study sought to describe the perceptions of patients regarding diabetes-related health communication strategies in the Free State, South Africa. Setting: This study was carried out in primary health care centres and community health care centres within the Free State province in South Africa. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research design was used in this study. Thirty-four patients diagnosed with type two diabetes for at least a year were purposively included in this study. Semi-structured interviews in Afrikaans, English, Sotho and Xhosa were conducted. Data analysis was through inductive reasoning and thematic analysis. Results: The majority of the respondents were older women having been diagnosed with diabetes for more than 5 years, with at least primary school education and of diverse South African ethnicities. The main prompting questions operationalised the term 'perception', probing their feelings, experiences and knowledge of health-related communication strategies as presented by a variety of information sources. After recording interviews, data were analysed according to themes, categories and sub-categories. Conclusions: The study highlights factors that encourage patients to seek help and foster attitudes of compliance. Practical problems regarding the management of diabetes are underlined. The role of family, as well as the patient­caregiver relationship, in the acceptance and management of the disease is revealed. Societal perception of male symptomology is shown. The study offers information to stakeholders and health care workers for continued successful management of diabetes in communities

Perceptions of patients regarding diabetes-related health communication strategies in the Free State, South Africa

Background: This study researched the perceptions of patients diagnosed with diabetes concerning diabetes-related health communication strategies in the Free State province in South Africa. The prolongation and quality of life of patients diagnosed with diabetes are affected by lifestyle choices. An enabler of risk reduction is health communication which informs, influences and motivates individuals to adopted health-focused lifestyles.Aim: This study sought to describe the perceptions of patients regarding diabetes-related health communication strategies in the Free State, South Africa.Setting: This study was carried out in primary health care centres and community health care centres within the Free State province in South Africa.Methods: A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research design was used in this study. Thirty-four patients diagnosed with type two diabetes for at least a year were purposively included in this study. Semi-structured interviews in Afrikaans, English, Sotho and Xhosa were conducted. Data analysis was through inductive reasoning and thematic analysis.Results: The majority of the respondents were older women having been diagnosed with diabetes for more than 5 years, with at least primary school education and of diverse South African ethnicities. The main prompting questions operationalised the term 'perception', probing their feelings, experiences and knowledge of health-related communication strategies as presented by a variety of information sources. After recording interviews, data were analysed according to themes, categories and sub-categories.Conclusions: The study highlights factors that encourage patients to seek help and foster attitudes of compliance. Practical problems regarding the management of diabetes are underlined. The role of family, as well as the patient­caregiver relationship, in the acceptance and management of the disease is revealed. Societal perception of male symptomology is shown. The study offers information to stakeholders and health care workers for continued successful management of diabetes in communities