Perceptions of the impact of an advanced training programme on the management skills of health professionals in Gauteng, South Africa

Background. South Africa's health sector spans the private and the public sectors. Within the sectors, health managers take on strategic leadership roles without formal training in management or leadership ­ a trend more common in the public sector than the private sector. Health managers are selected based on their clinical skills rather than their leadership or management skills.Objective. To compare self-rated competencies in management and leadership before and after training of the participants; to assess participants' experience of the training programme; and to evaluate the management and leadership skills of the participants after training.Methods. A cross-sectional, descriptive analytical method and 360° interviewing were used in this study. Participants were evaluated ~18 months after completion of the training programme. A 360° evaluation (360° E) of six of the 12 leadership/management competencies was done with the supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates of the participants.Results. All participants rated themselves as improved in 12 managerial and leadership competencies. The 360° E affirmed five of these competencies as improved, with the ability to create and implement a marketing plan rating poorly.Conclusion. Training in management leads to improvement in both leadership and managerial skills of health professionals

Experiences of Parents of Children with Burn Injuries in a Tanzanian Referral Hospital: A Qualitative Consideration.

Aims: Burns injuries are the most common causes of physical and psychological trauma in both children and parents globally. It is characterized by prolonged hospitalization, as well as reduced productivity of parents due to family conflicts and economic implications. This study aimed to reveal the experiences of parents of children with burn injuries in a developing context to inform future care directions and improvements to care. Study Design: A qualitative exploratory study design was used. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania in early 2014 over a 4 month time period. Methodology: Four female participants were recruited via purposive sampling method. They participated in in-depth interviews as well as semi-structured questionnaires. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim later. Data analysis was done using a modified version of Colaizzi’s (1978) seven step approach, whereby themes and sub-themes were identified. Results: Based on a thematic analysis of the transcripts of interviews, it was revealed that parents of children with burn injuries experienced a mix of positive and negative feelings and challenges associated with the medical procedures, nursing care, hospital environment, coping mechanisms, and impacts of hospitalization. The participants spoke of the balance of parents (i.e., skills, coping, assets), people (i.e., others for support, comfort); professionals (skills, compassion, resources) and place (i.e., hospital network and resources). Conclusion: Parents of children with burn injuries experience a range of challenges immediately after the burn injury and during the hospitalization period. Thus, psychological support from a range of sources (personal, external, professional, social) is necessary to address, identify, and minimize these challenges, thereby improving the health care experience and overall well-being of the child and their parents.