Abstract
BackgroundIn South Africa, it is mandatory for nurses who have qualified as a nurse (general, psychiatric and community) and midwifery, leading to registration in Government Gazette Notice No. R425 of 22 February 1985, to perform 12 months’ compulsory community service after completion of training at a College of Nursing. Community service affords new graduate nurses the opportunity to improve their clinical skills and knowledge while nurturing professional behavioural patterns and critical thinking consistent with the profession.AimTo explore and describe the experiences of community service nurses (CSNs) regarding clinical competence during their placement in three selected hospitals.SettingThe study setting was North West Province (NWP), South Africa.MethodThis study followed a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. A cluster sampling technique was used and 17 CSNs participated in the study. Three focus group discussions framed by semi-structured questions were conducted with five to six participants per group. All discussions were recorded using a digital voice recorder and transcribed. Data were analysed using Pienaar’s four steps of qualitative thematic analysis.ResultsFour themes emerged from this study: facilitative experiences, defacilitative experiences, challenges confronted during placement and suggestions to improve clinical competence.ConclusionClinical competence of CSNs could be improved if all the stakeholders, including professional nurses and CSNs themselves, hospital management and the regulatory body, the South African Nursing Council, collaborate. More importantly, this study’s results were used to develop a clinical competence evaluation tool in the NWP, South Africa.
Highlights
In many countries around the world, new nurses are associated with under-preparedness and a low level of clinical competence, which lead to their inability to provide quality nursing care (Duchscher 2009)
In the Republic of South Africa (RSA), it is mandatory for nurses to complete a 12-month community service programme after the successful completion of a 4-year nursing degree or nursing diploma education (R425) before they can be registered as professional nurses and midwifery (South African Nursing Council [SANC] 2005)
Clinical competence of community service nurses (CSNs) could be improved through effective collaboration among all stakeholders, including the hospital management, professional nurses, CSNs and the SANC
Summary
In many countries around the world, new nurses are associated with under-preparedness and a low level of clinical competence, which lead to their inability to provide quality nursing care (Duchscher 2009). In the Republic of South Africa (RSA), it is mandatory for nurses to complete a 12-month community service programme after the successful completion of a 4-year nursing degree or nursing diploma education (R425) before they can be registered as professional nurses (general, psychiatric or community) and midwifery (South African Nursing Council [SANC] 2005). This requirement has been published and further details about community service for this category of nurses at the health care facilities have been enumerated in the Government Gazette Notice No 765 of 24 August 2007. CSNs require the supervision and support of experienced professional nurses to enhance their clinical competence to ensure seamless transitioning into the working environment as professional nurses after completion of the mandatory community service (Makhakhe 2010)
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