Practitioners In South Africa Research Articles

Lifelong learning for youth work practitioners in South Africa : trends, implications and policy issues

Lifelong learning for youth work practitioners in South Africa : trends, implications and policy issues

Attitudes to Evidence-Based Practice among Social Work Practitioners in South Africa

The implementation of evidence-based social work practice is an international priority. Attitudes to evidence-based practice are instrumental in its dissemination and active implementation. This paper, the first of its kind, explores the nature and correlates of attitudes to evidence-based practice among social work practitioners in South Africa, based on a descriptive statistical analysis of data from a small online survey. In terms of results, the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale suggests that respondents’ attitudes to evidence-based practice are generally positive. One exception is the requirements sub-scale, where performance indicates some resistance to a regulatory or authoritarian approach to the implementation of evidence-based social work practice. Furthermore, the limited evidence presented here shows that more experienced social work practitioners are less inclined to adopt prescribed evidence-based practice. Moreover, they find such practice less appealing, and are less open to implementing new structured and manualised interventions. With regard to recommendations, it is proposed that training in evidence-based practice be incorporated into continuous professional development programmes for social work practitioners. In addition, studies of this nature should be replicated on a more comprehensive and representative scale in South Africa and other developing countries.

SAAFS: the establishment of a representative body for forensic science in South Africa

ABSTRACTForensic Science practitioners in South Africa did not have a representative or a regulatory body and for many years some individuals have vocalized the need for such a representative body. In 2016, a small working group came together to take the first coordinated steps towards a body that can represent and address this need. The small working group enabled the first meeting of interested parties and established an electronic means of communication and of conducting surveys. Several issues were discussed and a steering body of five members were elected which replaced the Forensic Science Workgroup. The mandate of the Steering Committee was to establish a Constitution and Code of Ethics for the body, to arrange the founding meeting and to investigate possible affiliation with a professional council, who will have the responsibility to regulate the professionals in the field, by preparation and practice. The establishment of SAAFS was eagerly anticipated and now a reality. The management of the body, its affiliation with a professional council and the empowerment of the members are in the hands of its first duly elected officials. It is entering an exciting period of self-regulation and establishing collaborations with similar bodies in the international arena.

Perceptions of stress among dentists: an investigation of stress management among dental practitioners in South Africa

Perceptions of stress among dentists: an investigation of stress management among dental practitioners in South Africa

Personal Commitment Statements: Encouraging the Clinical Application of Continuing Professional Development Events for Health Practitioners in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Statements of commitment to change are commonly used to evaluate continuing medical education. However, this approach is new to evaluating the continuing professional development (CPD) of other health care practitioners such as audiology, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy in low- and middle-income countries. This study explored the use of Personal Commitment (to change) Statements (PCSs) as an evaluation tool of continuing education for health professionals in low- and middle-income countries, and its impact on the integration of new knowledge and skills with previous knowledge and clinical practice. PCSs were used in a case study conducted at a 1-day interprofessional CPD event held for health practitioners in South Africa. A qualitative thematic analysis was made of these PCSs, and results were synthesized into main themes. Thirty-two participants turned in a PCS at the end of the CPD event with a total of 71 text statements. Three main domains were identified: (1) applying new knowledge in practice (61.97%); (2) increasing training-related content knowledge (21.12%); and (3) sharing information, skill, and resources (16.9%). This study demonstrated that personal commitment statements can be used to describe the outcomes of CPD events for audiologists, speech-language, occupational, and physiotherapists. Participants engaged in reflection generated by the personal commitment statement, which contained no guiding statements, yet elicited responses showing that participants were more aware of the assessment tools and how they could use them in practice. Further study is warranted into the process and the role of follow-up regarding health practitioners' commitment to change in clinical practice.

Happiness Index for Human Resource Management Practitioners Associated with the Professional Body

The study explored the perceptions of human resource management (HRM) practitioners in South Africa, using the following happiness dimensions: positive emotions, job-related wellbeing, affective commitment, employee engagement and distributive justice. The research approach was quantitative, and the research design was descriptive and longitudinal (i.e. over a two-year period). The convenience sampling technique was used to select participants. In 2016, the sample size was 204, and in 2017, the sample size was 76. The data were collected at the conventions hosted by the Institute of People Management (IPM). The major findings were that the majority of the participants were females, were employed on a full-time basis, had degrees, earned R40 000 and above, and were not unionized. Participants rated the positive emotions negatively, suggesting that they were disaffected with their remuneration, and they rated the job-related wellbeing, affective commitment, employee engagement and distributive justice items positively. The implication of this study for policymakers is that they must review their remuneration policy and practices. The implication for managers is that they might struggle to keep HRM practitioners effective, motivated, and having cordial relationships.

Aesthetics of South African Women’s Embodied Activism: Staging Complicity

I begin by contextualising South African women practitioners in South Africa, and this moment in feminist practice. During apartheid, Temple Hauptfleisch argues, ‘most ... women operated mainly in the private and commercial world, for ... the state-funded theatre organizations have hardly ever allowed women into prominent positions of power. Thus, these women were used, their creativity tapped—but their control of the system was limited.’ To some extent, this situation occurred because theatre was perceived as a public or political space in which generally men spoke and protested apartheid, which took precedence against other issues like gender. The plays of this period tended to explore male experiences of apartheid in mines, gangs or prison, with women being represented in absentia, through male memory or fantasy narratives. Very few South African women playwrights were published during apartheid, with Fatima Dike and Gcina Mhlope being two rare exceptions. Miki Flockemann argues that, ‘[w]hen women are thus represented in their absence, what is replicated is a set of female “types” and stereotypes.’

Exploring traditional due diligence processes in South Africa

The effectiveness of due diligence (DD) processes, and whether they contribute to merger and acquisition (M&A) success or failure, is an ongoing debate in auditing and assurance research. This article contributes to the debate by examining traditional DD in South Africa (SA) using a qualitative research approach. A data set of traditional DD processes was compiled from the literature, which formed the basis for an interview agenda which was conducted with corporate finance and audit practitioners in SA. The findings indicate that the DD process is considered to be an evolving process, where DD processes of the last decade are considered to be significantly different from DDs required in acquisitions today. Traditional DD, while considered to be indispensable, has its shortcomings in execution rather than the model. At present, it is found that much focus is placed on accounting and legal aspects, while other critical issues are neglected; macro-environment, management information systems, marketing and productions are such overlooked aspects. This article proposes a critical new trend in the forms and manner of the currently flawed DD processes in SA which is useful for DD practitioners in the present and in the future for local M&A success.

What should the African health workforce know about disasters? Proposed competencies for strengthening public health disaster risk management education in Africa

BackgroundAs part of efforts to implement the human resources capacity building component of the African Regional Strategy on Disaster Risk Management (DRM) for the health sector, the African Regional Office of the World Health Organization, in collaboration with selected African public health training institutions, followed a multistage process to develop core competencies and curricula for training the African health workforce in public health DRM. In this article, we describe the methods used to develop the competencies, present the identified competencies and training curricula, and propose recommendations for their integration into the public health education curricula of African member states.MethodsWe conducted a pilot research using mixed methods approaches to develop and test the applicability and feasibility of a public health disaster risk management curriculum for training the African health workforce.ResultsWe identified 14 core competencies and 45 sub-competencies/training units grouped into six thematic areas: 1) introduction to DRM; 2) operational effectiveness; 3) effective leadership; 4) preparedness and risk reduction; 5) emergency response and 6) post-disaster health system recovery. These were defined as the skills and knowledge that African health care workers should possess to effectively participate in health DRM activities. To suit the needs of various categories of African health care workers, three levels of training courses are proposed: basic, intermediate, and advanced. The pilot test of the basic course among a cohort of public health practitioners in South Africa demonstrated their relevance.ConclusionsThese competencies compare favourably to the findings of other studies that have assessed public health DRM competencies. They could provide a framework for scaling up the capacity development of African healthcare workers in the area of public health DRM; however further validation of the competencies is required through additional pilot courses and follow up of the trainees to demonstrate outcome and impact of the competencies and curriculum.

Surgical skills deficiencies and needs of rural general practitioners in South Africa.

At present, much of the global surgical workforce consists of non-specialist physicians (general practitioners (GPs)) whose only formal surgical training was in medical school as an undergraduate. However, there is widespread concern that GPs do not have the skills necessary to deliver essential surgical care in a rural setting. This requires that a specific training programme be developed to train rural GPs in essential surgical skills for rural settings. To perform a critical analysis to determine essential surgical skills required by GPs in rural South Africa, with the intention of developing the content of an accredited continuing professional development (CPD) learning programme to address needs identified. This was a descriptive study in which a desk-top review analysis and a questionnaire survey were used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data on essential skills required for rural surgical practice. Of 300 GPs, 102 (34.0%) completed the questionnaire. Some of the skills listed as essential for rural surgical practice were removal of foreign objects not in the visual axis (90.0%), packing of epistaxis (93.0%), haematoma drainage (78.3%) and wound debridement and suturing (96.0%). The study also identified the outcomes and essential content of a proposed CPD programme to provide GPs in the rural setting with the required surgical skills. Enhancing skills of GPs in essential surgical techniques and procedures through an accredited CPD short learning programme will ensure that adequate and comprehensive essential surgical care is provided to people living in rural communities.

Surgical skills deficiencies and needs of rural general practitioners in South Africa

Surgical skills deficiencies and needs of rural general practitioners in South Africa

The role of partnerships in agricultural extension service delivery: a study conducted in provincial departments of agriculture in South Africa

There are different role players in the provision and support of extension in South Africa and the main one is the Government. This study seeks to report on the perceptions of advisors with regards to the role of partnerships in South African extension and advisory services. The study targeted a population of approximately 3 369 extension practitioners in South Africa from different occupational positions which included agricultural advisors, agricultural technicians, agricultural development technicians, senior advisors, and subject matter specialists. The findings indicate that partnerships are important in extension and advisory services. It can generally improve the provision of extension and advisory services in the sector. Provinces were differing in their state of awareness about partnerships, but when it comes to the usefulness of partnerships 50% of the respondents, agreed that partnership was important. Respondents identified six factors that are perceived to be critical for partnerships, namely capacity building, networking and learning, technical support, financial assistance, research, and new technology. Furthermore, three main strategies were identified to promote partnerships which include the use of formal agreements with partnerships, conducting needs analysis, and using invitation. The majority of respondents (72%) noted that the Free State Province was of the opinion that commodity organisations are very helpful in partnerships. The paper concludes with a recommendation of developing terms of reference (TOR) or operational guidelines for operationalising partnerships as well as the keeping of records to harmonise their contributions and reduction of possible duplications of service provision. Keywords: Partnership, Extension and Advisory Services

Spinning the Web: Grassroots Human Rights Work Inspired by Peacebuilding Approaches

This practice note reflects on two years of conversations in Zimbabwe exploring the violent past(s) of various communities and how they prevented recurring violence. The paper primarily describes the collaborative efforts of a group of human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe who partnered with conflict transformation practitioners in South Africa. It also sheds light on how exposure to peacebuilding methodologies can strengthen human rights practices to support social change. The original intention of the project was that, once educated about human rights, community members could claim these rights using the justice system. But these conventional methods hinged on providing information without meaningfully engaging with the villagers. The lawyers shifted their approach and collaborated with peace practitioners to form a network of organizations that infused both human rights and peacebuilding methodologies to address causes of conflict and foster peaceful conflict resolution. Though they soon had more success with the communities, these lawyers faced scepticism from their own organizations. Only when the process enabled human rights practitioners to put issues on the political agenda in a way that was not previously possible did they elicit a broader interest. The peacebuilding language and methodology, however, was seen as more acceptable and less threatening. Members of Parliament (MPs) agreed to participate in so-called ‘fireside chats’ with local civil society organizations (CSOs) and committed to making changes. As a result, this dialogical approach brought local community concerns on political violence forward in parliamentary committee debates and meetings.

Medscheme Mental Health Programme

Medscheme Mental Health Programme

Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Ketamine Use by Medical Practitioners in South Africa

Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Ketamine Use by Medical Practitioners in South Africa

The Admission and Enrolment of Foreign Legal Practitioners in South Africa under the Legal Practice Act: International Trade Law and Constitutional Perspectives

Globalisation requires ever closer co-operation between legal professionals hailing from different national jurisdictions. This interactive global environment has fostered growing international training and mobility among legal practitioners and the internationalisation of legal education. Increasing numbers of law students get trained in other countries as part of their undergraduate degrees or even come to foreign shores to obtain law degrees. Many students hailing from other African countries study towardsLLBdegrees at South African universities. Major commercial law firms ensure that they can offer in-house expertise on major foreign legal systems and co-operate with partner firms in other parts of the globe.
 The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), to which South Africa is a party, is a multilateral agreement focusing on the liberalisation of trade in services amongst member countries. Services under the GATS system include legal services. The commitments made by South Africa under this agreement require that South Africa allows foreign legal practitioners to establish a commercial presence or be transferred to South Africa. The Bill of Rights entrenched in Chapter 2 of the South African Constitution guarantees fundamental rights including the right to equality and freedom of trade, occupation and profession. With the coming into force of the new Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014, which provides a legislative framework for regulating the affairs of legal practitioners, including their admission and enrolment, it is necessary to assess the extent to which the Act complies with the GATS rules and the South African Constitution.
 This paper examines the new Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014, and examines whether the Act addresses the conflicts that have always existed between the regulation of the legal profession and the admission of legal practitioners in South Africa with South Africa's commitments under the GATS system. Using the doctrinal legal method, it analyses and evaluates the rules governing the admission of foreign attorneys in South Africa from two perspectives. First, it considers them in the light of the international law obligations of the country and second it evaluates whether or not they comply with the South African Constitution, and more specifically with the Bill of Rights entrenched in the South African Constitution. While the new legislation may assist in ensuring the compliance of South Africa with the relevant GATS rules, it will depend on the regulations which still have to be promulgated to what extent the new legal framework will achieve the full compliance of South Africa with all relevant GATS rules.
 The paper concludes with recommendations for the reform of the Legal Practice Act. It argues that while the requirement to be a South African permanent resident in order to qualify for admission as an attorney may be justifiable in terms of GATS and in terms of South African constitutional law, it is not in South Africa's best interest to retain it. Consequently, the paper calls for the repeal of the permanent residence requirement for admission as an attorney in the county.

Foreword: South African Journal of Geomatics Special Edition

This special edition of the South African Journal of Geomatics is the result of efforts by scholars and practitioners in South Africa in the field of geomatics. All papers were blind refereed by two referees, whose reports were then considered prior to selection for publication. The outcome of this work is a collection of eleven articles that demonstrate innovation in the four geomatics themes selected for this Special Edition, namely remote sensing, image analysis, mine surveying and GIS. This would not be possible without the excellent papers contributed by authors. We thank all the authors for their contributions and their participation in this Special Edition of the South African Journal of Geomatics.

Foreword: South African Journal of Geomatics Special Edition

This special edition of the South African Journal of Geomatics is the result of efforts by scholars and practitioners in South Africa in the field of geomatics. All papers were blind refereed by two referees, whose reports were then considered prior to selection for publication. The outcome of this work is a collection of eleven articles that demonstrate innovation in the four geomatics themes selected for this Special Edition, namely remote sensing, image analysis, mine surveying and GIS. This would not be possible without the excellent papers contributed by authors. We thank all the authors for their contributions and their participation in this Special Edition of the South African Journal of Geomatics.

EXPLORING THE USE OF COMPUTER-MEDIATED VIDEO COMMUNICATION IN ENGINEERING PROJECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Globally-expanding organisations that are trying to capitalise on distributed skills are increasingly using virtual project teams to shorten product development time and increase quality. These virtual teams, which are distributed across countries, cultures, and time zones, are required to use faster and better ways of interacting. Past research has shown that virtual teams that use computer-mediated communication (CMC) instead of face-to-face communication are less cohesive because they struggle with mistrust, controlling behaviour , and communication breakdowns. This study aims to determine whether project practitioners in South Africa perceive virtual teams that use videoconferencing as suffering from the same CMC disadvantages described in past research in other environments; and if they do, what the possible causes could be. This paper reports on a survey of 106 project practitioners in South Africa. The results show that these project practitioners prefer face- to-face communication over CMC, and perceive virtual teams using videoconferencing to be less cohesive and to suffer from mistrust and communication breakdowns, but not from increased conflict and power struggles. The perceived shortcomings of videoconferencing might result from virtual teams that use this medium having less time to build interpersonal relationships.

An approach to the solitary pulmonary nodule

<p>Solitary pulmonary nodules may represent early lung cancer, which is potentially curable. The advent of improved imaging techniques, together with the worldwide implementation of screening programmes, has intensified the need for a structured approach to the management <br />of pulmonary nodules. We present an overview of the current literature on risk stratification, characteristics and management of pulmonary <br />nodules that are relevant to practitioners in South Africa.</p>