South African Nurses Research Articles

HIV toll is putting strain on South African nurses

HIV toll is putting strain on South African nurses

HIV/AIDS Care in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: An Interview With Dr. Leana Uys

Human suffering from the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa has reached unprecedented proportions. In 1998, an estimated 50% of all new infections in sub-Saharan Africa occurred in South Africa; and it is predicted that by the year 2003, South Africa will be experiencing a negative population growth. Besides the toll in human lives, the estimated cost for basic care and prevention services in Africa is 10 times the current expenditure. Three unique factors are critical in the South African HIV/AIDS epidemic: HIV transmission patterns, the effect of this disease on women and children, and the role that traditional healers play in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. In a recent interview, Dr. Leana Uys, an educational leader in the School of Nursing at the University of Natal in Durban, Republic of South Africa, provided an insightful perspective on HIV/AIDS policies and related sociocultural issues that have a direct effect on the HIV/AIDS epidemic. She communicated her personal experiences as well as the experiences of South African nurses working as caregivers, educators, and policy makers with AIDS patients and their families in KwaZulu-Natal.

AIDS in Africa.

According to the Joint UN Program on HIV/AIDS 70% (25.3 million) of all people with HIV/AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa. More than 90% of HIV infection in the region is transmitted through heterosexual sex. In addition 12.1 million of the worlds 13.2 million AIDS orphans are living in the region. Considering this situation it is noted that the health care resources of sub- Saharan Africa are badly strained with the nurses being severely challenged. The ranks of health care workers are also being decimated even as the patient count rises. Reports indicate that approximately 35000 of South Africas registered nurses are HIV positive an estimated 22% of South African student nurses are infected with the virus and deaths among Zambian health care workers in one hospital reported increased 13-fold largely because of HIV-1. Moreover incidences of other diseases such as tuberculosis malaria and hepatitis have soared in many countries further draining the resources.

Recognition of prior learning: its relevance to the proposed unified model o f education and training for South African nurses.

Recognition of Prior Learning (R P L) is a fairly new concept in South Africa, and hence different people have different views about R P L. Through this paper, an attempt is made to shed some light on the historical background as well as the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of R P L. It is hoped that this information will help those nurse educators wishing to experiment with R P L to have a better understanding of how the concept came about. The relevance of R P L to the Unified model of nurse training proposed by the South African Nursing Council is also discussed.

South Africa celebrates democratic nursing.

The story of how thousands of South African nurses sustained their communities during apartheid is yet to be fully told

Differences in mineral homeostasis, volumetric bone mass and femoral neck axis length in black and white South African women.

In South Africa, appendicular and lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) have been found to be similar in black and white women. However, femoral BMD has been found to be higher in black than in white women. Two different techniques were used to recalculate BMD to eliminate the possible confounding influence of ethnic differences in height on areal BMD measurements. Volumetric bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) values were calculated and bone mineral content (BMC) was corrected for body and bone size. This report analyses differences in BMD (corrected for height and weight), BMAD, BMC (corrected for body and bone size), femoral neck axis length (FNAL), mineral homeostasis and bone turnover (BT) in a group of 20 to 49-year-old premenopausal (105 whites and 74 blacks) and 45 to 64-year-old postmenopausal (50 whites and 65 blacks) female South African nurses. The corrected BMD and BMC findings were congruous, showing that both pre- and postmenopausal blacks and whites have similar distal radius and lumbar spine bone mass but that whites have lower femoral neck bone mass than blacks. In contrast, BMAD findings suggest that pre- and postmenopausal whites have lower bone mass at the lumbar spine and femoral neck than blacks but similar bone mass at the distal radius to blacks. There is a greater rate of decline in BMD in postmenopausal whites than in blacks. BMD at the femoral neck was 12.1% lower in premenopausal whites and 16.5% lower in postmenopausal whites than in blacks. There was a positive association between femoral neck BMD and weight in premenopausal blacks (R2 = 0.5, p = 0.0001) but not in whites. Blacks had shorter FNAL than whites in both the pre- and post-menopausal groups. Blacks had lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D) and higher 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-(OH)2D) levels than whites. There were no ethnic differences in biochemical markers of bone formation (serum alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin) or bone resorption (urine hydroxyproline and pyridinoline), or in dietary calcium intake in either the pre- or postmenopausal groups. In the postmenopausal group, whites had higher ionized serum calcium (p = 0.003), similar serum albumin, lower serum parathyroid hormone (p = 0.003) and higher urinary calcium excretion (p = 0.0001) than blacks. These results suggest that the higher peak femoral neck BMD in South African blacks than in whites might be determined by greater weight-bearing in blacks and that the significantly lower femoral neck BMD in postmenopausal whites than in blacks is determined by lower peak femoral neck BMD and a faster postmenopausal decline in BMD in whites. The higher incidence of femoral neck fractures in South African whites than in blacks is probably determined by the lower femoral neck BMD and longer FNAL in whites. The greater rate of decline in BMD in postmenopausal whites than in blacks is associated with an increase in urinary calcium excretion in whites. Measurement of biochemical markers of BT has not contributed to the understanding of ethnic differences in BMD and skeletal metabolism in our subjects.

Development and validation of a critical care patient classification system

To describe the research methodology used in development and validation of a scientific patient classification instrument for South African critical care patients. This is a contextual, exploratory, and descriptive study. A two-phase validating model was used as a research method. In the development phase a literature review was carried out (domain identification), a provisional instrument developed (item generation), and a peer group discussion conducted (item formation). In the quantification phase 16 experts determined if both the items of the instrument and the entire instrument were content valid. The study was conducted within the framework of South African critical care nursing. In the peer group discussion the instrument was debated until consensus was reached. In the quantification phase, both the items of the instrument and the entire instrument were rated as content valid. Established patient classification systems can be successfully adapted and validated for local use.

A guideline for competency of the critical care nurse

To maintain a high standard of quality nursing care the individual critical care nurse s competencies should be determined objectively. Few international guidelines describe the qualities required by critical care nurses to function effectively in a critical care unit. These guidelines often focus only on the education and training of critical care nurses. To formulate and describe guidelines for the competency requirements of registered critical care nurses. A focus group interview, a qualitative research method, was conducted as an open conversation in which each participant could ask questions, comment, or respond to comments. Interaction among the respondents was encouraged to stimulate in-depth discussion. The study was conducted within the framework of South African critical care nursing. The four main categories that were identified are as follows: professional competence, cognitive competence, interpersonal skills, and critical care patterns of interaction. These are described in detail along with a formulated guideline for critical care nurse competency requirements. This study describes an attempt to formulate objective guidelines for critical care nurses competency requirements.

Subaltern Professionals: acting in pursuit of social justice

ABSTRACT This paper sets out to explore how we might articulate action research, professional development and the pursuit of social justice. Beginning with the examples of the professional lives of two South African nurses, the author makes the point that our involvement in professional development should not be separated from our concerns and commitment also to social justice. The paper problematises whether the notion of ‘professional’ is necessarily a ‘good thing’, arguing rather that projects of professional development have no inherent taken for granted common good. Rather, professionals have been constructed in dominant discourses as the sole guardians, controllers and repositories of ‘expert knowledge’. An alternative view is then presented. Drawing on the writing of Edward Said, a case is made for replacing ‘professionalism’ with the committed social justice moral stance of ‘amateurism’. On this basis, the author then suggests reconstructing professionals as ‘subalterns’ who might take up a critic...

Ethnic differences in bone density in female South African nurses

In the United States, the higher prevalence of osteoporosis and the higher incidence of fractures in whites than in blacks may be attributed to the finding of lower bone density (BD) in both white children and adults. In South Africa, osteoporosis and fractures also occur more frequently in whites than in blacks. Appendicular BD has been found to be similar in black and white children in South Africa, but there is little information available on BD of adults in South Africa. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess changes in BD with age in adult females in South Africa and to assess possible differences in peak BD and in the rate of postmenopausal bone loss between blacks and whites. Data for 180 black and 184 white female nurses aged 20-64 years were analyzed. The distal radius bone density (RBD) was measured by single photon absorptiometry. The lumbar spine bone density (SBD) and the femur bone density (FBD) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blacks were shorter than whites (p = 0.0001), and blacks' weight, body mass index, and skinfold thickness increased with age. Peak SBD and RBD were similar in blacks and whites, but peak FBD was higher in blacks (p = 0.0001). This ethnic difference in peak FBD became apparent in the fourth decade. Peak FBD was similar in black and white subjects with normal body mass indices (p = 0.09), but in overweight subjects peak FBD was higher in blacks than in whites (p = 0.0001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

South African nurses key to redevelopment programme

South African nurses key to redevelopment programme

Disaster procedure success for south african nurses during pre-election riots

South African nurses have hailed the success of a disaster plan which was put into full effect during recent riots in Johannesburg.

Job involvement and job satisfaction of South African nurses compared with other professions

The study was designed primarily to compare the work outcomes of job satisfaction and job involvement of South African nurses with those of members of 13 other professional groups in South Africa and with American nurses where data was available. Secondary aims included identifying areas where job satisfaction was particularly low and demonstrating the relative independence of the job involvement and job satisfaction constructs. A questionnaire incorporating the Kanungo Job Involvement Scale and the Short Form of the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire was mailed to random samples of people between the ages of 29 and 41 drawn from 14 professional registers. There were 114 nurses in the final sample and 1677 members of other professions. Differences among professions were tested for significance using one-way analyses of variance and Bonferroni ranges tests. South African Nurses were shown to have extremely low job satisfaction relative to American nurses and to other professional groups in South-Africa. By contrast their job involvement was moderately high. The implications of these findings for the medical profession as a whole and for nurses in particular are discussed. The fear is expressed that wide spread dissatisfaction may lead to fewer people entering the profession and highly trained people leaving.

South African nurses' opinions of different organizations: policy implications

There has been considerable debate in South Africa as to what type of organization would best represent the interests of nurses and facilitate their contribution to the achievement of changes in health care. This paper reports their background to and findings of the opinions of nurses in South Africa of different organizations, namely a professional nursing association, a health worker organization and a trade union. The results of the survey show that the South African Nursing Association has performed reasonably in meeting nurses' professional needs, but poorly in meeting their socio-economic needs. There is dissatisfaction with some of the Association's policies, widespread ignorance about trade unions and health worker organizations and resistance to strike action. The policy implications of the findings for the future organization of nurses in South Africa are explored.

Professionalization of South African Nursing: Who Benefits?

In this article the authors present a critical and alternative view of the reasons for and nature of professionalism in nursing, with particular reference to the South African situation. They show that professionalizing strategies have not necessarily been in the interests of the majority of nurses or of health care. First, some background information is given on the process of professionalization: its emergence worldwide and in South Africa, partly as a response of a predominantly female group to the power, prestige, and privilege held in the health sector by a predominantly male medical profession. The process in South African nursing is outlined, with particular emphasis on how this has paralleled political developments in South Africa. The proletarianization of a large body of nurses is examined as a contradictory trend to professionalization. The second part of the article is an analysis of the consequences of the professionalization process, which has had deleterious effects on the provision of health care as well as on relationships amongst nurses, their colleagues, and their communities.

Move to end South African nurses’ exile

Move to end South African nurses’ exile

South African nurses banish apartheid

South African nurses banish apartheid

Apartheid: state of oppression.

All nurses in south africa belong to the south african nurses association. yet black nurses have no say in running the association, no vote in electing representatives and are paid half as much as white colleagues for the same qualification and experience. carol ashwood looks at the effects of apartheid on health and nursing in south africa

South Africa.

South African nurses earning less than 20,000 Rand a year (approximately £5,000) are set to gain from recently announced tax changes.

Cross-Cultural Locus of Control Studies: Experiment and Critique

Over 30 cross-cultural locus of control studies were reviewed which yielded inconsistent findings. It is argued that this plethora of cross-cultural studies have neglected to match population groups sufficiently carefully and to consider the multidimensional nature of the concept, locus of control. The Rotter Locus of Control Scale was administered to three groups of South African nurses (African, European, Indian) who were carefully matched in terms of age, sex, education, occupation, homogeneity, living conditions and language competence, and considered to be functionally equivalent. Although no significant differences were found between the scores on these three groups, a factor analysis of each group's results indicated a different factor structure emerged for each group.