Factors that influence the selection of learning opportunities for student nurses in primary health care: research

Abstract

The researcher, being a nursing lecturer, questioned the method of selection of learning opportunities for student nurses in two training hospitals in the Northern part of Namibia. The study therefore focused on the following objective: To identify the factors that influence the selection of learning opportunities for primary health care in hospital units. A qualitative research design utilising focus group discussions were used. The population consisted of conveniently selected lecturers, student nurses and registered nurses. The same initial question was asked in each focus group to initiate the discussions. The data were analysed according to Tesch's method. The results indicated that there is positive commitment from the lecturers and registered nurses to be involved in selecting appropriate learning opportunities. The student nurses also demonstrated a willingness to learn and to be exposed to learning opportunities in primary health care. There were however certain constraints that emerged as themes, namely: Managerial constraints, Educational constraints. Under the theme ";managerial constraints"; categories such as workload, nursing staff shortages and communication problems were identified. Under the theme ";educational constraints"; categories such as a lack of guidance, and the correlation of theory and practice emerged. Recommendations based on this research report include improvement of in-service education on managerial and educational aspects to facilitate the primary health care approach in hospitals.



Die navorser, uit die aard van haar posisie as 'n verpleegdosent wou bepaal of toepaslike leergeleenthede vir primêre gesondheidsorg geselekteer word vir verpleegstudente in twee opleidings hospitale in Namibië. Die studie was dus op die volgende doelwit gefokus: Die identifikasie van die faktore wat die seleksie van leergeleenthede in primêre gesondheidsorg in hospitale beïnvloed. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp met die gebruik van fokusgroepbesprekings was aangewend in hierdie studie. Deur middel van gerieflikheidseleksie is dosente, student verpleegkundiges en geregistreerde verpleegkundiges ingesluit in die studie. Dieselfde inisiëringsvraag is by elke fokusgroep gestel om die bespreking in te lei. Die analise van die data is gedoen na aanleiding van Tesch se metode. Uit die bevindings het dit geblyk dat dosente en geregistreerde verpleegkundiges hulle daarmee vereenselwig om toepaslike leergeleenthede te kies, asook om betrokke te raak ten opsigte van verantwoordbare begeleiding. Die studente het hulle bereidwilligheid getoon om te leer en om bloot gestel te word aan primêre gesondheidsorg leergeleenthede. Sekere knelpunte het egter opgeduik wat as temas beskryf is, naamlik: Bestuursknelpunte, Onderrigknelpunte. Wat betref ";bestuursknelpunte"; as tema is verskeie kategorieë soos werkslading, verpleegtekorte, en kommunikasie probleme geïdentifiseer. Die tema ";onderrigknelpunte"; het kategorieë soos 'n gebrek aan leiding, en 'n teorie / praktyk korrelasie gaping bevat. Die aanbevelings van die navorsingsverslag het indiensopleiding met betrekking tot bestuurs en onderrig aspekte aangespreek om die primêre gesondheidsbenadering te bevorder in hospitale.


(Health SA Gesondheid: interdisciplinary research journal: 2002 7(2): 25-35)