A selected group of nurses' experience of termination of pregnancy support services at a health care facility in the Western Cape

Date
2002-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this pilot study was to do a needs analysis with a selected group of nurses with regard to the following three aspects: nurses' experiences of their involvement in termination of pregnancy (TOP) services, the effects of their involvement in TOP service provision on a personal, familial and career level, as well as their needs with regard to support. An important aspect of the needs analysis was to develop a questionnaire which can be used as basis for future research purposes. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was applied in order to conduct this study. Participants were recruited from a health care facility in the Western Cape, v~ and the small sample group (seven out of a possible fifteen) consisted of a selected group of nurses who are currently involved in performing TOPs, as well as nurses involved in pre- and/or post-procedure care of patients. Each participant completed a self-administered biographical dataand semi-structured questionnaire, which was compiled specifically for the purpose of the pilot study. Specific guidelines according to previous research findings were incorporated. The results of the pilot study revealed that most of the participants experience some sort of cognitive, emotional and/or behavioural reaction before, during and after TOP procedures are performed. -Feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, depression and guilt were reported in some cases, as well as moral-ethical conflicts. With regard to the effect on a personal, familial and career level, it was confirmed that the work has an effect on the majority of respondents' personal life and career to a certain extent, although family life did not seem te be affected significantly. The results conveyed that the majority of the nurses experienced that the impact of their work with TOPs seemed to be different from that of their other nursing duties. It was found that participating nurses are in need of some sort of support service, and that the practicality of the services which are currently provided, should be investigated further. Although the ability to generalise the results, was limited by the small research sample, valuable information was gained with regard to nurses' needs for support, as confirmed by other South African research findings. Suggestions for improvements in the questionnaire, as well as other further research possibilities, are provided.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie loodsstudie was om 'n behoeftebepaling te doen met 'n geselekteerde groep verpleegpersoneel met betrekking tot die volgende drie aspekte: verpleegpersoneel se ervaring van hul betrokkenheid by terminasie van swangerskap (TOP) dienste, die effek van hul betrokkenheid by TOP diensvoorsiening op 'n persoonlike, gesins- en beroepsvlak, sowel as hul behoeftes met betrekking tot ondersteuning. 'n Belangrike aspek van die behoeftebepaling was om 'n vraelys saam te stel wat as basis vir toekomstige navorsingsdoeleindes sou kon dien. 'n Kwalitatiewe, eksploratiewe, beskrywende en kontekstuele navorsingsontwerp is toegepas ten einde hierdie loodsstudie uit te voer. Deelnemers is gewerf by 'n gesondheidsorgfasiliteit in die Wes-Kaap en die klein steekproef (sewe uit 'n moontlike vyftien) het bestaan uit 'n geselekteerde groep verpleegpersoneel wat tans betrokke is by die uitvoering van terminasie van swangerskappe, sowel as verpleegsters wat betrokke is in pre- en/of post-prosedurele versorging van pasiente. Elke respondent het 'n selfgeadministreerde biografiese en semi-gestrulctureerde vraelys voltooi, wat spesifiek vir die doel van die loodsstudie saamgestel is. Spesifieke riglyne op grond van vorige navorsingsbevindinge is geinkorporeer. Die resultate van die loodsstudie het aan die lig gebring dat die meeste van die respondente een of ander kognitiewe, emosionele en/of gedragsreaksie ervaar voor, tydens en na die uitvoering van TOP prosedures. Gevoelens van angs, hartseer, woede, depressie en skuld is gerapporteer in sornmige gevalle, sowel as moreel-etiese konflikte. Wat betref die effek op 'n persoonlike, gesins- en beroepsvlak, is dit ook bevestig dat die werk 'n effek blyk te he op respondente se persoonlike en beroepslewe tot 'n sekere mate, alhoewel dit geblyk het dat gesinslewe nie beduidend bemvloed word nie. Dit het ook uit die resultate van die studie geblyk dat die meerderheid van verpleegsters die impak van hul werk met TOP as anders as die van hul ander verplegingstake ervaar. Daar is bevind dat deelnemende verpleegpersoneel 'n behoefte het aan een of ander tipe ondersteuningsdiens en dat die praktiese aspekte van die dienste wat tans voorsien word, verder ondersoek behoort te word. Alhoewel die veralgemeenbaarheid van die resultate deur die klein steekproef beperk word, is waardevolle inligting bekom met betrekking tot verpleegpersoneel se behoeftes aan ondersteuning, soos bevestig deur ander Suid-Afrikaanse navorsingsbevindinge. Aanbevelings vir verbeteringe aan die vraelys, sowel as verdere navorsingsmoontlikhede word gemaak.
Description
Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002.
Keywords
Intermediate care (Nursing care) -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Needs assessment -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Abortion -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Dissertations -- Psychology, Theses -- Psychology
Citation