Undergraduate student nurses’ perceptions of classroom incivility at a nursing education institution in the Western Cape Province of South Africa

Date
2015-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Uncivil behaviour is a major concern in the nursing education environment. Incivility in this study includes any rude, or disruptive behaviour that impedes the harmonious teaching and learning environments and that harms student-educator and student-student relationships. To date, few studies are available that report on the perceptions of undergraduate student nurses regarding classroom incivility in South Africa. The aim of the study was to investigate uncivil behaviour amongst undergraduate nursing students in the classroom. The objectives were to identify:  The types and frequency of student behaviours, perceived as uncivil by fellow students.  Threatening behaviours that students observe their fellow students perform.  The types and frequency of faculty staff member behaviours, perceived as uncivil by students.  Threatening behaviours that students observe faculty staff members perform. A quantitative descriptive study was conducted at a nursing education institution in the Western Cape. The target population included all second, third and fourth-year undergraduate student nurses (N=871), studying towards ultimate registration as professional nurses. A non-probability convenience sampling method was used to select 20% (n=174) of the total population. Data was collected, using the Incivility in Nursing Education survey instrument. The main study had been preceded by a pre-test which involved five participants. These results were excluded from the final data analyses. Ethical approval for conducting the study had been obtained from the University of Stellenbosch, and permission obtained from the nursing education institution’s Research Ethics Committee (Reference number: S14/09/196). An experienced statistician assisted with the data analyses, using a Statistical program for social sciences. Those uncivil student behaviours reported most often by students included acting bored, or apathetic, making disapproving groans, making sarcastic remarks, or gestures, sleeping in class, not paying attention, having distracting conversations during lectures, using cell phones during lectures and arriving late. The reported threatening student behaviours included general taunts, or disrespect towards fellow students and faculty staff, harassing comments (racial, ethnic, gender) directed at students, challenging the knowledge, or credibility of lecturers, and damage to property. The uncivil faculty staff behaviours most often reported by student participants included arriving late for scheduled activities, leaving scheduled activities early, ineffective teaching styles/methods, ignoring disruptive student behaviours, being unprepared for scheduled activities, being inflexible, rigid and authoritarian, and making condescending, or humiliating remarks. The outcomes of this study confirmed that undergraduate student nurses’ had indeed experienced incivility in the classroom. A large group of student participants (n=71/37%) perceived incivility as a moderate problem and reported that students were more likely to engage in uncivil behaviour, than staff. Recommendations from this study include establishing and enforcing a code of conduct, creating forums for open discussion between faculty staff and student representatives, and the development of a policy, or standard operating procedure for reporting uncivil behaviours. It is believed that a better understanding of the occurrence of incivility may result from this study that would assist administrators and faculty staff to guide students towards appropriate classroom behaviour.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Onbeleefde klaskamergedrag is 'n groot bron van kommer in die verpleegonderrigomgewing. Onbeleefdheid in hierdie studie behels enige ongeskikte of ontwrigtende gedrag, wat die harmonieuse onderrig- en leeromgewing ondermyn en wat student-opvoeder en student-student-verhoudings benadeel. Weinig studies rakende die persepsies van voorgraadse studenteverpleegkundiges oor klaskameronbeleefdheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is tans beskikbaar. Die doel van die studie was om onbeleefde gedrag onder voorgraadse studentverpleegkundiges in 'n verpleegonderrigklaskamer te ondersoek. Die doelwitte was om die volgende te identifiseer:  Die tipes en frekwensie van studentegedrag wat mede-studente as onbeleefd beskou.  Dreigende gedrag wat studente hulle mede-studente sien doen.  Die tipes en frekwensie van fakulteitspersoneelgedrag wat studente as onbeleefd beskou.  Dreigende gedrag wat studente fakulteitspersoneellede sien doen. 'n Kwantitatiewe beskrywende studie is by 'n verpleegonderriginstelling in die Wes-Kaap uitgevoer. Die teikenbevolking het alle tweede, derde en vierde-jaar voorgraadse studenteverpleegkundiges (N=871) ingesluit, wat vir uiteindelike registrasie as professionele verpleegkundige gestudeer het. 20% (n = 174) van die totale bevolking is met 'n nieewekansige gerieflikheidssteekproef metode geselekteer. Data is met behulp van die "Incivility in Nursing Education” peilingsinstrument ingesamel. ’n Voortoets van vyf deelnemers het die hoofstudie voorafgegaan. Hierdie resultate was van die finale dataanalises uitgesluit. Etiese goedkeuring vir die uitvoer van die studie is vooraf vanaf die Universiteit van Stellenbosch verkry en toestemming is ook vanaf die verpleegonderriginstelling se Navorsings Etiese Kommittee verkry (Verwysingsnommer: S14/09/196). 'n Statistikus het die data help ontleed, deur 'n Statistiese pakket vir sosiale wetenskappe te gebruik. Onbeleefde studentegedrag wat as mees dikwels deur studente gerapporteer is het ingesluit, verveelde of apatiese optrede, die maak van afkeurende kreungeluide, die maak van sarkastiese opmerkings of gebare, slaap in die klas, nie aandag gee nie, steurende gesprekvoering tydens lesings, die gebruik van selfone, en die laat aansluit by klasse. Die tipes studentegedrag wat deur deelnemers as bedreigend beskou is het ingesluit, algemene spottery of disrespek teenoor mede-studente en fakulteitpersoneel, teisterende aanmerkings (rassisties, etnies, geslag) jeens studente, die uitdaging van fakulteitslede se kennis of geloofwaardigheid, en skade aan besittings. Onbeleefde fakulteitsgedrag wat meestal deur studente gerapporteer is, het ingesluit om laat vir geskeduleerde aktiwiteite op te daag, om geskeduleerde aktiwiteite vroeg te verlaat, oneffektiewe onderrigstyle en -metodes, die ignorering van ontwrigtende studentegedrag, om onvoorbereid vir geskeduleerde aktiwiteite te wees, om onbuigbaar, rigied en outoritêr te wees, en die maak van afbrekende en vernederende aanmerkings. Hierdie studie-uitkomstes het bevestig dat voorgraadse studenteverpleegkundiges wel onbeleefdheid in die klas ervaar het. Volgens ‘n groot groep deelnemers (n=71/37%) was onbeleefdheid 'n matige probleem en was dit meer waarskynlik dat studente, eerder as personeel, onbeleefd sou optree. Aanbevelings uit hierdie studie het die vestiging en afdwing van ’n gedragskode ingesluit, die daarstelling van forums vir openlike gesprekvoering tussen fakulteitspersoneel en studente-verteenwoordigers, asook die ontwikkeling van 'n beleidsdokument of standaard operasionele prosedure vir die rapportering van onbeleefde gedrag. Daar word gehoop dat beter insigte rakende die voorkoms van onbeleefde gedrag, weens hierdie studie, die administrateurs en fakulteitpersoneel sal help om studente tot toepaslike gedrag in die klaskamer te lei. Sleutelwoorde: Onbeleefdheid, beleefdheid, studenteverpleegkundige, verpleegopvoedkundige, verpleegonderrig, ontwrigtende gedrag, klaskamer.
Description
Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
Keywords
UCTD, Nursing students -- South Africa -- Western Cape -- Attitudes, Classroom management -- South Africa -- Western Cape, College discipline -- South Africa -- Western Cape, Disorderly conduct -- South Africa -- Western Cape
Citation