Browsing by Author "Lotz, Claudette"

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    Exploring the role of the nurse educator, at a nursing education institution in Cape Town, on preparing undergraduate nursing students to provide compassionate nursing care
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-03) Lotz, Claudette; Robertson, Anneline; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Nursing & Midwifery.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background: Compassionate nursing care (CNC) involves recognizing and understanding an individual's vulnerability, going beyond the clinical aspect, to embrace a patient-centred approach with respect, empathy, kindness, and care. It is an approach that acknowledges humanity and alleviating suffering with understanding. Nurse educators are largely responsible to facilitate nursing students to provider CNC, but the lack of clarity on specific program curricula poses a challenge. To effectively produce nurses capable of providing CNC, detailed teaching strategies need to be implemented. This study explored the role of the nurse educator, at a Nursing education institution in Cape Town, on preparing undergraduate nursing students to provide compassionate nursing care. Methods: A qualitative explorative design was used to explore the nurse educators’ views on their role in, preparing an undergraduate nursing student to provide compassionate nursing care. Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research Ethics Committee at the Stellenbosch University, Western Cape Department of Health and the selected NEI, before data collection commenced. Convenience sampling was used to select nurse educators, who had experience in undergraduate nursing education between six and 21 years. Eight in depth interviews were performed using a semi structured interview guide. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using transcript coding, by identifying key messages in each transcript, categorised on an Excel spreadsheet. The data that was collected from the interviews were unpacked, observed, and compared to reveal patterns, comparisons, and diversities. Subsequently, the themes that inherently supported the identified data were categorized into specific themes and subthemes. Results: Four themes emerged: Defining CNC, providing compassionate nursing care, CNC and the curriculum, and the role of the nursing educator in teaching and assessment of CNC.16 Sub themes emerged. The educator’s definition of compassionate care involves recognizing and comprehending the vulnerability of an individual and their circumstances, and it entails demonstrating respect, empathy, a kind approach, caring, and sensitivity. These attributes may be expressed as awareness of a situation when a person is vulnerable and suffering, physically or emotionally. Participants expressed that CNC is accepting and respecting the patient’s culture, understanding what a person is experiencing and then responding with empathy and sensitivity to their needs, thereby providing person centred care. Ethical principles, including autonomy and confidentiality, are introduced early in the program, seamlessly integrated throughout the curriculum. Compassionate care is taught from the first semester and remains a consistent element in every module. The educators noted varying student capacities for learning and delivering compassionate care, with some displaying immediate aptitude and others gaining confidence gradually over time. Conclusion: The findings revealed that, the nurse educator has a key role in preparing nursing students to be competent in providing CNC through theoretical and clinical assessments. Various factors in the students’ journey contribute to their development into becoming competent providers of compassionate nursing care. The participants expressed that integrating a compassion module on CNC in the undergraduate program will benefit both the students and patients.