Browsing by Author "Snyman, Johanna Hendrina"

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    Assessing the nurse's knowledge and opinions regarding the management of persons with physical disabilities in two healthcare settings in Kimberley
    (Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011-03) Snyman, Johanna Hendrina; Damons, Anneleen; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: It generally is a problem for persons with disabilities to have barrier free access to buildings, which is their constitutional right. It is however, not only the physical facility that causes barriers for persons with disabilities but also the attitudes of the able-bodied persons. The aim of the study was to explore what opinions the nurses and persons with disabilities held in two healthcare settings in Kimberley with reference to the nursing care provided to persons with disabilities. To the researcher, it was important to gather the opinions of the nursing staff on how they saw persons with disabilities, but also to hear what they thought the problem areas in caring for persons with disabilities were. On the other hand, it was equally important to understand the persons with disabilities’ perceptions of the hospitals, nursing and what they saw as solutions to the problems. The objectives of the study were: • To determine what the opinions and knowledge of nurses working in two healthcare services in Kimberley are regarding the nursing management of persons with disabilities. • To determine what the opinions of persons with disabilities are in healthcare settings in Kimberley, with reference to the nursing care provided for persons with disabilities. Data was collected in two phases namely Phase 1 amongst the nursing staff in the private and state hospital in Kimberley and Phase 2 amongst the persons with disabilities. A list of staff members which was obtained from the Human Resource office in both the private and state hospitals were sent to the statistician Prof Kidd and who prepared a randomised list which was used for the participants in the study. The same process was followed when a list of all the people who are members of the Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and with the help of the statistician a randomised list was compiled from which the participants in the study were chosen. The design of this research is an explorative, descriptive non-experimental study with a quantitative approach, utilizing a structured questionnaire with closed and open ended questions. In this study it was found that the nursing staff was aware of the problems and barriers persons with disabilities encounter. The nurses, however, were aware of their own shortcomings. For example, the nurses identified the lack of training to equip them to assist the persons with disabilities during nursing care, while persons with disabilities also saw this as a problem. By addressing this shortcoming, nurses would be able to provide more holistic care. Recommendations were made based on the findings regarding the facility, perceptions, caregivers, procedures, doctors and the training of the nurses.