Exploring medical laboratory scientist students’ experiences during their fourth year clinical practice period
dc.contributor.advisor | Archer, Elize | en_ZA |
dc.contributor.advisor | Volschenk, Mariette | en_ZA |
dc.contributor.author | Van Niekerk, Liezel | en_ZA |
dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Centre for Health Professions Education. | en_ZA |
dc.date.accessioned | 2018-01-16T05:39:27Z | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2018-04-09T06:52:34Z | |
dc.date.available | 2018-01-16T05:39:27Z | |
dc.date.available | 2018-04-09T06:52:34Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2018-03 | |
dc.description | Thesis (MMed)--Stellenbosch University, 2018. | en_ZA |
dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH SUMMARY : Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) recently introduced a new degree course for professionals of laboratory medicine. The revision of the qualification has led to the re-evaluation and restructuring of the clinical practical period (CPP) by organizations that accommodate the students during their fourth year. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of medical laboratory scientist students in a private pathology laboratory in the Western Cape, South Africa. An embedded aim of this research was the optimization of the fourth year programme. A qualitative approach, guided by an interpretive paradigm and exploratory design, was used in this study. Focus group interviews were conducted with three groups of students of medical laboratory sciences. These included students that were either in the process of completing their CPP at the time of the study or recent graduates that completed the CPP during the years that preceded the study. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted, recorded and the audio-recorded data was transcribed verbatim and coded through inductive data analysis to identify themes and subthemes. Three themes were derived from the data analysis, which represent the factors that affected student learning during the CPP namely ‘teaching-learning dynamics’; ‘workplace dynamics’ and ‘suggestions for overall improvement’. The major findings of the research revealed that excessive workload due to perceived staff shortages was the most significant contributing factor that affected the students’ learning. The benefit of peer assisted learning and interaction with positive role models of laboratory medicine was also highlighted. Insights into the different experiences of the MLS students provided information to address challenges students face during the CPP and how current clinical laboratory experiences contributed to students' learning and readiness for practice. Suggestions for reviewing and restructuring of current practices from both industry and university perspectives should be considered and implemented. Improved preparation and exposure to the laboratory prior to the fourth year practice period might help to optimize the CPP for future professionals of laboratory medicine. | en_ZA |
dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Mediese Laboratoriumwetenskappe (MLW) het onlangs 'n nuwe graadkursus vir professionele laboratoriummedisyne ingestel. Die hersiening van die kwalifikasie het gelei tot die herbeoordeling en herstrukturering van die kliniese praktiese tydperk (KPT) deur organisasies wat die studente gedurende hul vierde jaar akkommodeer. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die ervarings van mediese laboratoriumstudente in 'n private patologie laboratorium in die Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek en te beskryf. 'n Dieperliggende doel van hierdie navorsing was die optimalisering van die vierdejaarsprogram. ‘n Kwalitstiewe benadering, gelei deur 'n interpretatiewe paradigma en verkennende ontwerp, is in hierdie studie gebruik. Fokusgroeponderhoude is uitgevoer met drie groepe studente van mediese laboratoriumwetenskappe. Dit sluit in studente wat óf in die proses was om hul KPT te voltooi tydens die studie of onlangse gegradueerdes wat die KPT voltooi het gedurende die jare wat die studie voorafgegaan het. Semi-gestruktureerde fokusgroeponderhoude is uitgevoer, aangeteken en die oudio-opgeneemde data is woordeliks getransskribeer en gekodeer deur induktiewe data-ontleding om temas en subtemas te identifiseer. Drie temas is afgelei van die data-analise, wat die faktore verteenwoordig wat studenteleer tydens die KPT beïnvloed, naamlik 'onderrig-leer-dinamika'; 'werkplekdinamika' en 'voorstelle vir algehele verbetering'. Die vernaamste bevindings van die navorsing het getoon dat oormatige werkslading as gevolg van personeelgebreke die grootste tekortkoming op die leerder se leer gehad het. Die voordeel van eweknie leer en interaksie met positiewe rolmodelle van laboratoriummedisyne is ook uitgelig. Insig in die verskillende ervarings van die MLW studente het inligting verskaf om uitdagings aan te spreek wat studente tydens die KPT ervaar en hoe huidige kliniese laboratoriumervarings bygedra het tot studente se leer en gereedheid vir die praktyk. Voorstelle vir hersiening en herstrukturering van huidige praktyke vanuit beide die industrie en universiteit perspektiewe moet oorweeg en geïmplementeer word. Verbeterde voorbereiding en blootstelling aan die laboratorium voor die vierde jaar praktyk periode kan help om die KPT te optimaliseer vir toekomstige professionele van laboratoriummedisyne. | af_ZA |
dc.format.extent | ix, 64 pages ; illustrations, includes annexures | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/103316 | |
dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | |
dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | |
dc.subject | Medical technology -- Study and teaching (Internship) -- Western Cape (South Africa) | en_ZA |
dc.subject | Pathological laboratories -- Western Cape (South Africa) | en_ZA |
dc.subject | UCTD | |
dc.title | Exploring medical laboratory scientist students’ experiences during their fourth year clinical practice period | en_ZA |
dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |