Mary Maluleke

Substance use remains a global public health concern with adverse effects on health, education, and community safety. In South Africa, in rural areas like substance use among secondary school students compromises teaching quality and school safety. This study aims to develop and validate community-based strategies to mitigate substance use among secondary school students using a Participatory Action Research approach. A qualitative, participatory design will be implemented in three phases: (1) situational analysis through interviews with parents and focus groups with students; (2) co-development of strategies guided by the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, building, overcoming, exploring, and minimizing framework and Dickoff’s practice-oriented theory; and (3) validation using Chinn and Kramer’s evaluation criteria. Twenty students (aged 13–18 years) and twenty parents will be purposively and conveniently sampled. Data will be analyzed thematically using Tesch’s eight-step method, with trustworthiness ensured using Guba’s criteria. This study is expected to strengthen collaboration among schools, parents, and community stakeholders. The co-developed strategies will inform future interventions, guide school health policy, and promote sustainable, community-driven approaches to adolescent health promotion, ultimately enhancing secondary school students’ well-being and academic performance in rural educational settings.

Background: Admission of an individual for a 72-h assessment for mental problems is a critical period for evaluating an individual’s mental health and determining the need for further treatment. Family members play a pivotal role during the care, treatment and rehabilitation (CTR) of an individual subjected to 72-h assessments. Aim: The study aimed to describe the experiences of family members during a 72-h assessment admission. Setting: Purposive sampling was used to select 16 family members from two selected public general hospitals in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province. Methods: A qualitative approach was employed using explorative, descriptive and contextual designs. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews from 10 family members who were purposively selected. Tesch’s open coding method was employed to analyse the obtained qualitative data. Results: Family members shared varied negative lived experiences of the 72-h assessment admission of mental healthcare users (MHCUs), which compromises their quality of life. These experiences were based on the CTR of MHCUs. Three themes emerged from data analysis, namely, narratives related to the care provision practices of MHCU during the 72-h assessment period, narratives related to structural constraints, and narratives related to post-72-h assessment referral to another hospital logistics. Conclusion: The study concludes that the experiences of family members regarding the 72-h assessment admission in public hospitals call for attention to some measures to be put in place to address their diverse needs. Contribution: This article contributes to the body of knowledge regarding family members’ experiences of 72-h assessment admission regarding the kind of support needed by family members. The article further provides insights into the experiences of family members.

Aim: To explore related support needs of general nurses in specialty mental health units and provide references for formulating a model to support this population working in mental health care units.Design: An exploratory qualitative design.Method: In‐depth individual unstructured interviews were performed with 15 general nurses who worked in mental health care units and were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in‐depth, individual, unstructured interviews. Data were analysed thematically using Tech's eight‐step analysis method.Results: Two themes with their subthemes were extracted. The two themes included (a) Needs for professional growth and (b) the Need for emotional support.Conclusion: Influenced by many factors, general nurses could not perform some nursing activities in mental health care units. Health managers should plan the training program to empower and provide emotional support to the general nurses in mental health care units. Further research is required to develop a model to facilitate the support of general nurses allocated to these units.Reporting Method: This study follows the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research.Public Contribution: A total of 15 general nurses participated in the study. We utilized their lunch time to conduct the interviews, significantly contributing to the article's content.

Background: Worldwide, women continue to die from obstetric-related complications, despite the global progress made to reduce maternal mortality. Elderly women play a key role in using their own socio-cultural practices during pregnancy and childbirth. Objectives: The study aimed to explore the practices based on the beliefs of elderly women in Limpopo province. Method: A qualitative approach using descriptive, explorative and contextual design was employed. Audio recording of unstructured focus group discussions was conducted of the elderly women who were purposively sampled. Data were analysed and coded using thematic analysis approach following Tesch’s method and co-coded to ensure trustworthiness. Ethical considerations were also adhered to. Results: The findings discuss practices based on beliefs of elderly women and the need for them to be trained to participate in maternal health practices. Conclusion: The study concluded that practices based on beliefs of elderly women lead to delays in seeking medical intervention. Therefore, elderly women need to be trained to reduce maternal mortality. Contribution: This study adds knowledge to the need for training and the importance of elderly women to be trained in order to reduce maternal mortality.

Background: Aggression of patients in hospital wards has become an endemic problem and professional nurses are particularly at high risk. Aim: This article presents the types of patient aggression experienced by professional nurses working in an acute psychiatric ward in Vhembe District, South Africa. Setting: Vhembe District, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative approach using exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was used. Four hospitals were purposively selected and 10 professional nurses were conveniently sampled to participate in the study. Individual interviews were used to collect data, which were then analysed through Tesch Open Coding Method. Measures to ensure trustworthiness and ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study. Results: This study shed some light on the professional nurses’ lived experiences regarding the types of aggression from patients in an acute psychiatric ward in Vhembe District. The types of aggression are physical aggression, destructive behaviour and verbal aggression. Conclusion: The findings show that the types of aggression to which professional nurses are exposed are overwhelming and the consequences are shocking. As a result, the health of professional nurses is compromised. Therefore, this study recommends further studies to determine the kind of support needed by professional nurses working in an acute psychiatric ward and to investigate the impact of aggression from patients in acute psychiatric ward with regard to the quality of care. Contribution: This article contributes to the body of knowledge regarding patients’ aggression in acute wards in Vhembe District, South Africa.

Background: The use and abuse of substances, especially among the youth, continues to be of serious concern within the international community. This behaviour affects them as individuals, their families, the community in which they live, and society at large. Findings from a study conducted by the researcher indicate that adolescents who abuse substances experience a range of emotional, physical, academic and social setbacks, and challenges. Ultimately, the mental health of these adolescents is affected. Aim: The study aims to identify and define the central concept ‘facilitation of mental health’ of adolescents abusing substances. Setting: The researcher’s minor dissertation, whereby the lived experiences of adolescents abusing substances were explored. The basic elements, structure and functions were examined and analysed. Methods: The concept’s basic elements, structure and functions were examined, followed by an analysis and reasoning strategies to define the central concept. The process was implemented over two phases. Results: The central concept ‘facilitation of mental health’ of adolescents abusing substances was identified and defined using dictionary and subject definitions. Conclusion: The identification and definition of the central concept is an important part of developing a model as a frame of reference for psychiatric nurses to facilitate the mental health of adolescents abusing substances. Contribution: The findings of the study would assist in the development of a model as a frame of reference for psychiatric nurses to facilitate the mental health of adolescents abusing substances.

From a public health standpoint, a stringent visitation policy was necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it had unforeseen communicative and emotional health consequences for family members. This study explored family members’ experiences regarding implementing a restricted visitation policy when a patient was admitted with COVID-19 at public hospitals in the Vhembe district. Researchers used an exploratory, descriptive, and contextual qualitative technique. Twelve family members made up the population. Unstructured telephone interviews were used to obtain the data, and open coding was used to analyse data. Ethics were consistently followed. Before taking part, participants provided verbal informed consent, acknowledging that they could withdraw from the study if necessary. Three themes emerged: inadequate measures for temporary communication channels and techniques, the mental health effects of COVID-19 admission, and poor/lack of standardised visitation policy during the COVID 19-pandemic. There was a need to balance safety from contracting COVID-19 infection and promoting family-centred care. Virtual visits through telecommunication solutions could reduce fear and anxiety as the family could be updated on the progress of the hospitalised relative. Alternatively, hospital managers must allocate a dedicated person in the unit to update families when they call and enquire about the conditions.

Background: Experiential learning in specialized psychiatric hospitals is as essential as other learning in any discipline in nursing education as it allows student nurses to correlate theory to practice. Experiential learning in the mental health environment has been identified as a significant factor in promoting a more favorable attitude among student nurses toward mental health nursing. Aim: The study explored student nurses’ personal experiences regarding experiential learning in specialized psychiatric hospitals. Methods: A qualitative approach using explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs was used, and 51 student nurses were purposively sampled. Data were collected through six focus group interviews and analyzed using a thematic approach. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were also enhanced. Ethical considerations were adhered to throughout the study. Results: One theme and four sub-themes on the experiences of student nurses regarding experiential learning in specialized psychiatric hospitals were revealed, namely: theme: personal factors; sub-themes: fear of mental healthcare users, anxiety about clinical assessment, lack of interest in psychiatric nursing science, and stress due to social problems. Conclusions: Based on the findings, student nurses experience many things during experiential learning, including personal factors. A further qualitative study should be conducted on strategies to support student nurses during experiential learning in the specialized psychiatric hospitals of Limpopo Province.

Psychiatric clinical placement is as essential as other placements in any discipline in nursing education as it allows student nurses to correlate theory to practice. Several research studies have been conducted on nurses’ experiences of the clinical supervision of students, but absenteeism is still a challenge globally. In this study, professional nurses’ experiences of student nurses’ absenteeism from psychiatric clinical placements in Limpopo Province, South Africa, were examined. Three designated specialty mental institutions in Limpopo Province were the sites of the study. Explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs were used in a qualitative approach. A qualitative approach was used because the study sought professional nurses to narrate their experiences through in-depth, semi-structured interviews, which could only be achieved through a qualitative approach. A total of eleven professional nurses, four from two specialized psychiatric hospitals and three from one specialized psychiatric hospital, were purposively sampled and interviewed. These nurses participated in in-depth interviews that were used to gather data, which were then thematically analyzed. One theme and three sub-themes on professional nurses’ experiences of the absenteeism of student nurses during psychiatric clinical placement were revealed. The theme was student factors leading to absenteeism, while the sub-themes were fear of mental health care users, negative attitudes towards psychiatric nursing science, and students’ lifestyles. Based on the findings, student nurses’ absenteeism can be caused by many factors. A qualitative study should be conducted to seek strategies to mitigate the absenteeism of student nurses during clinical placement in the psychiatric hospitals of Limpopo Province.

Background: Effective communication between health care professionals, admitted patients, and their families is crucial to improving the health care outcomes and patient satisfaction. Hence, barriers to effective communication cause a lot of confusion, frustration, and misunderstanding. The study aimed to identify the perceived barriers to effective communication between patients, their families, and health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in public hospitals in Limpopo Province. The study was conducted in rural areas of Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. Methodology: A qualitative exploratory descriptive method was adopted to explore and describe the barriers of effective communication among patients, relatives, and health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in public hospitals in the Vhembe District. Eleven (11) participants were purposively selected. Unstructured in-depth individual interviews were used to collect data and analyzed using thematic analysis following Tesch’s eight steps. Results: The study findings revealed that there was ineffective communication by health care professionals. This was discussed under three themes that emerged: poor communication of diagnosis and prognosis and treatment outcomes; lack of accurate knowledge regarding the virus morphology, variant, and treatment protocols; and the inconsistencies in the dissemination of COVID-19 protocols. Conclusions: Full communication benefits both patients, relatives, and health care professionals as knowledge and understanding are enhanced through communication. Therefore, health care professionals should provide the patients and their relatives with full information about the disease and the visitation protocols to be followed. The study contribution was to explore barriers to effective communication to the patients and relatives by the health care professionals.