Mamoeng Nancy Kgatla

Background: This study explored the views of male student nurses regarding the profession of nursing, highlighting that opinions are influenced by both their personal experiences and behavioral observations of nurses

Background: HIV counselling and testing (HCT) are critical components in the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS

Maternal healthcare guidelines (MHCGs) are documents with detailed information on how to manage maternal and perinatal conditions step by step and accordingly to reduce preventable maternal and perinatal deaths. The National Maternity Guidelines Committee in the Department of Health, guided by the WHO, developed the (MHCGs) to ensure that every primary healthcare facility (PHC) has one or two midwives at their disposal to use, but its implementation remains a huge problem in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, practices, and attitudes of midwives during the implementation of MHCGs in a selected district, Limpopo province, South Africa. A quantitative methodology will be employed; cross-sectional descriptive research design will be used. The population of this research study will be midwives working in the PHCs of a selected district, Limpopo province, South Africa. The convenient sampling approach will be used; whereby self-developed semi-structured questionnaires will be used as a data collection instrument. The collected data will be analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 29, with the help of a statistician. The results will be available after data collection. The conclusion and recommendations will be based on the findings of the study.

Stigma is one of the documented barriers to achieving universal access to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) prevention, treatment, care, and support programs. The lack of African social theories to emphasize these issues may be the cause of the continent’s failure to reduce stigma. We can use Ubuntu, an African philosophy that emphasizes sociability and ethics, to deepen our understanding of how to reduce HIV- and TB-related stigma in South Africa. In many African regions, Ubuntu values and principles were found to assist in reducing problems related to HIV. Ubuntu is a comprehensive phrase used by Africans to signify the characteristics that incorporate the core human virtues of compassion and humanity. We explored the perceptions of nursing students regarding the use of Ubuntu in the fight against HIV and TB stigma. Qualitative participatory research was used to engage all first- and second-level nursing students enrolled for the 2023 academic year at the selected university in South Africa. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants. An interactive workshop was used to gather data. The data from the recordings and flip charts were analysed together. Throughout the study, trustworthiness and ethical principles were upheld. Two primary themes emerged as expressions of Ubuntu in relation to a reduction in HIV and TB stigma and recognition of Ubuntu as a tool to combat stigma associated with HIV and TB. This confirms that within Ubuntu, there are elements that might be applied to reduce stigma attached to HIV and TB.

Clinical exposure of learner nurses to psychiatric hospitals is a requirement by the South African Nursing Council. Clinical experience helps learner nurses build cognitive and affective skills, cultural acculturation, and professional identity. The clinical placement also aids nursing learner nurses in making decisions regarding future career paths. The goal of psychiatric nursing practice is to enhance mental and physical health and improve the patient’s quality of life and rehabilitation. A qualitative research approach was followed, and a descriptive, explorative, and contextual design was used in this study to explore the challenges faced by University of Limpopo learner nurses during psychiatry clinical exposure. The population included learner nurses from level two to level four who registered for psychiatric nursing science practice. Convenience sampling was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and the data were analyzed using the Tesch open coding method. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were adhered to, and ethical considerations were observed. The findings of this study indicated that learner nurses go through challenges and discomfort in the form of mental health care users, clinical environment matters, and the attitude of clinical staff in the hospital. Proper preparation of the learner nurses and clinical areas can assist in reducing the challenges that learner nurses go through.

Background: Community health workers (CHWs) are at the forefront of promoting health in their communities and are involved in the control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease(CVD). Their specialist knowledge is likely to enhance their involvement in the prevention and control of NCDs in the community, particularly through education and mobilisation. Public health interventions, such as screening and referring of patients to health care facilities, aim to enhance the quality of outcomes. The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceived enablers and barriers to the implementation of behavioural interventions to address CVD by CHWs and outreach team leaders (OTLs) at primary healthcare facilities, in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Method: Open-ended interviews were conducted among 59 CHWs and 11 OTLs, aged from 25 to 59 years. Their experiences of CVD intervention were conveniently sampled in their respective healthcare facilities. Coding and analysis were conducted using the thematic analysis method with the assistance of ATLAS.ti qualitative software. Results: Various enablers and barriers to the implementation of CVD behavioural intervention were identified including: How well the intervention program SPICES (Scaling of Packages Interventions for Cardiovascular diseases in selected sites in Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa) fit into existing CVDs processes and practices, Integration & interaction of SPICES research Interventions to current CVDs would be an easier process, SPICES Intervention program perfectly align with organizational goals and enhancing the implementation .Intervention program and Procurement of addition health screening equipment’s. Supportive equipment’s for writing and recording screening results Conclusion: This study has identified perceived enablers and barriers that may be incorporated and overcome to improve implementation of CVD behavioural intervention in semi-urban and rural settings in South Africa. The enablers should be encouraged and barriers be overcomed to improve CVD quality care .