Search

Universities are in a highly competitive environment, needing strong academic leadership. Some heads of departments have been appointed into leadership positions in a healthcare faculty after having been mere academics for a few years. They are more likely to experience challenges. This study aimed to explore the views and understanding of heads of departments in a healthcare faculty on being appointed as academic leaders in a higher education context in South Africa. A qualitative design using 12 individual unstructured interviews was conducted with all the heads of departments in a health sciences faculty. Open coding was conducted and two themes emerged, focusing on the varied skills needed for academic leadership positions and developing leadership skills amongst senior academics. The findings indicated that development of senior academics in leadership should be undertaken by a knowledgeable professional in formal or informal settings, to encourage mentorship and more regular group meetings, while addressing the core role of a leader. Implications of these findings for a faculty of health sciences and suggestions for leadership succession in future are discussed.

Midwives are expected to meet the demands of their ever-expanding roles without having a voice to contribute to the decision-making process in developing the protocols to be followed in implementing HIV/AIDS testing and counselling. The aim of the current study was to describe nurse managers' support to midwives in implementing HIV/AIDS testing and counselling within protocol at an antenatal clinic located in the Central Region of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. The study followed a qualitative design to gain insight into midwives' experiences in implementing HIV/AIDS testing and counselling at an antenatal clinic and how nurse managers support midwives in this regard. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with eight (n = 8) purposively sampled professional midwives to understand the implementation of HIV/AIDS testing and counselling within protocol from the midwives' perspectives and field notes were taken. All the interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded using the thematic approach. The study findings indicated that ongoing education, coaching and mentoring, and constructive feedback are all necessary support mechanisms for midwives to implement HIV/AIDS counselling for better client care outcomes. It was recommended that nurse managers should intensify their efforts in an antenatal clinic, supporting midwives with practice relevant information on HIV, to address the needs of pregnant women and the larger community. Well-informed competent midwives are needed to apply the latest protocols and trends in midwifery practices that will uplift the health status of pregnant women in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people's decisions to engage or disengage in community activities can be attributed to their perceptions of community resources and opportunities. This study examined South African rural young adults' perceptions of their future communities and influences on engaging in health promoting activities and community leadership. Survey data were collected from 58 youth and 52 young adults affiliated with key community organizations. Correlational analysis examined perceptions of community resources and participation in community leadership. Perceptions about the future of their communities differed by age, educational attainment, employment status, and number of years spent in the community and were strongly correlated with how youth and young adults perceive they are valued. Local organizations such as schools and churches can motivate at-risk youth and young adults to participate in community life. This research extends our knowledge of factors important for engaging this population in resource-limited rural settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the emerging global youth disengagement epidemic, anticipated population growth, and the threat of continued rural-urban migration among young adults, recent research has focused on community leadership practice and the factors that influence youth engagement at the local level. Studying these practices and factors can elicit interventions that can improve youth engagement and youth health. This study engaged South African rural community leaders in interviews to collect perceptions and experiences on community leadership and factors that influence youth engagement and their health behaviors. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. Emergent themes are categorized into four domains: conceptualizations of leadership, current youth behaviors, barriers to youth engagement, and youth leadership opportunities and potential solutions. Findings demonstrate a clear grasp of the concept of community leadership among community leaders, and an awareness of the complex interplay of social, economic and environmental factors on youth disengagement and the potential interventions to promote more youth participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mindfulness as a clinical strategy for helping manage physical and psychological symptoms is gathering an impressive evidence base. It is also being embraced widely for personal and professional development. As a therapeutic intervention for nurses working across a spectrum of settings, it helps expand practice, and integrating mindfulness in nursing undergraduate and graduate curricula is imminent. In the present study, we outline the development and measurement of mindfulness as a personality trait and therapeutic intervention, and advocate the use of a questionnaire alternative to expensive and impractical laboratory measures. The aims of the present study were to examine and compare the use and reliability of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in samples of nursing students from South Africa, China, and the Philippines, and compare the findings in the nursing student samples to other student and non‐student samples. Three samples of students of nursing from China (n = 193), the Philippines (n = 243), and South Africa (n = 131) completed the 31‐item FFMQ. The internal consistency was acceptable, and the correlations were significant among all facets and the total score. Although the total mean scores between the three samples were not significantly different, there were significant and interesting differences in the facet scores, and these are discussed in the light of likely cultural influences, and comparative data from other samples of students and clinical populations. The instrument shows promise for future use in educational research as a tool for curriculum change, for personal and professional development of nurses, and as a clinical tool for determining mindfulness changes over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When parents die from HIV/AIDS-related causes, children often experience emotional instability and are given additional obligations, such as caring for siblings. Youths may react in a variety of ways, including increasing alcohol consumption, and their relationships with their siblings may be altered positively or negatively., Aim: The purpose of this article is to examine the lived experiences of youths in managing themselves after losing a family member to HIV/AIDS and suggest developed guidelines for nurses to advise youths on self-management after losing a family member to HIV/AIDS., Setting: Khayelitsha, Western Cape province, South Africa., Method: A descriptive phenomenological design for this study was followed. The researcher conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with participants. The study was conducted with participants that were youth aged between 18 and 25 years., Results: The study revealed that the death of a family provider can be difficult for the youth left behind to deal with the changes in their daily lives., Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that the death of a family member has a significant impact on the family. One of the more senior family members must assume charge and remain strong to help their siblings focus on the future. The death of a family member might result in a cascade of forced changes that necessitate new behaviours to maintain stability., Contribution: This study's context-based data focuses on how the Community Health Centre (CHC) may assist young people in managing themselves after a family provider has died from HIV/AIDS, using the developed guidelines., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article., (© 2023. The Authors.)

Background: Globally, critical care outreach services (CCOS) were implemented in health care facilities; however, compliance with guidelines is poor. The authors have noticed that a gap exists in the literature on how self-leadership might influence nurses' implementation of CCOS. Self-leadership is about leadership applied to oneself. Critical care outreach services assist nurses with the nursing care of a patient whose health is declining. Leadership is needed for the successful implementation of CCOS., Aim: This article aims to outline the method the authors followed for developing the conceptual framework for how self-leadership amongst nurses influenced the functioning of CCOS., Setting: The research was conducted at a private hospital in Pretoria., Methods: A qualitative approach was followed to provide an accurate description of nurses' experiences on their self-leadership in a CCOS. The practice-oriented theory of Dickoff (1968) was the reasoning map for developing and constructing the conceptual framework., Results: Bedside nurses experienced the following self-leadership strategies: constructive thought patterns, natural rewards and behaviours focused on their implementation of CCOS., Conclusion: The conceptual framework was part of another study and provided the authors with a rationale that guided the authors with the development of self-leadership strategies in a CCOS., Contribution: The conceptual framework provided the authors with an understanding of how nurses' self-leadership influenced the implementation of CCOS. The conceptual framework can also assist in developing training programmes for nurses to improve their self-leadership and ultimately improve nurses' competence in providing quality nursing care to patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article., (© 2022. The Authors.)

Background: Death of a close family member is one of the most traumatic events in a person's life. The way, in which this loss unfolds, varies from person to person and depends on how close you were with the deceased. It was unclear how youths experienced it to manage themselves during different stages of the bereavement process, after losing a near-family member to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)., Aim: The aim of this study was to understand the self-management of youth following the unexpected loss of a family member to HIV., Setting: Khayelitsha, Western Cape province, South Africa., Methods: A descriptive phenomenological design was followed, with an accessible population of youth who lost a family member to HIV. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 purposively selected participants after obtaining written informed consent. The sessions, held with an interview schedule, did not take longer than 45 min to conduct until data saturation was reached. A digital recorder was used and field notes held. Open coding was followed after transcribing interviews., Results: Individuals had different experiences during different stages of the bereavement process, not necessarily similar or following the same sequence. Individuals had to manage their guilt of being unable to do more before the family member passed away, struggling to realise that they have a future purpose, and hardship having fond memories., Conclusion: Youth find it difficult to view death as a natural loss of life and to manage themselves after the loss of their loved one to HIV., Contribution: The context-based information in this study confirms the importance of youth and self-coping and self-continuation to plan, organise and direct their future after the loss of a family member., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article., (© 2022. The Authors.)

Background: Diabetes is considered one of the largest global health challenges of this century and one of the top 10 causes of death across the world. Studies indicate an increased economic burden in relation to diabetes, not only on government revenue but also within private industries. Exploring the perceptions of employees with diabetes mellitus as related to their self-management practices could assist in encouraging behaviours that are associated with positive management outcomes., Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of employees with diabetes mellitus, seen by professional nurses in selected occupational health clinics, about the self-management of their disease., Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive contextual design was followed through 17 individual interviews with 17 employees working in various industries in Cape Town, using a semi-structured interview schedule. Open coding of the data followed, and four themes emerged. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were also adhered to in the study, and approval for the study was granted., Results: The study findings gave insight into the manner in which employees perceived their behaviour changes in terms of their self-management practices. Various emotions were expressed by employees relating to the disease as well as the lifestyle adaptations required for self-management thereof. Employees noted that knowledge acquisition and greater understanding of the motivators for lifestyle changes could improve aspects of their day-to-day living as well as the disease outcomes., Conclusion: Employees expressed an awareness of the changes and lifestyle adaptations needed but found aspects thereof to be an ongoing challenge. The areas of challenge varied amongst employees. A consciousness of the possible consequences of poor self-management practices and self-modification behavior to address these was observed., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this research article., (© 2020. The Authors.)