Exploring disaster preparedness in an obstetric unit in a district hospital in the Western Cape Province.

BACKGROUND: Research on disaster preparedness in public hospitals is limited, and specialised units such as obstetric departments need to be even more prepared when rendering health care to vulnerable populations. Disasters can be natural, such as floods due to human interventions, sinkholes due to mining, or pandemic occurrences, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Research on disaster preparedness is limited, and even more so in specialised units such as obstetrics and evacuating a ward of maternal and neonatal patients present unique challenges. Being prepared for any disaster is the only assurance of effective patient healthcare during a disaster. This study explored and described nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding preparedness for a disaster in an obstetric unit in a public institution. The study aimed to make recommendations to improve disaster preparedness in an obstetric ward based on the nurses' knowledge and attitudes. METHODS: This study utilised an exploratory, descriptive qualitative design within a contextual approach. The data were acquired through individual interviews that were done using a semi-structured interview schedule. An observational walkabout was performed with the unit manager to validate interviewee responses. The study employed purposive sampling with a sample size of 17 nurses (N = 32, n = 17) and a response rate of 53%. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and later, the data underwent analysis using theme analysis and a co-coder. RESULTS: The results indicate that the participants demonstrate an awareness of disaster terminology but need more assertiveness in executing the institutional disaster policy. The results illustrate that more frequent training, disaster rehearsals, and simulations should be implemented to improve disaster readiness. Strategies are recommended to enhance preparedness for a disaster in the obstetric unit. CONCLUSION: The study findings recommend more education and training opportunities that should be regularly instilled as a practice within the obstetric ward. More disaster drills and simulation exercises should be performed to ensure confidence in disaster preparedness. Obstetric staff of all levels should be involved with policymaking and disaster plan development.

Coping strategies used by undergraduate first-year nursing students during transition from basic to higher education: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The undergraduate first year of a nursing program is regarded as a difficult and challenging part of the nursing course, due to the variation experienced in the transition from basic to higher education compared to other first-year courses. This causes stress, which could contribute to students' lack of coping with the transition to the university. These challenges call for coping strategies to ensure resilience among this cohort of undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: An exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was adopted to assess the coping mechanisms used by first-year nursing students during transition from basic to higher education. Data was gathered through four online focus group discussions which were conducted using the Microsoft Teams app, with participants purposefully selected from the two campuses where the study was conducted. The focus group discussions were recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis. Data was analysed by the researcher and the co-coder using qualitative content data analysis. FINDINGS: Three categories emerged from the data: experiences of transition from basic to higher education, coping with transition from basic to higher education, and recommendations for coping with transition from basic to higher education. Participants expressed that they use the following six coping strategies during the transition from basic to higher education: adaptive coping, appraisal-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, problem-focused coping, social coping, and seeking help from mentors. CONCLUSIONS: Transition from basic to higher education is challenging for undergraduate first-year nursing students. The study suggests that there is a need to standardize and contextualize the support measures for undergraduate first-year nursing students during their transition from basic to higher education in order to enhance their ability to cope.

Factors That Influence Resilience among First-Year Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study.

During their transition from basic to higher education, first-year undergraduate nursing students need to balance theoretical and clinical requirements, as well as their social life. A significant number of them struggle with this, due to a lack of coping mechanisms due to poor resilience. This study aimed to determine factors that influence resilience among first-year undergraduate nursing students at a South African university. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was followed, with stratified convenient sampling. Data were collected during August 2023 using an adapted self-administered online questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the adapted version was ensured in the context of this study. Principal component analysis and varimax rotation were used to analyse data. A total of 123 participants (47.2% from campus A and 52.8% from campus B) completed the questionnaire. The majority (88%) were females. This study showed that resilience can be dependent on various factors, such as lecturer support, parental support, academic achievement, peer and mentor support, optimism about the future, and self-determination. It is recommended that higher education institutions should consider incorporating the factors presented in this study as part of the broader orientation of first-year undergraduate nursing students when they first arrive at university.

Coping Mechanisms of Psychiatric Nurses in Child Mental Health Environments in North West Province, South Africa: A Qualitative Call for Urgency.

There is currently a growing understanding of child mental health. However, with little attention and investment from decision-makers, the prevalence of child mental health challenges shows no signs of diminishing. Psychiatric nursing is a process in which the major knowledge and skills dealing with the interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics of human beings are practised. These nurses have to cope with this demand in a scant clinical child psychiatric environment. An exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was used to postulate the coping mechanism of these nurses in a clinical child psychiatric environment. This study comprised psychiatric nurses, and data were collected through focused group interviews. The findings emphasised the importance of clinical support to enhance quality nursing care and adjustment related to the demands on psychiatric nurses to participate fully in the service. Conclusion: Child and mental health services ought to enable nurses to better deal with the service demands and quality of psychiatric health care. An increased understanding of child mental health challenges is needed so that nurses' roles and functions in child psychiatric practice can be defined. Effective management and support ought to enable psychiatric nurses and health care teams to make decisions that support international development targets.