Abstract
M.Cur.
The aim of this study is to describe a quality improvement programme for
nursing education in the private health care services. In the present
economic climate of South Africa everybody strives towards quality service
and as a result it has also became a customer demand. The learning
accompanist is thus faced with the challenge to create a service which
accommodates the expectations of the student as the customer. In the
dynamic interactive relationship between the learning accompanist and the
student, the student has the right to receive quality education which would
enable him/her to function as an independent practitioner with critical and
analytical thinking skills and able to provide quality nursing.
The paradigmatic perspective that guides this research is based on metatheoretical,
theoretical and methodological assumptions. The metatheoretical
assumption utilised the Nursing Theory for the whole person,
whereas the theoretical assumption utilised three sources:- the Nursing
Theory for the Whole Person, the Quality Improvement Model of Muller
(1986) and the Adult-Learner proposed by Knowles (1980).
The methodological assumptions of this study are based on Botes' research
model (1992), which imply a functional approach to practice of nursing
science. The expectations of students regarding quality nursing education
in the private health care services were initially explored by means of focus
group interviews and these ideas are supported by literature searches. The
sample population was N = 76 and the sample realization was N =12 for the
focus group interview. Trustworthiness was ensured using the strategies
proposed by Lincoln and Guba (1985: 290). A questionnaire based on this
data was constructed to confirm these expectations as well as to explore-the theological dimension ("how") of the identified expectations. Analysis of the resultant
data enabled the generation of specific statements which embodied the expectations
with respect to the learning accompanist, nursing education and the system (N=9).
In chapter four the conceptual framework is described based on the
identified concepts.. relevant national and international literature.
Trustworthiness was ensured by means of sound literature scrutiny and
literature analysis (N=64). From the analysis of the description of the
conceptual framework, six main and related concepts which resulted in
concise and clear statements on nursing care could be generated (N =30).
The contents of a desirable quality improvement programme were drawn up
by means of deductive and inductive reasoning from these statements. The
resultant programme focuses on the actions which should be carried out in
order to improve quality in nursing education in the private health care
services.