Abstract
M.Cur.
The preponderant part of humankind's life is spent in a working milieu. It is therefore
necessary that employees well-being in this environment should be approached in a total context that takes account of physical, psychological and social needs. In order to meet these needs, it is essential that Occupational Health professionals be equipped with the required knowledge and skills. Such needs can only be met if an instructional course is evaluated in its entirety by skilled practicioners. The term "skilled Practicioners" refers to persons who have themselves completed the course (qualified persons) and have therefore been exposed to its curriculum content. A certificate course in Occupational Health Nursing Science at a Transvaal teehnikon was evaluated in order to assess the attitudes towards, opinions about, and needs of qualified Occupational Health professionals in respect to this course. A descriptive survey was conducted among a group of 49 qualified Occupational Health professionals. The most important findings were: • The volume of work was too much for the period in which the course had to be completed. • Lecturer guidance, especially in practicals, left much to be desired. • The practical experience of lecturers proved to be deficient. The following recommendations were made: • The current certificate course must be replaced by a diploma programme. • A greater number of skilled practitioners with the required practical experience should be involved. A greater measure of lecturer involvement should be introduced to achieve satisfactory guidance in practicals. In order to ensure the professional socialisation of the health professional in the milieu of Occupational Health, it is imperative that educational adaptations be made between theory and practice. Constant adaptations through continual evaluation must be regarded as a priority within any educational programme.