Abstract
M.Cur. (Nursing Education)
Within the formal teaching context of a nursing college it is essential that accountable basic professional preparation be offered to provide a comprehensive and fruitful feeding ground for the adolescent student nurse's development into an independent, professional practitioner with specific personal attributes. In her quest for knowledge and development the young, inexperienced nurse has a need for support. Meaningful support implies a concerted effort and involvement with the student on the part of the support givers. At a nursing college, from within a nursing didactic perspective, the support givers should focus on the nursing student as a unique individual in her totality. Opportunities should therefore be available and accessible, so that the student nurse can achieve professional growth and personal self-realization. Furthermore she should be able to assert herself in both these roles. It is therefore essential to achieve a balance between the demands of nurse training and a full and rich personal life. It is the untiring support received by the student nurse that enables her to develop a sound attitude to life and the human nature. This boosts her morale and promotes the development of skills in interpersonal relationships. Research was conducted at a Transvaal nursing college with nine affiliated hospitals. The purpose of the study was to assess the need of student nurses for support from within a nursing didactic perspective and to establish certain guidelines for the implementation of a support system at a nursing college. With the aid of a questionnaire, a descriptive and searching survey was undertaken amongst first and third-year student nurses. A data analysis revealed that student nurses do experience a need for a support system. The planning, organisation and implementation of such a system at a nursing college should however be co-ordinated in a team context by all support givers. Clear guidelines with specific goals have been formulated for the implementation of such a support system.