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Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area

Thesis (NCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.

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Main Author: Dorse, Aletta Jacomina
Other Authors: Stellenberg, E. L.
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2008
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access_status_str Open Access
author Dorse, Aletta Jacomina
author2 Stellenberg, E. L.
author_browse Dorse, Aletta Jacomina
Stellenberg, E. L.
author_facet Stellenberg, E. L.
Dorse, Aletta Jacomina
author_sort Dorse, Aletta Jacomina
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (NCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/3327
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:41:20.497Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2008
publishDateRange 2008
publishDateSort 2008
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/3327 Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area Dorse, Aletta Jacomina Stellenberg, E. L. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science. Nursing -- Practice -- South Africa Nursing ethics -- South Africa Nursing -- Law and legislation --South Africa. Dissertations -- Nursing Theses -- Nursing Assignments -- Nursing Thesis (NCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. The current shortage of nurses has reached crisis proportions in South Africa and the effects of decreased numbers of health professionals are enormous. This results in far-reaching consequences for the health industry. An increased use of less-skilled personnel, in an attempt to meet the health care needs, impacts negatively on quality care. Personnel are often utilised outside their scope of practice, creating a high-risk therapeutic environment for the patients and health care workers alike. Consequently, the nursing managers and employers of nurses are currently faced with major challenges in ensuring that the nurses practise their profession within a safe and healthy environment, and within the legal and ethical framework of the nursing profession. For the purpose of this study the researcher decided to explore legal and ethical aspects influencing the clinical practice of the nurse. Specific objectives were set for the study. • Are nurses functioning outside their scope of practice? • Do nurses exercise their nursing right? • Do nurses function within ethical and legal guidelines? • Do caregivers function as nurses? • Do nurses still believe in the nursing philosophy? • Are nurses exploited in their area of work? • How much overtime do nurses work? These objectives were met through an in-depth explorative descriptive research design with a quantitative approach to explore legal and ethical aspects in the nursing practice. A stratified sample was drawn of all categories of nurses in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan area. Through the use of a questionnaire, data was collected personally by the researcher. Data analysis techniques that were used were based on descriptive and explorative procedures. Data was compressed in frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. The Chi-square test was applied. Findings include the following: • 53% of enrolled nursing assistants do not function under indirect supervision. • 40% of caregivers assist nurses with interventional nursing care. • Nurses still believe in the philosophy of the nursing profession. • The nurse’s rights are in contradiction with the patient’s rights (p = 0.08). • Nurses feel exploited in certain areas of work, depending on their qualifications. • Nurses do recommend the profession (p = 0.043). • Enrolled nursing assistants do not respect other religions (p = 0.04). • Nurses feel free to discuss the patient’s progress with the doctor depending on the nurses’ years of experience (p = 0.03). • 23% of nurses love to care for their patients. Recommendations were made based on the findings. • The patient approach should be respectful, not judgemental, accepting the patient’s right to self-autonomy. • Nurses should realise their autonomous role in addressing concerns. • A staff mix should be utilised that facilitates safe and professional nursing care. • Unfavourable or unsociable working conditions in some units such as the theatre should be addressed. • Managers should match the work load with a proper skills mix and competency. • Nursing practice should take place within the professional and statutory scope of practice of the nurse. • Nurses should keep up to date with knowledge through continuous professional development. • Caregivers should be regulated, installing the nursing philosophy and ethics into their practice. 2008-06-25T08:23:37Z 2010-07-09T11:07:50Z 2008-06-25T08:23:37Z 2010-07-09T11:07:50Z 2008-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/3327 en University of Stellenbosch application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Nursing -- Practice -- South Africa
Nursing ethics -- South Africa
Nursing -- Law and legislation --South Africa.
Dissertations -- Nursing
Theses -- Nursing
Assignments -- Nursing
Dorse, Aletta Jacomina
Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area
title Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area
title_full Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area
title_fullStr Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area
title_full_unstemmed Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area
title_short Legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the Western Cape Metropolitan Area
title_sort legal and ethical aspects of nursing practice in selected private hospitals in the western cape metropolitan area
topic Nursing -- Practice -- South Africa
Nursing ethics -- South Africa
Nursing -- Law and legislation --South Africa.
Dissertations -- Nursing
Theses -- Nursing
Assignments -- Nursing
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/3327
work_keys_str_mv AT dorsealettajacomina legalandethicalaspectsofnursingpracticeinselectedprivatehospitalsinthewesterncapemetropolitanarea