Self-assessment programme for operating room professional nursing practice in Namibia
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Date
2008
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Operating room professional nursing practice is an evolving, ever-changing, clinical, hands-on nursing activity. For professional nurses to stay abreast of these changes they need to assess their clinical performance to improve quality of practice
An adult leaner usually brings her/his life experience to the learning situation. Therefore one can assume that they are problem orientated and are capable of self-directed learning. In this respect adults need to be involved in evaluating their own progress towards self-chosen goals
The problem this study addressed is the fact that there is no evidence at present, of a structured system with an assessment process to monitor the initial and continuing competence of professional nurses in the operating rooms in Namibia. It is also evident, by a previous study, that assessment and/or evaluation by others and/or self-assessment is not done on a regular basis. To address the problem it was necessary to determine the perceptions of professional nurses working in the operating room regarding self-assessment, develop a self-assessment programme, implement the self-assessment programme and evaluate the feasibility of implementing the self-assessment programme
The aim of this study was to develop a self-assessment programme for professional nurses working in the operating rooms of State hospitals in Namibia. The researcher argued that the self-assessment programme could be used to assist professional nurses with professional and personal growth, knowledge enhancement, and improve clinical performance skills
To achieve this aim a qualitative, inductive, deductive, explorative, descriptive, contextual research design was used. The objectives were to: v determine the perceptions of professional nurses working in the operating room regarding self-assessment; v develop a self-assessment programme for operating room professional nursing practice for the state hospitals in Namibia; v implement the self-assessment programme; v evaluate the feasibility of implementing the self-assessment programme
The study was conducted in four (4) phases that represent the objectives.The population consisted of professional nurses working in the operating room. For purpose of this study the population and sample were the same. Focus group discussions were used to determine the perceptions of professional nurses working in the operating room regarding self-assessment
The key themes elicited from the focus group discussions in phase 1 were presented as follows: v self-assessment was viewed as an important aspect of professional and personal development; v managerial support is needed to develop a process of self-assessment; v personal values influence a person's commitment to self-assessment; v standards of operating room professional nursing practice are needed to guide professional nurses to render quality performance
The development of a self-assessment programme was achieved on the basis of the results of the empirical data that explored the perceptions of professional nurses of self-assessment and the results of concept analysis. The self-assessment programme consists of self-assessment checklists and a self-assessment instruction guide
The self-assessment programme was implemented and evaluated. This research shows that the use of such a programme in the operating room is feasible. The important factor to remember is that the implementation of this type of programme is subject to the professional and personal character of the individual
The researcher believes that the self-assessment programme sensitized professional nurses to their responsibility for their own knowledge enhancement and operating room professional nursing practice quality improvement
The researcher believes that the self-assessment programme sensitized professional nurses regarding their responsibility for their own knowledge enhancement and operating room professional nursing practice quality improvement
It was recommended that a self-assessment process as part of the educational system for operating room professional nursing practice for quality improvement be established. This process should include a quality assurance committee, an in-service educational system task force and an orientation and monitoring programme for operating room professional nursing practice.
Operating room professional nursing practice is an evolving, ever-changing, clinical, hands-on nursing activity. For professional nurses to stay abreast of these changes they need to assess their clinical performance to improve quality of practice
An adult leaner usually brings her/his life experience to the learning situation. Therefore one can assume that they are problem orientated and are capable of self-directed learning. In this respect adults need to be involved in evaluating their own progress towards self-chosen goals
The problem this study addressed is the fact that there is no evidence at present, of a structured system with an assessment process to monitor the initial and continuing competence of professional nurses in the operating rooms in Namibia. It is also evident, by a previous study, that assessment and/or evaluation by others and/or self-assessment is not done on a regular basis. To address the problem it was necessary to determine the perceptions of professional nurses working in the operating room regarding self-assessment, develop a self-assessment programme, implement the self-assessment programme and evaluate the feasibility of implementing the self-assessment programme
The aim of this study was to develop a self-assessment programme for professional nurses working in the operating rooms of State hospitals in Namibia. The researcher argued that the self-assessment programme could be used to assist professional nurses with professional and personal growth, knowledge enhancement, and improve clinical performance skills
To achieve this aim a qualitative, inductive, deductive, explorative, descriptive, contextual research design was used. The objectives were to: v determine the perceptions of professional nurses working in the operating room regarding self-assessment; v develop a self-assessment programme for operating room professional nursing practice for the state hospitals in Namibia; v implement the self-assessment programme; v evaluate the feasibility of implementing the self-assessment programme
The study was conducted in four (4) phases that represent the objectives.The population consisted of professional nurses working in the operating room. For purpose of this study the population and sample were the same. Focus group discussions were used to determine the perceptions of professional nurses working in the operating room regarding self-assessment
The key themes elicited from the focus group discussions in phase 1 were presented as follows: v self-assessment was viewed as an important aspect of professional and personal development; v managerial support is needed to develop a process of self-assessment; v personal values influence a person's commitment to self-assessment; v standards of operating room professional nursing practice are needed to guide professional nurses to render quality performance
The development of a self-assessment programme was achieved on the basis of the results of the empirical data that explored the perceptions of professional nurses of self-assessment and the results of concept analysis. The self-assessment programme consists of self-assessment checklists and a self-assessment instruction guide
The self-assessment programme was implemented and evaluated. This research shows that the use of such a programme in the operating room is feasible. The important factor to remember is that the implementation of this type of programme is subject to the professional and personal character of the individual
The researcher believes that the self-assessment programme sensitized professional nurses to their responsibility for their own knowledge enhancement and operating room professional nursing practice quality improvement
The researcher believes that the self-assessment programme sensitized professional nurses regarding their responsibility for their own knowledge enhancement and operating room professional nursing practice quality improvement
It was recommended that a self-assessment process as part of the educational system for operating room professional nursing practice for quality improvement be established. This process should include a quality assurance committee, an in-service educational system task force and an orientation and monitoring programme for operating room professional nursing practice.
Description
A dissretation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing
Keywords
Nursing, Operating room nursing, Nursing assessment