Theses and dissertations (Health Sciences)

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Factors contributing to success in anatomy and physiology in first year students in the KZNCN nursing programme
(2015-03-05) Langtree, Eleanor Margaret; Razak, Ayisha; Haffejee, Firoza
Introduction:There is a global shortage of nurses, particularly in South Africa where there is a scarce resource of professional nurses. Since KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing (KZNCN) is tasked with the responsibility of training 86% of professional nurses in the province, it is unfortunate to lose 22% of these students through failure and attrition. Most of these failures are in the subject of Anatomy and Physiology. Aim of study:The aim of the study was to establish factors that impact on the success in Anatomy and Physiology in first year student nurses affiliated to KZNCN, in a South African context. Methodology: A quantitative descriptive survey research design was used to establish relationships between variables that impact on nursing students’ success in Anatomy and Physiology. Results: The majority of respondents were Black (86.7%) from rural areas (61.3%) of KwaZulu-Natal. Their nurse training was in English as a second language (78.6%) but most respondents felt that they were coping well with being taught in English (p < 0.001). However, respondents with English as a first language obtained significantly higher marks in Anatomy and Physiology I (p = 0.003) and there was a good correlation between matriculation English and Anatomy and Physiology II results (p = 0.02). There was also a good correlation between matriculation Biology/Life Science mark and Anatomy and Physiology I marks (p < 0.001). Additionally, good performance in Anatomy and Physiology I was a good indicator for success in Anatomy and Physiology II (p < 0.001). A significant number of respondents found the academic workload, financial stressors and long working hours stressful but engaged in positive coping skills to address these. Conclusion: Prior knowledge in English and Biology/Life Sciences has a significant positive impact on student performance in Anatomy and Physiology.
A framework to support academically 'at risk' students to enhance student success : a Faculty of Health Sciences case study
(2018) Cruickshank, Gillian; Ross, Ashley Hilton Adrian; Lortan, Darren Brendan
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the Faculty of Health Sciences’ referral and support system in relation to student preparedness, need and academic progress and to design a transferable framework to support students who are academically at-risk. Methods: Within the context of a case study, an embedded mixed methods research design was used. The qualitative strand consisted of recorded interviews with students who had been through the Faculty’s referral system for academic support. Interviews were transcribed and coded into themes and sub-themes. Activity Theory was utilised as the theoretical framework. The quantitative strand focused on historical cohort data in relation to throughput, success and drop-out rates. The data represented two time periods under study: 2007-2009 (pre-intervention) and 2012-2014 (post/ongoing-intervention). The Mann Whitney U test was used to compare differences between the two student samples. A bivariate correlation analysis of the data was followed by a trend analysis; subsequently the slopes test was used to determine if there was a significant difference in the slopes for pre- and post/ongoing-intervention trend lines. Results: Various themes and sub-themes emerged indicating that students were underprepared for university-level study. Students expressed that they had difficulty in making the transition from high school to university. At school they learned to remember for replication, whereas the expectation at university was that they would learn for understanding and application. Managing the various time demands in relation to the volume and complexity of their course of study, together with their personal and family life, was a major obstacle. The students expressed that English as the language of learning was problematic when it was not their home-language. The Faculty of Health Sciences referral system for student academic support was regarded with mixed feelings when they were first referred, however the students acknowledged that on reflection it was what they needed to assist them to overcome their academic difficulties. The participants in this study further articulated that the support they had received kept them from dropping out. Analysis of the historical student cohort data revealed that the drop-out rate for the FHS is decreasing much quicker than before the support system intervention was implemented. This is significant in that it statistically supports the stated experiences of the participating students that being referred for academic support helped them to remain in their course of study. Tensions were revealed in the FHS activity system, primarily in relation to what the students (Subject: academically at-risk) were not prepared for at university (Object: articulation gap and transition). Other tensions included those between the referred students and the AD personnel and methods (Community and Tools), as well as amongst the Community members in relation to roles and communication (Division of Labour). Conclusions: This research study elicited rich data from students indicating that the Faculty of Health Sciences referral support programme was effective in assisting students to make better academic progress. Students articulated that the programme had helped them to remain in the course of study instead of dropping out, and that many of their peers had been similarly assisting. The retention of students reported qualitatively was supported by quantitative data that showed a decrease in the drop-out rate over time that was not by chance.
A relationship between matriculation English results and academic performance in nursing students at the Kwa-Zulu Natal College of nursing
(2015-03-03) Manson, Theresa Anne; Sibiya, Maureen Nokuthula; Cruickshank, Gillian
Background The KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing trains students to be professional nurses through the R425 programme. Teaching and evaluation are done in English, although the majority speak isiZulu as their home language. Due to inequalities in the South African schooling system, many English Additional Language (EAL) student nurses have poor English proficiency and struggle academically. There is a need to ensure that those selected for nurse-training are academically successful. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between English proficiency, determined by the matriculation English results, and first-year nursing academic results. Methodology A quantitative design was used, and comprised of two phases, namely a self-administered questionnaire and a correlation, retrospective record-review. The total population of first-year nurses was 271. The participating sample amounted to 133 consenting nurses, undertaking the R425 programme at KwaZulu-Natal College of Nursing campuses. Stratification sampling was used to ensure that approximately half the sample of nurses attended a rural campus and half attended an urban campus. Random sampling was then used to select the urban campuses and the rural campuses from where students were invited to participate. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis as well as regression analysis was applied, using the SPSS version 20.0. Results Matriculation English appears to be positively related to many factors including the socio-economic situation when growing up, attending a rural primary school, library access at primary school and access to computers in primary and high school. English additional language nurses prefer to be taught nursing in English and consider it an advantage. The examination failure rate of first-year nurses was 24%. Nurses’ with higher matriculation English results on entry to nurse-training obtained better academic results in first-year nursing examinations. Recommendations Language should not be a barrier to admission into higher education, however a certain threshold of proficiency in the language of instruction is recommended. Under-resourced schools need to be addressed, especially in rural areas, including the language of instruction at schools. The matriculation results of the home language should also be considered in admission criteria to higher education. Policy formulation on formal academic support and language training, especially during the first-year of nurse-training is required for those struggling academically.