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Biomedical subjects

M E Muller

Publications and source records attributed to M E Muller.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Guidelines for professional responsibilities of the head nurse in South African state hospitals].

This is a follow-up article on a functional analysis of the post responsibilities of the Chief Professional Nurse in South African State hospitals. The purpose of this study is to formulate guidelines for the Chief Professional Nurse's post responsibilities in State hospitals. The final statements, on which the conceptual framework is based, are inferred from the previous justified objectives: the exploration and description of the existing job/post descriptions of the Chief Professional Nurse, an exploration and description of the different role-players' expectations regarding the post/job responsibilities of the Chief Professional Nurse, followed by a literature control. The guidelines are formulated and it is recommended that they be implemented, followed by the testing of various hypotheses to confirm the value of these guidelines.

Consultants↗
PubMed1996

Quality improvement in health care--a fundamental analysis and South African perspective.

This article is based on the opening address that was delivered at a national conference with the launching of the South African Society for Quality in Health Care (SASQuaH). The quality improvement process and principles are analyzed, as well as an exposition of the South African situation. The concepts regarding quality, quality improvement and quality assurance are clarified, the different stakeholders in formalised quality improvement explained, as well as the motives for and principles of quality improvement in health services. The different external and internal mechanisms in quality improvement are analyzed, including the principle of community ownership and international collaboration. Continuous development and capacity building regarding quality improvement is recommended at all levels of health service delivery.

Accreditation↗
PubMed1996

A guideline for competency of the critical care nurse.

BACKGROUND: To maintain a high standard of quality nursing care the individual critical care nurse s competencies should be determined objectively. Few international guidelines describe the qualities required by critical care nurses to function effectively in a critical care unit. These guidelines often focus only on the education and training of critical care nurses. OBJECTIVE: To formulate and describe guidelines for the competency requirements of registered critical care nurses. METHOD: A focus group interview, a qualitative research method, was conducted as an open conversation in which each participant could ask questions, comment, or respond to comments. Interaction among the respondents was encouraged to stimulate in-depth discussion. The study was conducted within the framework of South African critical care nursing. RESULTS: The four main categories that were identified are as follows: professional competence, cognitive competence, interpersonal skills, and critical care patterns of interaction. These are described in detail along with a formulated guideline for critical care nurse competency requirements. CONCLUSION: This study describes an attempt to formulate objective guidelines for critical care nurses competency requirements.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Development and validation of a critical care patient classification system.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the research methodology used in development and validation of a scientific patient classification instrument for South African critical care patients. METHOD: This is a contextual, exploratory, and descriptive study. A two-phase validating model was used as a research method. In the development phase a literature review was carried out (domain identification), a provisional instrument developed (item generation), and a peer group discussion conducted (item formation). In the quantification phase 16 experts determined if both the items of the instrument and the entire instrument were content valid. The study was conducted within the framework of South African critical care nursing. RESULTS: In the peer group discussion the instrument was debated until consensus was reached. In the quantification phase, both the items of the instrument and the entire instrument were rated as content valid. CONCLUSIONS: Established patient classification systems can be successfully adapted and validated for local use.

Critical Illness↗
PubMed1995

[Patient activity level plans for personnel scheduling in nursing in-patient units].

This study of patient activity level plans (PALP) to determine nursing levels for in-patients units was carried out by means of an exploratory, descriptive instrumental study within the context of a nursing situation. With the literature study serving as background, a patient activity level plan (PALP) was designed, according to accepted criteria, to find data on which to base post determination of nursing staff. This study was done at a private research hospital in Johannesburg where all the patients and nursing staff (first- as well as second-in-charge) were involved. The PALP-instrument was designed by the researcher, and under supervision of the researcher it was implemented in seven nursing units in the hospital. (The instrument proved to be highly reliable p = 0.999). The difference between nursing post determination as recommended and determined by PALP, and nursing post determination as determined by means of a pragmatic subjective approach by the nursing service manager of the hospital, proved to be statistically insignificant. The PALP instrument showed, however, that more nursing staff were needed in four of the seven units. The quality of the nursing care was not investigated nor was a productivity study carried out. The total difference between the recommended and actual nursing hours needed for all the nursing units shows a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0001) on a 1% significance level. The instrument proved to be easily comprehended, easily implemented and relevant to its purpose. It also shows a high inter-rator reliability (a chronbach alpha value of 0.999). Thus a reliable PALP-instrument was developed and successfully implemented at a research hospital for the determination of nursing posts. The most significant recommendations include national standardization of the PALP-instrument in hospitals and refining and testing of the PALP-instrument in other clinical areas e.g. out-patients and critical care units. This instrument could also contribute towards a more cost-effective post determination in nursing.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1992

A critical review of prenatal attachment research.

Prenatal attachment is a construct not only intriguing for nurse researchers, but also the object of attention from the lay public and popular media. Promoting prenatal attachment is assumed to have benefits particularly for children. Pregnant women are admonished that development of a successful mother-child relationship begins before birth and is their responsibility. The prenatal attachment research literature was reviewed to determine if the last statement could be supported. The current state of this body of literature is presented in this article along with a critique of the research studies and suggestions for future research.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1991

Oncology nursing care standards.

Oncology nursing as a specialised nursing discipline has no published nursing care standards for South Africa. The purpose of this study was to formulate oncology nursing standards for a particular research hospital. A specific approach was used and the oncology nursing experts in the research hospital compiled and formulated the standards. Group discussions and critical debating of the standards followed. The standards were ratified by means of verbal consensus between the experts and professional nurses in the oncology unit. These standards could serve as a guide to ensure quality oncology nursing care. National validation of the standards is recommended.

Academies and Institutes↗
PubMed1991

[Demand for and supply of nurses in South Africa].

The threatening crisis in the nursing profession, especially in the public sector, led to a national investigation that was directed to the HMAC. A national nursing manpower analysis was undertaken by private consultants by means of a descriptive survey. A registered nurse/population ratio of 1:416 was recommended by the South African Nursing Council and accepted by the HMAC. The demand presently exceeds the supply and an actual annual student output of 4000 is required. It was also emphasized that only 65% of the college capacities are being utilised and a potential supply of matriculants amounts to 3300 p.a. Important recommendations include active marketing of the profession, phasing in of a registered nurse/population ratio of 1:416, as well as an appropriate increase of posts for students, tutors and clinical nurses.

Ethnicity↗
PubMed1991

[Profile of nurse administrators in private hospitals].

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe selected demographical, biographical, educational and professional background characteristics of the nurse administrator in private hospitals and to construct a profile of these characteristics. The results show that the nurse administrator in South African private hospitals is not adequately prepared for her/his managerial responsibilities. She is, however, according to the registered clinical qualifications, adequately qualified to exercise quality control and assurance in the various nursing disciplines.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[The change from a territorial nursing service design to a matrix nursing service design].

In this study two decentralised organisational designs in nursing management were investigated. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of two different designs, namely the territorial and matrix designs, on the attitudes and perceptions of nurses towards their work. An explorative descriptive multi-phase study was conducted. The attitudes and perceptions of nurses were assessed by means of the Michigan Organisational Assessment Scale, during the territorial design and after changing to a matrix design. An analysis of the data showed a positive and statistically significant change in attitudes and perceptions in the matrix design, and therefore the directional hypothesis was accepted. Recommendations include further refinement of the matrix design, as well as training and accompaniment of nurse managers to implement the principles.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1991

[Standards of nursing services for private hospitals].

The formalization of nursing quality assurance in private hospitals is of critical importance. The purpose of this study was to formulate national nursing service standards for private hospitals. A structured two phase research technique was utilised to validate the standards by a representative national group of experts. Statistical validity of the standards was calculated by means of a content validity index for each standard. Fourteen (5%) of these standards (N = 275) were rejected and 25 (9%) require reformulation. It is recommended that these standards should serve as optimum standards for nurse administrators in private hospitals, and that these standards be published formally.

Disaster Planning↗
PubMed1990

Binding-in: still a relevant concept?

Development of the maternal-fetal relationship was described by Rubin as an intimate "binding-in process." Recent technological advances enabled health care providers to observe, study, diagnose, and treat unborn children and led some to reconsider the relevance of the binding-in concept. Research has focused on prenatal attachment or bonding, maternal characteristics that influence prenatal attachment/bonding, and interventions to promote it. Before binding-in is dismissed as irrelevant, assessment of the prenatal attachment research, consideration of the impact of these ideas on pregnant women and their families, and the implications for maternity nurses must be examined.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[Study of the quality of interhospital transport of sick neonates by selected ambulances in the Witwatersrand area].

The quality of the inter hospital transport of ill neonates, by selected ambulances in the Witwatersrand area, was investigated by means of the case study method. Of the fifteen case studies investigated, eleven neonates were transported by a private ambulance and four by provincial ambulances. Data regarding the maternal- and neonatal history, the optimal maintenance of the neonate's condition, the communication system, as well as aspects relating to the transport personnel, were collected by means of a structured instrument. Retrospective auditing of records, structured interviewing and direct observation/inspection were utilised as the research techniques. The quality of the inter hospital transport of ill neonates, especially by the private ambulance, is not up to standard. Deterioration of the neonate's body temperature, heart and respiration rates, as well as the serum glucose values after transport, were of the more important findings. The lack of equipment, especially in the private ambulance, increases the risk of transport. Staff development and formal control by a local committee, as well as a national control body, are recommended.

Ambulances↗
PubMed1989

[Standards for the interhospital transport of sick neonates].

The transport of ill neonates between hospitals and/or health care centres, plays an important role in the mortality rate of these seriously ill neonates. It is therefore important that the ill neonate is transported under optimal conditions. A lack of standards in this regard hampers the evaluation of the quality of inter hospital transport of ill neonates. The purpose of this study is to formulate valid standards for the transport of seriously ill neonates between hospitals (and/or other health care institutions) to form the basis for the evaluation of the quality of this service. Factors that need to be considered in the transport of ill neonates include the ambulance, equipment and stock, the transport personnel and communication. These factors were systematically explored and described and standards were formulated accordingly.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prenatal instruments.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adaptation, Psychological↗