Challenges in the working relationship between professional nurses and clinical associates in selected district hospitals in South Africa

Health SA Gesondheid

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Challenges in the working relationship between professional nurses and clinical associates in selected district hospitals in South Africa
 
Creator Mokoena, Emmah M. Rabie, Tinda du Preez, Antoinette
 
Subject Nursing Science professional nurses; clinical associates; professionalism; professional relationships; service delivery
Description Background: Clinical associates were introduced in South Africa to address physician shortages in healthcare. Professional relationships between physicians and professional nurses (PNs) have been widely researched, but none specifically between the new cadre of clinical associates and PNs.Aim: This study aimed to understand the professional working relationship between PNs and clinical associates.Setting: Selected district hospitals within Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.Method: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Professional nurses were purposely sampled, and an all-inclusive sampling method was used for clinical associates in selected district hospitals within Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Twelve (N = 12) semi-structured, individual interviews (PNs n = 6; clinical associates n = 6) guided by an interview guide were conducted in English. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim by an independent transcriptionist. Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis were employed to analyse the data. An independent co-coder assisted with data analysis.Results: This study yielded four themes: (1) professional relationship defined, (2) professional relationship characteristics, (3) professional challenges applicable to both PNs and clinical associates and (4) personal professional challenges applicable to clinical associates only.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the professional relationships between PNs and clinical associates are affected by various challenges, which could be resolved within the department through in-service training and good communication.Contribution: This is one of the first studies that highlight the professional relationship challenges between PNs and clinical associates.
 
Publisher AOSIS Publishing
 
Contributor not applicable
Date 2023-04-28
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Qualitative research
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/hsag.v28i0.1927
 
Source Health SA Gesondheid; Vol 28 (2023); 9 pages 2071-9736 1025-9848
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1927/html https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1927/epub https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1927/xml https://hsag.co.za/index.php/hsag/article/view/1927/pdf
 
Coverage South Africa 2018 20-40 years; males and females; professional nurses and clinical associates
Rights Copyright (c) 2023 Emmah M. Mokoena, Tinda Rabie, Antoinette du Preez https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ADVERTISEMENT