A five-year-old “boy” named Jonathan is helping to ensure that Nursing students gain valuable hands-on experience.

Jonathan can speak, blink, turn his head and produce tears, and this lifelike manikin is the latest addition to the Department of Nursing Science’s simulation laboratory.
“He imitates a five-year-old boy, allowing students to practise a number of scenarios,” said lecturer Suveena Singh.

He can be programmed to allow students to monitor his vital signs or to turn blue due to a lack of oxygen.
Singh said: “blood” could also be drawn from his veins while students could also practice IV insertion.”

“We hope that working with Jonathan and the other manikins in our labs will help to ensure that we produce confident and skilled students,” said Singh.

*Note: manikin: a model of the human body, used for teaching medical or art students

mannequin: a large model of a human being, used to show clothes in the window of a shop

Source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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FOUR CPUT staff members are celebrating an extra special International Nurses Day today after being inducted into the Honour Society of Nursing.

The four staff members - Dr Theresa Bock, Dr Anso Truter, Dr Evalina van Wijk and Chantal Settley- were among eight new members inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI society during an event hosted by CPUT at the Bellville Campus.

Four staff members from the University of the Western Cape were also inducted.

STTI provides nurses with resources and opportunities to engage with other nursing leaders and develop their professional and leadership skills.

Membership is by invitation to baccalaureate and graduate nursing students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and to mentor leaders exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing.

The society has more than 135 000 members in more than 90 countries.

Settley, a nursing educator, said she was honoured to be one of the inductees.

“I see it as an opportunity for professional development and to learn and grow.”

The event also celebrated International Nurses Day, which is held on May 12 every year, and marks the contribution nurses make to society.

Professor Karien Jooste, Head of the Department of Nursing Science at CPUT, said the event showed how nursing colleagues at the Western Cape’s four major tertiary institutions were working together to the benefit of the nursing profession.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Students from the Department of Nursing Science recently participated in an orientation workshop hosted by HAN University from the Netherlands.

The students were invited for a two-day workshop in Theewaterskloof, which focused on Intercultural consciousness and Cross-cultural communication.

“The Dutch students have done reflection on the South African culture and there has been a lot of learning that took place during the international and intercultural exchange, hopefully being the start of long-standing connections and more workshops in the future,” said Bachelor of Nursing Coordinator, Amy Williams.

Reflecting on the experience, third-year Bachelor of Nursing Science student, Aspasia Solomon, said the cross-cultural communication workshop, which took place on day one, held many important learning experiences and covered a wide range of topics relating to intercultural communication.

“Two things that stood out for me was how different cultures can be so alike yet so vastly different in terms of power index for example, and the need to have an open mind when exploring another culture. However, not only an open mind but also cultural competence, knowledge, sensitivity and limit one’s internal cultural noise.”

Meanwhile a group of first-year students from the Department recently participated in the Night Run to honour Nurses.

The Night Run to Honour Nurses was hosted by the Exceptional Nurse Campaign with the as a fundraiser for bursaries to support student nurses. The message was to honour and express deep gratitude to all the exceptional nurses of our nation.

The Bachelor of Nursing first-year students participated as a group to support their peers and represent CPUT in this wonderful initiative.

“I took part in the Nurses Night Run for the first time and what an amazing experience it was. The run was well supported by non-nurses and quite a few student nurses and registered nurses as well and before the commencement of the run, we were greeted by a few special guests, including the Minister of Health in the Western Cape,” said first-year student, Keziah Dodgen.

“Overall, I had a positive and good experience as I enjoyed the route, got to meet new people and the view we had along the way has been another plus as well. I definitely see myself entering again next year.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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The Department of Nursing Science recently participated in a community engagement event at the Bishop Lavis Community Health Centre.

The aim was to facilitate staff development and to identify the needs of the community – an initiative driven by the Head of Department, Prof Karien Jooste, for the past six years.

“To assist in the patients’ nutritional needs, the staff members provided sandwiches and tea to the patients in the waiting area. This allowed the patients to have breakfast and safely consume their chronic medication, as many of the patients wake up early to attend the clinic and do not have time to eat.,” said Bridgette Lockett, Programme Coordinator for Primary Care Nursing.

Health education was provided by the lecturers and clinical mentors throughout the four areas of the clinic, as identified by the Facility Manager, Sr Rachel Carelse.

“Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus are two of the chronic disorders identified within this community. The health education specifically focused on Diabetes Mellitus. The patients were educated on how to monitor their blood glucose levels, how to take their prescribed medication and the importance of maintaining their health and well-being,” added clinical coordinator, Ursula Mafaro.

Carelse also discussed the initiatives in place to support the community in maintaining their health, e.g. community walks in the morning and healthcare workers delivering chronic medication to patients, thus ensuring their compliance.

The Bishop Lavis Community Health Centre has worked alongside the Department of Nursing Science in accommodating students for their placements during work-integrated learning. This includes both the undergraduate as well as the postgraduate programme, providing services to the community.

Written by CPUT News
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