The perceptions of professional nurses regarding the implementation of staff development programmes in a public hospital in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

Article: This article addresses the topic of staff development programmes and how it is being implemented in a public hospital in Gauteng. This research is important because the National Department of Health in South Africa views staff development programmes as a national priority, it features in the National Core Standards for quality. Readers of an article of this nature will most probably be managers, and generally individuals who are interested in staff Development and improving the provision of patient care. The study from which this article originates was a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. Data was collected by means of focus group interviews with a purposive sample of professional nurses who were identified from staff development attendance lists and who were willing to participate in the study. Data was analysed using Tesch’s method of qualitative data analysis. The findings of the larger study on which this article is based revealed two main themes namely that of ineffective management practices and negative staff attitudes towards the implementation of staff development programmes. Recommendations were made towards effective management practices to facilitate the implementation of staff development programmes. This will assist planners and managers of staff development programmes to encourage nurses, and to show them the value of staff development