Operational Nurse Managers’ Perspectives towards Community Service Nurses' Transition into Professional Nurse Role

Abstract

Mthokozisi Zulu*, LA Snell-Hillermann and TSP Ngxongo

Background: Operational nurse managers play a significant role in community service nurses towards becoming fully fledged professional nurse, this is more so because the community service nurses are still neophytes and require guidance and support. Community service nurses still requires supervision, mentoring and support from operational nurse manager in assuming their new role. Hence the government of South Africa introduced community service placement for selected health professions in South Africa as strategy by the National Department of Health to improve on the number of health workers more especially in previously under-served areas so as to ensure better access to quality healthcare.

Methods: A qualitative study was followed, supported by cross-sectional, contextual, explorative and descriptive approaches, these approaches to this chosen method were supported by the Schlossberg Transition theory which was used to underpin the study as a whole. Data were collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews with seven Community service nurses, five Professional nurses and five Operational Nurse Managers in 10 KwaZulu-Natal Hospitals between December 2024 and January 2025 following Ethics clearance (IREC NO 216/24) by the institutional Research committee for the relevant academic institution.

Results: The study gave birth to five themes after data collection was completed, the themes were interpersonal relationships, clear Community service nurse guidance and support, consistent clinical exposure, resource availability and adequate incentives all of which led to negative experiences of Community service nurses during their transition from student to Professional Nurse.

Conclusions: The findings from the study revealed that the operational nurse managers had a significant role to play in the transition of community service nurses from student to professional nurse.

Trial Registration: Not Applicable.

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