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Knowledge and application of nursing ethical principles by nurses at Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital, Oshikoto region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master’s in Nursing ScienceThe role of nurses in health care settings has become more challenging and demanding
in contemporary times, compounded by shortage of resources for quality service
delivery. Nurses often find themselves in situations that demand knowledge and
competency in the application of ethical principles to provide professional care to
clients. The objectives of this study were therefore to assess and describe the
knowledge and application of ethical principles of respect for a person, non maleficence, beneficence and justice by nurses in providing care to patients and clients
and to determine the association between sociodemographic variables of the
respondents and the knowledge and application of these principles.
Two hundred and fifteen nurses consisting of 102 Registered and 113 Enrolled Nurses
working at Onandjokwe hospital participated in a quantitative, descriptive, analytical
and cross-sectional study. Majority (90%) of the respondents reported being trained
on ethics during their basic nursing training, 52% trained over 5 years ago, while about
10% received training on ethics during induction on employment and as in-service
training.
The study revealed poor knowledge of ethical principle of respect for a person or
autonomy by nurses regarding all variables assessed, except for the variable on the
provision of all information needed for the patient to make informed decision which
scored 70.2%. The average knowledge of ethical principle of respect for person by the
respondents in the current study is 42.0%. Correspondingly, the findings indicate poor
application of ethical principle of respect for person by the respondents with an
average of 27.9%.
The average knowledge of ethical principle of non-maleficence among the respondents
was low at (45.4%) aside that registered nurses demonstrated higher level of
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knowledge of the ethical principle of non-maleficence than enrolled nurses/midwives.
Longer working experience was also associated with higher knowledge of the ethical
principle of non-maleficence as indicated by a p-value of 0.01(p=0.01). The average
application of non-maleficence by the respondents was 54.8%. Although the registered
nurses/midwives appeared more knowledgeable than enrolled nurses/midwives on the
ethical principle of beneficence, the study findings revealed poor knowledge (48.8%)
and poor application (38.8%) of ethical principle of beneficence among the study
respondents. The average knowledge of ethical principle of justice among the
respondents was poor (40.5%), supported its poor applications (average 43.4%) among
the respondents, except for the variable about nurses’ personal attitudes which should
not influence patients’ care for which the respondents scored 60%. In conclusion, the
findings revealed poor knowledge of and poor application of ethics in practices by
nurse respondents at the study site.
The researcher therefore recommended regular refresher training of nurses on ethical
principles related to patient care, and strong leadership and support, by health care
management, including regular supervision and mentoring of nurses to provide
ethically sound care to patients and clients. The role of leadership and mentoring in
enhancing ethical-based care are areas for further studies on the subjec
An analysis on the challenges influencing the teaching of physical education in secondary schools in Lüderitz, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of educationThe primary purpose and aim of this study were to investigate the factors influencing
the teaching of Physical Education (PE) in secondary schools in Lüderitz, //Kharas
Region, Namibia. The study provided answers to the following research questions:
What are the challenges that influence the teaching of PE in secondary schools in
Lüderitz Namibia? What are the possible solutions to the challenges affecting the
teaching of PE in secondary schools in Lüderitz, Namibia?
Literature was reviewed by linking to the challenges influencing the teaching of PE
in secondary schools, and a survey research strategy was used. Three research
instruments were used in the collection of data; these instruments were open-ended
and closed-ended questionnaires and observation schedules. A total of 100 learners,
six (6) teachers, two (2) heads of departments and two (2) principals from two (2)
schools participated in the study. All participants completed open-ended and closed ended questionnaires. In addition, observation notes were also used to collect data.
From the results obtained, the study revealed that there are challenges in the teaching
of PE. These challenges, among others, include: lack of PE facilities at schools where
teaching of PE is supposed to take place, PE not being taught according to the Ministry
of Education, Arts and Culture’s programme or syllabus due to lack of teachers’
interest in the subject and lack of supervision from school management. Further, the
few available PE facilities are not adequate at the schools; there is a lack of PE
equipment; a lack of PE management; lack of PE study materials such as textbooks;
lack of interest and commitment among some teachers and students and lack of
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qualified PE teachers. Schools do not have trained PE teachers resulting in PE being
taught by teachers who do not have PE knowledge and PE teaching skills.
The study recommended the provision of PE facilities as well as PE equipment.
Teachers and learners should follow a program or syllabus put in place by the Ministry
of Education, Arts and Culture and not do random activities. Schools should employ
qualified PE teachers and provide more equipment for PE to support the teaching and
learning proces
Assessing savanna shrub roots deployment using radiogenic strontium isotopes in the North-Eastern Kalahari, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in GeographyThe belowground interaction between trees and grasses in the savanna biome and
mechanisms of moisture and nutrient uptake are poorly understood due to
methodological challenges. To fill this gap, this study tested the robustness of the
radiogenic strontium isotope method to study plant roots. The study was carried out at
a landscape level, in Northeastern, Namibia. Plant leaves of four randomly selected
shrubs and their 16 nearest neighborhood shrubs were collected within a 20 m x 20 m
plot for isotopic analysis. This was done to assess the method’s performance. The study
characterised the belowground structure and roots deployment of 17 of the 20 shrubs,
sampled for isotopic analysis. It also assessed soil isotope, soil physicochemical
properties, and the distribution of root biomass and density. Soil isotopes and soil
physicochemical properties were analysed in the laboratory from 50 samples taken
from five soil cores (10 cm interval, down to 1 m depth). A total of 450 soil samples
were taken from 45 soil cores, spaced 2.5 m in 5 transects to determine root density
and biomass. Data analysis was done in R.4.2.1. Results showed a relatively poor soil
nutrient at the study site, but a high concentration of nutrients was recorded in the first
50 cm soil profile, where 75% of the root biomass is invested. Comparable strontium
ratios were recorded along the soil profile, which did not vary significantly with soil
depth (p = 0.44). Results indicated that plants’ isotopic ratios are neither attributed to
rooting depths, nor to plant species. This study concluded that the isotope method lacks
precision to establish shrubs’ rooting depths for ecological studies. However, an
overlap between sampled plants and soils’ Sr ratios was recorded at the site, which
makes the results precise for studies with interest in geographical variations of isotopes
such as archaeology
Exploring the strategies used for teaching creative writing skills in grade 3: A case of two Namibian schools
No full textA dissertation submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of PhD in education (curriculum studies)Learners who do not master creative writing skills, risk possible failure because they cannot complete written assignments on time. In addition, writing is complex and requires thorough planning and problem solving. Research emphasises that those who struggle to write tend to remain behind; however, teachers find it challenging to teach writing effectively. The purpose of this research was to explore teachers’ perspectives on the strategies used for teaching creative writing in Grade 3. The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach, which used an exploratory case study design to obtain rich information from the participants. Purposive sampling was employed to recruit six Grade 3 teachers from two selected primary schools. Focus group interviews, classroom observations and document analysis were used to generate data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse data. The data revealed that teachers believed to be inadequately trained to teach creative writing effectively and they did not feel confident to teach it. The findings suggest that teachers believe they have little time to explore the use of evidence-based strategies. Their lack of diverse strategies influences the teaching of creative writing and its outcomes. The study proposes the development of an explicit writing curriculum and training therein so that the implemented curriculum is aligned with the intended curriculum, which currently is not the case in writing.
Keywords: Creative writing, Curriculum implementation, Self-regulation, Strategies, Teaching, Writing skills
Gendered experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 vaccinations: A case study of healthcare workers at Katutura Health Centre, in Khomas region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Degree of Masters of Arts in Gender and Development studiesHealthcare workers as frontline heroes in the COVID-19 pandemic were the first to be
considered for the COVID-19 vaccine. The study aimed to explore the perceptions and
experiences about COVID-19 vaccinations based on the gender of the healthcare
workers at the Katutura Health Centre. The objectives of the study were to explore the
perceptions about COVID-19 vaccinations; describe the experiences of healthcare
workers vaccinated at the Katutura Health Centre and examine how gender is
connected to how one experiences and perceives COVID-19 vaccinations. The study
was informed by a qualitative descriptive case study design, with a sample size of 22
participants out of a population of 104, using convenience sampling. A pilot study was
conducted but the results were not part of the main study. The data was collected using
semi-structured interviews. The data was transcribed and analysed using thematic
analysis. The principles of autonomy, beneficence, justice and non-maleficence were
applied to the study. Three themes emerged from the thematic analysis, namely; the
perception of healthcare workers on the COVID-19 vaccine, the experience of
healthcare workers on the COVID-19 vaccine, and the link between gender and
vaccine uptake. The findings were related to critical theory, which provided the basis
on which to explain how Health Care Workers (HCWs) perceived and experienced the
COVID-19 vaccine for themselves and the public. The findings conclude that HCWs
received their information from formal sources and social media. However, HCWs
understood the benefits of receiving the vaccine, which was also the factor that
prompted them to receive the vaccine. The process of receiving the vaccine was
described as fast and smooth. Yet, most experienced headaches and muscle pain as
side effects. The uptake of the vaccine was common amongst females, however, they
expressed fear of infertility and death as hindrances to receiving the vaccine. The study
recommended the development and conducting of training for HCWs focused on
benefits of vaccines, and vaccine safet
Estimating the relationship between health status and labour force participation in Namibia
No full textThesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in economicsThe relationship between health and labour force participation is of policy interest due
to the important role that health plays in economic development. Evidence suggests
that there is a positive relationship between good health status and labour force
participation. Using 2015/2016 Namibia Household Income and Expenditure Survey
(NHIES), a nationally representative household and individual dataset, this thesis
examines the relationship between health status and labour force participation in
Namibia, a country where such evidence is scarce. The study employed the probit
model to estimate the effect of health on the probability of participating in the labour
market. The analysis was further disaggregated to assess the relationship between
health status on labour force participation by gender. The results suggest that an
increase in the prevalence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure,
joint inflammation, cancer, cardiac disease, epilepsy, respiratory disease, stomach
ulcer, chronic kidney disease, and anaemia significantly reduces the probability of
labour force participation in Namibia. In addition, disabilities such as difficulty with
cleaning, difficulty with walking, difficulty with remembering, and difficulty with
hearing significantly reduce the probability of participating in the labour market. The
results also show that the effect of chronic illness and disabilities on the probability
of labour force participation varies by gender, with the magnitude of the effect
generally higher among men. Thus, strengthening current public health strategies or
policies that promote good health practices and health outcomes (tobacco and alcohol
control policies), thereby enhancing the probability of labour force participation in
Namibia. In addition, the promotion of exercising through the establishment of
community parks will foster health and labour force participatio
Indigenous knowledge of browse species and nutritional quality of dominant indigenous browse species in the Kavango West Region of Namibia
No full textThe objective of the study was to identify potential browse resources, and determine
the nutrient composition and in vitro digestibility of dominant indigenous browse species livestock feed on in the
KWR of Namibia. The findings are intended to guide policy on how best to assist these communities in meeting their
livestock feed requirements without competition with humansLivestock production is crucial to the livelihoods of rural Namibians but highly constrained by feed shortages due to
climate change and bush encroachment. The study investigated the grazing and feeding practices and indigenous
knowledge of browsable and non-browsable species by interviewing 30 small-scale farmers in the Kavango West Region.
It assessed the nutritive value for the three most commonly identified browsable species. The study observed that
livestock relies on communal rangeland, roadside, and riverside grazing, with supplements from crop residues during
the dry seasons. However, most farmers experience feed shortages mainly in the dry season, which results in decreased
livestock productivity. Farmers are knowledgeable on browsable and non-browsable woody species in their locality, but
most do not harvest pods, leaves and twigs to supplement their animals in the dry season, citing labour shortage, and
they are not aware that the bush species resources can be harvested and be used during seasons when feed resources are
scarce. The nutritive value analysis indicated that there is a need for strategic supplementation of the browsable species
for them to be effectively utilised as livestock feed, thus farmers must be capacitated on when and how to utilise these
species when herbaceous pasture grasses and legumes are senescent as well as how to harvest forage alongside rivers
and roads for stall feeding to avoid accidents. Our findings will be important for policy formulation in trying to come up
with better ways of mitigating the consequences of climate chang
Effects of feeding incremental levels of Spirulina platensis on feed intake and growth performance of Boschveld and Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken breeds
No full textThe objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of Spirulina platensis as a replacement for soybean meal on the feed intake and growth performance of Potchefstroom Koekoek and Boschveld chickens.spirulina is increasingly being used in feed manufacturing because of its high nutritional value, especially proteins, for
humans and animals. This study examined the feed intake and growth performance of Boschveld and Potchefstroom
Koekoek chicken breeds when soybean meal was substituted with incremental levels of Spirulina platensis. The experimental design was a 2×4 factorial with repeated measures over a 12-week period, with breed and diet as factors. The
experimental unit was a cage holding 3 birds, with 3 cages allocated to each breed-diet combination, hence 36 birds per
breed. The diets were: 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% using dried Spirulina platensis powder to replace soybean meal per 100 kg
of feed. Chickens fed control diet consumed more (P<0.05) feed than those fed Spirulina-containing diets. Diet affected
(P<0.0001) final weights (g) of the birds which were 1093.2, 921.6, 762.8 and 771.2 for 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% inclusion
levels of Spirulina platensis, respectively. Boschveld chickens had better average daily gain compared to Potchefstroom
Koekoek at week 15–16. Averaged over the 12 weeks, the control diet gave better (P<0.0001) average daily gain (9.42 g/d)
than the Spirulina-containing diets. Over the 12 weeks, the control diet had a more desirable (7.79 vs. 8.17, P=0.01) feed
conversion ratio than the Spirulina-containing diets Spirulina at a level of 5–10% can be used as a protein supplement
in indigenous chicken feeds because it resulted in growth performance close to control diet
Spatial frailty modelling for multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis mortality in Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in BiostatisticsThe !Xun San are one of the most marginalised people in the Okongo Community
Forest and Conservancy. Traditionally, their economic system largely centred on
hunting and gathering. The arrival of the bantu-speaking people in the San’s traditional
hunting grounds, however, changed their economic system and livelihoods as the
newcomers were primarily agro-pastoralists. For survival, the San were compelled to
adopt a new economic system based on farming and trading – economic activities
which they were not familiar with. The disruption of the San’s economic systems
negatively impacted on their livelihoods, driving most of them into poverty and
destitution. How the !Xun San have been affected, the challenges they face and their
survival strategies have not been adequately researched. Thus, this study sought to
assess the livelihood challenges amongst the !Xun San in the Okongo Community
Forest and Conservancy, Ohangwena region. The study adopted a qualitative approach
consisting of face-face in-depth interviews carried out with !Xun San households and
other key-informants in the area. The study findings indicated that the majority of the
!Xun San in the conservancy were experiencing acute levels of poverty, suffered high
levels of unemployment and lived in deplorable housing conditions. Their poverty
emanated from the fact that most did not own land and therefore could not productively
produce for themselves. In addition, the majority did not possess productive assets to
enhance their livelihoods. Those that could access land had no skills nor financial
capacity to participate fully in farming or other economic activities such as trading.
Being highly marginalised and vulnerable to poverty, the !Xun San in the conservancy
were resorting to participating in piecework, being engaged by the Owambo to do
various chores in return for money. This was, however, not yielding much returns
economically. A few others were engaging in brewing traditional beer to supplement
their income. Overall, the majority of the !Xun San were facing multiple material
deprivations. The study concluded that the material and socio-economic conditions of
the San were, in comparison to other population groups, precarious and require urgent
attention. The study recommends that government and non-governmental
organizations take a pro-active approach and put in place programmes to address the
economic and material challenges faced by the !Xun Sa
The experience of nurses worked at the covid-19 unit in intermediate hospital Oshakati, Oshana region, Namibia
No full textA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of public healthThe Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) is the world’s most significant public health
emergency. Nurses, essential members of the COVID-19 patient care team, are facing
the majority of the problems brought on by the disease. To enhance the quality of care
provided to COVID-19 patients, this study explored the experience of nurses who
worked at the COVID-19 unit in Intermediate Hospital Oshakati, Oshana Region,
Namibia. The study employed an exploratory and descriptive research design with a
qualitative approach to the population of thirty-five nurses who worked at the COVID 19 unit in Intermediate Hospital Oshakati during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purposive
sampling was used to select eight participants for data saturation. A semi-structured
interview was used for data collection, and a tape recorder was utilized to capture the
data. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis using the six steps proposed by
Creswell (2014). Findings were presented in themes and subthemes for better
comprehension. Ethical considerations were observed, such as approval, the principle
of justice, confidentiality, privacy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. The analysis of
the data revealed four themes and fourteen subthemes: A) positive experiences
(learning, patient treatment and recovery, and patient management); B) negative
experiences (worry and fear of death of patients, trauma development, and
socialization experiences); C) lack of equipment, staff shortage, and challenges with
communication with family; and D) psychological support, increase in supply of
equipment, and increase in staff members. The study concludes that nurses who
participated in this study had both negative and positive experiences and faced
challenges. Recommendations include that health officials and hospital management
should pay special attention to the challenges and needs of the nurses. They should act
as advocates, ensuring that government and healthcare administrators provide nurses
who provided care such as favorable working conditions, sufficient funding, and the
motivation to carry out their duties skillfully and effectivel