Other Titles
Building a Practice in Nursing and Health Care
Abstract
Session presented on Monday, July 27, 2015:
Purpose: Health professionals constitute an essential element to ensuring fulfillment of the right to health, however, human rights education without context and application has limited potential to create an environment in which the patient's human rights can be respected, promoted and protected. Human rights education contributes to protecting the dignity of all human beings and to building societies where human rights are valued and respected (World Programme for Human Rights Education Training, 2012). In South Africa such training was identified in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report as an essential component of health professional curricula. In a multicultural society with the legacy of apartheid still very evident, health professionals need an understanding of the linkages between human rights and health, be able identify the human rights violations in their health care settings and be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes which will enable them to take appropriate action. In response to the need for nurses to be competent and confident take a rights based approach to care, a module in health and human rights is a core component of the curriculum for the postgraduate Diploma in Nursing at the University of Cape Town. This module aims to equip postgraduate nursing students with the necessary skills, attitudes and knowledge to promote human rights and facilitate change in their clinical practice. This paper will report on an evaluation of the human rights training and nurses' response to this over a period of ten years since 2005.
Methods: A survey using a self administered questionnaire, followed by interviews conducted with purposively sampled participants who consented to describe the challenges and barriers of putting human rights principles into practice, and have been instrumental in effecting positive changes. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the institutional ethics committee. Participants' rights were respected at all times.
Results: (preliminary): A number of barriers and challenges were identified which include structural, practice and lack of support for change. Final results will be presented.
Conclusion: Despite training nurses do need support to effect positive change in practice. Knowledge alone does not equip nurses to change practice unless there is sufficient buy-in from the institution. Recommendations for education and practice will be presented.
Sigma Membership
Unknown
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Human Rights, Nursing Education, Health
Recommended Citation
Mayers, Pat M., "Knowledge and application of human rights principles in nursing practice" (2016). INRC (Congress). 347.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2015/presentations_2015/347
Conference Name
26th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Conference Year
2015
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Knowledge and application of human rights principles in nursing practice
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Session presented on Monday, July 27, 2015:
Purpose: Health professionals constitute an essential element to ensuring fulfillment of the right to health, however, human rights education without context and application has limited potential to create an environment in which the patient's human rights can be respected, promoted and protected. Human rights education contributes to protecting the dignity of all human beings and to building societies where human rights are valued and respected (World Programme for Human Rights Education Training, 2012). In South Africa such training was identified in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report as an essential component of health professional curricula. In a multicultural society with the legacy of apartheid still very evident, health professionals need an understanding of the linkages between human rights and health, be able identify the human rights violations in their health care settings and be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes which will enable them to take appropriate action. In response to the need for nurses to be competent and confident take a rights based approach to care, a module in health and human rights is a core component of the curriculum for the postgraduate Diploma in Nursing at the University of Cape Town. This module aims to equip postgraduate nursing students with the necessary skills, attitudes and knowledge to promote human rights and facilitate change in their clinical practice. This paper will report on an evaluation of the human rights training and nurses' response to this over a period of ten years since 2005.
Methods: A survey using a self administered questionnaire, followed by interviews conducted with purposively sampled participants who consented to describe the challenges and barriers of putting human rights principles into practice, and have been instrumental in effecting positive changes. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the institutional ethics committee. Participants' rights were respected at all times.
Results: (preliminary): A number of barriers and challenges were identified which include structural, practice and lack of support for change. Final results will be presented.
Conclusion: Despite training nurses do need support to effect positive change in practice. Knowledge alone does not equip nurses to change practice unless there is sufficient buy-in from the institution. Recommendations for education and practice will be presented.