Minimum competencies for the diploma in non-nursing operating department assistance in South Africa

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Date
2015-07
Authors
Botha, Margaretha Jansje
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: A new era in the operating room science saw the light with the implementation of the diploma in non-nursing Operating Department Assistance in South Africa. This diploma is currently presented in a private hospital group in South Africa. The training was necessitated by the shortage of operating room nurses in South Africa. The Operating Department Assistants (ODAs) undergo a three year diploma course that is accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on a National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 6. The ODAs are not registered with any statuary body and the minimum competencies have not been set for this Allied Health category. In this research the minimum competencies for the diploma in non-nursing Operating Department Assistance in South Africa was agreed upon, by making use of the Delphi Technique to gain consensus on the competencies. A quantitative research design was used for this research. The study was conducted in three phases. In phase one, respondents were asked to list the competencies they expected from the ODAs after completion of their diploma in the clinical setting. At the same time competencies listed in literature were identified via a literature search. These two lists of competencies were combined into a data sheet compiled from those competencies that were agreed upon. A second data sheet was then compiled, with the agreed competencies listed in alphabetical order which the respondents had to rank according to importance. In the third and last data sheet, all competencies that were agreed upon that attained an average aggregate of 70% and higher, were listed alphabetically and respondents had to indicate their agreement of the competencies. Results were listed according to knowledge in the pre-, intra, and post-operative phases. These included knowledge regarding the preparation of the operating room, correct handling of instruments, and the correct handover of the patient to the post-anaesthesia care personnel. Some of the skills that were listed in the pre-, intra-, and post-operative phases include the checking for correct functioning of equipment used during surgery, application of aseptic and sterile technique, and the management of specimens. The peri-operative attitudes that were listed included honesty, respectfulness, positivity, professionalism, respect for patients and colleagues, and surgical conscience. The results of the study were finally compiled and recommendations were made to facilities responsible for the training of the Operating Department Assistants.
Afrikaans: Met inisiëring van die diploma in nie-verpleging Operasie Departement Assistering het Suid-Afrika ‘n nuwe era in die operasiekamer wetenskap betree. Opleiding vir hierdie diploma word huidig deur ‘n enkele privaat hospitaalgroep in Suid-Afrika aangebied. Die opleiding is genoodsaak deur die tekort in operasiekamer verpleegkundiges in Suid-Afrika. Die Operasie Departement Assistent (ODA) ondergaan ‘n drie jaar diploma kursus wat deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Kwalifikasie Outoriteit (SAQA) op vlak ses van die Nasionale Kwalifikasie Raamwerk (NQF) erken word. Die ODA word tans nie deur enige statutêre liggaam geregistreer nie, en die minimum vaardighede van hierdie aanvullende gesondheidskategorie is nog nooit vasgestel nie. In hierdie navorsing word ‘n konsensus-opinie oor die minimum vaardighede vir die diploma in nie-verpleging Operasie Departement Assistering vir Suid-Afrika met die hulp van die Delphi Tegniek bespreek. ‘n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is vir die navorsing aangewend. Die studie is in drie fases onderneem. In fase een is die deelnemers gevra om die vaardighede te lys wat hulle van die ODA na voltooiing van die diploma in die kliniese plasing sou verwag. Terselfdertyd is vaardighede wat in die literatuur uitgewys word identifiseer. Die twee lyste van vaardighede is in ‘n enkele datalys saamgevat. ‘n Tweede datalys met die vaardighede in alfabetiese volgorde is daarna saamgestel. Hieruit moes die deelnemers die saamgevoegde vaardighede volgens belang rangskik. In die derde en laaste datalys is vaardighede met ‘n gemiddelde konsensus van 70% en hoër alfabeties gerangskik, en moes die deelnemers hul instemming met die belang van die individuele vaardighede aandui. Die resultate hiervan is volgens kennis van die pre-, intra- en post-operatiewe fases van operasiekamersorg gelys, en sluit in kennis aangaande voorbereiding van die operasie kamer, korrekte hantering van instrumente en die korrekte oorhandiging van die pasiënt aan die post-narkose sorg personeel. Sommige van die vaardighede van die pre-, intra- en post-operatiewe fases sluit ook in die kontrolering van die korrekte funksionering van toerusting tydens chirurgie, toepassing van aseptiese en steriele tegniek, en die hantering van monsters. Die peri-operatiewe houdings wat gelys is omvat aspekte soos eerlikheid, respek, positiwiteit, professionalisme, respek vir pasiënte en kollegas, asook chirurgiese integriteit. Ten laaste is die resultate van die navorsing saamgevat om aanbevelings daaroor aan enige betrokke ODA-opleidingsfasiliteite te mag maak.
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Keywords
Operating Department Assistants, Operating Room, Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, Attitude, Pre-operative, Intra-operative, Post-operative, Peri-operative, Delphi technique, Quantitative method, Nurses -- Education -- South Africa, Nurses -- Training of -- South Africa, Operating room nursing, Dissertation (M.Soc.Sc. (Nursing))--University of the Free State, 2015
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