| Summary: | A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Medicine,
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for the
Degree of Master of Science in nursing.
Johannesburg 1985 === This is a descriptive study of patient care in six
selected adult wards of a 200C-bed academic hospital. The
observational method was used, and the Quality Patient
Care Scale (Qualpacs), designed to measure the quality of
nursing received by patients while the care is in
progress, was the instrument used.
The objectives of the study wc.e:
(1) to accumulate quantitative and qualitative data in
order to identify the nature of the patient care
activities and to form an opinion about the quality
of care;
(ii) to evaluate the measuring instrument.
The observations were carried out in 3 surgical and 3
medical wards over 6 weeks, with 3 consecutive midweek
mornings spent in each ward. The 2 hour observation
periods were 8h00-10h00 and I0h30-12h30. Altogether 54
patients were observed, and II repeat observations were
carried out, giving a total of 65 observations.
Co-observers concurrently observed 4 3 of them.
A considerable amount of data was collected. This was
processed to produce information about the nature of the
patient care activities, the time fluctuations of the
activities, and the caregiver involvement in them. The
Qualpacs scale yielded scores which were used to form an
opinion about the standard of care. Computer analyses
were included in this aspect of the data processing. In
addition, tests were carried out to assess the reliability
of the scale.
From the data the candidate was able to draw conclusions
about the nature of the patient care activities, the time
and caregiver dimensions of care, and the standard of
care. She also evaluated the research Instrument, and
made recommendations for its future use in the hospital
setting.
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