Funder: The Johnson and Johnson Foundation

Project Overview

The mental health leadership development project aimed to build leadership capacity and equip professionals working with patients who present with mental health conditions with skills to care, advocate, and implement change using evidence-based interventions. The project’s objectives were to identify mental health needs in patients, families, and communities in selected provincial facilities, and to build interprofessional mental health teams while developing their leadership skills to address common mental health challenges. The beneficiaries included healthcare providers and their teams, as well as patients, families, and communities. The project was significant in that it was designed to improve mental healthcare by equipping healthcare providers with the skills to identify mental health needs early, thereby providing more comprehensive care. Additionally, it fostered collaboration through the establishment of interprofessional mental health teams. The duration of the project was 10 months.

 Activities

• A call for proposals sent out for prospective organisations to apply.
• Prospective organisations presented their proposals on an identified mental health issue.
• Implementation of the Kouzes and Posner model of leadership framework though interactive workshops.
• Awarding of seed funding to the selected organisation to train 30 community care givers in eThekwini and iLembe Districts of KwaZulu Natal on identifying and assisting persons living with Schizophrenia

Outcomes

• Improved capacity of healthcare providers in identify mental health needs in patients, families, and communities.
• Improved teamwork and communication among diverse healthcare providers.
• Enhanced collaboration and established mental health teams within the communities and facilities.

 Expected impact

The project will transform mental healthcare by enabling earlier diagnoses and interventions through improved needs identification and empowering mental health professionals to drive positive change and foster a community-based approach.

Funder: Johnson and Johnson Foundation

Project Overview

The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project aimed at strengthening the competency of nurse educators in South Africa. The objectives of the project were to identify gaps in EBP among nurse educators in both public and private nursing education institutions prior to project implementation and to provide nurse educators with knowledge, skills and tools needed for the implementation of EBP. The beneficiaries of the project were nurse educators in both public and private nursing education institutions, the multidisciplinary health professionals and the community. The Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project will significantly improve nursing education and healthcare in South Africa by identifying and addressing gaps in EBP among nurse educators, enhancing the quality of nursing education, preparing graduates for evidence-based care, and ultimately benefiting healthcare professionals and the community. The project was conducted over one year.

Activities

• Identifying gaps in EBP among nurse educators in both public and private nursing education institutions prior to project implementation.
• Conducting a series of EBP online training workshops .

Outcomes

To equip nurse educators with knowledge and skills to apply evidence-based practice (EBP) in teaching, learning, guiding, and assessing students during teaching and learning.

Expected impact

Improved quality of nursing education and training, preparing graduates to deliver evidence-based care, ultimately improving healthcare and health outcomes for communities. The focus on educator skills ensures EBP’s sustainable integration into nursing education.

Funder: Amalgamated Banks of South Africa (ABSA), Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) and the Department of Health (DoH)

Project Overview

The project aimed to train and empower nurses with the knowledge to care for patients in high acuity and other units where patients were assessed and/or admitted. The project also equipped nurses with knowledge of where to seek help or refer peers for treatment and mental health support. The objectives of the project was to conduct online training workshops to nurses across the nine provinces in South Africa with knowledge and skills to care for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 virus and be able to protect themselves through safe practice as they administered care. The beneficiaries of the project were nurses from practice and education in both public and private nursing education institutions. The project will capacitate nurses with knowledge and skills on infection control for COVID-19 virus and/or any other airborne infectious diseases.

Activities

• Development of training manuals (facilitators and participant) and workbooks
• Conducting online workshops

Outcomes

• Improved knowledge and skills on the care and management of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 virus.
• Improved knowledge on the management of infectious airborne diseases.

Expected Impact

The project is expected to significantly improve nursing care and patient outcomes. By training nurses in COVID-19 care and infection control.

Publications

There was one publication that emanated from the care and management of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection project.

Funder: Johnson And Johnson Foundation

Project Overview

The project was developed in response to the need to assist nurse educators to utilise digital technology to enable them to meet the teaching and learning needs of nursing students and to meet the competency and standards set by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) which are internationally comparable. The objectives of the project were to conduct a gap analysis of the current education and training needs of nurse educators in South Africa, identify competencies that need strengthening, develop strategies to strengthen the competency of nurse educators in innovative teaching and learning and empower nurse educators with technological skills and enable digital learning. The beneficiaries of the project were nurse Educators in South Africa. The project may enhance the competency of nurse educators in South Africa through targeted training. The project was conducted over one year.

 Activities

• Conducting a gap analysis.
• Conducting a co-creation workshop.
• Conducting a series of nurse educator capacity building workshops.

Outcomes

• A co-created solution including requirements that inform the design and development of an upskilling programme for nurse educators in South Africa is developed.
• Improved collaboration between providers of nursing education, funders, partners, stakeholders and nurse educators through the co-creation workshop.
• Nurse educators who are equipped with knowledge and skills to apply innovative teaching and learning strategies including the use of technology in preparing, teaching, guiding and assessing students during teaching and learning.

Expected Impact

The expected impact includes enhanced competency of nurse educators in effectively utilizing digital technology as well as improved teaching quality and learning experiences, leading to better health outcomes by a competent health workforce.

Funder: National Research Fund (NRF)

Project Overview

The PLUME project was a structured and designed to support nursing schools to develop research programmes. The project aimed to build a research culture in nursing, build nursing research capacity, develop research programmes, and lead researchers who will ensure the continuity and sustainability of nursing research in university nursing schools. The objective of the project was to build a research culture in nursing, build nursing research capacity, develop research programmes, and lead researchers who will ensure continuity and sustainability of nursing research in university nursing schools. The beneficiaries of the project were academic nurse researcher identified by a university’s nursing department. The project will develop lead researchers who will not only create research intensive programmes in their schools, but also enhance their own skills, working towards obtaining NRF scientific rating. The project was conducted over seven years.

Activities

• Call for proposals sent out.
• Recruitment of PLUME Fellows and appointment of mentors.
• Conducting of capacitation workshops for the fellows.
• Release of tranches to PLUME Fellows.

Outcomes

• Improved quality of post graduate supervision and expansion of research collaborations and networks.
• Enabling platforms for research development and training of postgraduate students.
• Increased outputs in terms of research publications and more nurse researchers working to attain NRF rating.
• Improved research culture and research capacity in nursing education institutions.

Expected Impact

The project will lay the foundation for continued growth and development of nursing research capacity in  the participating schools. It will empower lead researchers to obtain NRF ratings, cultivate a positive research culture in nursing by recognising achievements and milestones like publications, presentations, and grants.

Publications

There were 43 publications that emanated from the PLUME project.

Funder: Elma Foundation

Project Overview

FUNDISA has strengthened its organizational capacity with the aim of sustaining its core function in line with corporate governance structures through recruitment of relevant skills and ongoing skills development for FUNDISA staff. This ensures that FUNDISA structures are aligned with King III requirements for corporate governance and the independent code of governance for Non-Governmental Organizations. The objective of the project was to strengthen organizational capacity through recruitment of relevant skills and ongoing skills development for FUNDISA staff. The beneficiaries of the project are FUNDISA staff. The significance of the project is that it results in improved efficiency and effectiveness as it equips its workforce to operate more efficiently and effectively and strengthens FUNDISA’s long-term capacity.

Activities

• In-service training workshops
• Continuous professional development
• Outsourced external training

Outcomes

Strengthened organizational capacity through recruitment of relevant skills and ongoing skills development for FUNDISA staff.

Expected Impact

This project is expected to enhance FUNDISA’s efficiency and effectiveness by strengthening organizational capacity, aligning with governance standards, and investing in continuous staff training, thereby improving performance, credibility, and sustainability.

Funder: Atlantic Philanthropies

Project Overview

The Connecting and Leading Research, Education, and Practice through Support and Capacity Building in Nursing (CLEARSCAN) project aimed to strengthen and transform nursing research, education, and practice by providing technical support and capacity building in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes which will enable nurses to improve health outcomes. The project’s objectives included establishing a capacity building program, supporting nursing schools in leveraging resources, creating networks for knowledge sharing, developing research programs, exploring strategies to attract quality recruits into nursing, and creating a knowledge translation unit to utilize scientific evidence. Beneficiaries were university nursing departments, which will gain enhanced knowledge, skills, and evidence-based practices. The significance of CLEARSCAN stems from its potential to transform nursing education and practice by building capacity, offering support, and fostering networks to improve health outcomes. The project was conducted over three years.

Activities

• Capacity building workshops and develop a website with an open-source content management system.
• Develop strategic plan and conduct feasibility study.
• Project management and continuous professional development .

Outcomes

• Improved quality of nursing education and training and increased research capacity in nursing schools.
• Improved interprofessional collaboration and creation of platforms for nurses to connect, share best practices, and learn from each other.
• Enhanced utilisation of scientific evidence in nursing education, practice, and research.

Expected Impact

The CLEARSCAN project anticipates improved nursing education, research, and evidence-based practice, leading to better health outcomes through improved health outcomes through more knowledgeable, skilled, and well-supported nursing professionals.

Partnerships/collaborations: FUNDISA in collaboration with (ICAP)

Project Overview

The Nurse Education Partnership Initiative (NEPI) aimed to address the critical shortage of healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa by enhancing the quality and capacity of nurses and midwives. ICAP and FUNDISA supported nursing school faculty and staff to design skills laboratory that address population health needs, and provided in-country training in scenario development, competency evaluation, and skills lab management. Implemented in the DRC, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, and South Africa. The training was provided by four nursing schools affiliated to FUNDISA  the project trained faculty from four affiliated nursing schools (University of KwaZulu-Natal, the University of Cape Town, the University of the Western Cape, and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University). The project aimed to provide technical expertise to selected Nursing and Midwifery schools in 5 NEPI countries for developing clinical simulation-based education, creating preceptorship programs, advising on clinical simulation lab plans, resources, and monitoring tools, and evaluating clinical simulation effectiveness. The beneficiaries of the project were the university Nursing Departments. The project addressed the nursing shortage in sub-Saharan Africa by equipping universities with resources for advanced clinical simulation training and by bolstering on-the-job learning through improved preceptorship programs.

 Activities

• Environmental scan in nursing schools in supported countries to determine baseline inventory simulation resources, required infrastructure development or enhancement, the Nurse Educators’ capacity and/or lack of.
• Conduct analysis of existing preceptor programmes and circulate findings.
• Provide technical expertise in the development of a competency-based clinical laboratory and resources in selected nursing institutions.

Outcomes

• Provision of technical expertise to selected schools of Nursing and Midwifery in 5 NEPI countries in the development of clinical simulation-based education with appropriate simulation-based teaching/learning resources and methodologies.
• Provision of technical expertise in the development of a preceptorship program for country adaptation.
• Provision of advice to selected schools in developing clinical simulation laboratory plans, resources, and monitoring tool.
• Implementation of clinical simulation scenarios and evaluating the effectiveness of clinical simulation.

 Expected Impact

The project is expected to improve nursing education quality through enhanced clinical simulation-based training and strengthen preceptorship programs, resulting in a more skilled and competent nursing workforce in sub-Saharan Africa.

Funder: Atlantic Philanthropies

Partnership/collaborators: Nursing Education Association (NEA)

Project Overview

The project aimed to provide project management services to KZNCN inclusive of capacity building and the development and implementation of the college’s strategic plan 2013-2018. The objectives of the project were to provide project management services to KZNCN, develop college’s strategic plan 2013-2018 and implement college’s strategic plan 2013-2018. The beneficiaries of the project were KZNCN nursing academics. The significance of the project was resided in its potential to enhance organizational efficiency and provide clear strategic direction for KZNCN through improved project management services and the implementation of the strategic plan. Additionally, it offers valuable project management training for nursing academics, contributing to better academic and operational outcomes. The duration of the project was one year.

Activities

• Strategic planning sessions.
• Project management training.
• Progress tracking sessions.

Outcomes

• Provision of project management services to KZNCN.
• Development of KZNCN’s strategic plan 2013-2018.
• Implementation college’s strategic plan 2013-2018.

Expected impact

Enhanced organizational efficiency and clear strategic direction for KZNCN through improved project management and strategic plan implementation, resulting in better academic and operational outcomes for nursing academics

Funder: Elma Foundation

Project Overview

The cervical cancer screening project involved conducting a cluster randomized controlled trial of interventions aimed to enhance cervical cancer screening uptake in South Africa. The objective of project was to conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial of interventions to enhance cervical cancer screening uptake in South Africa. The beneficiaries of the project were women of reproductive age. The significance of the project was to increase the uptake of cervical cancer screening. 

Activities

• Conducting workshops to inform women about the importance of cervical cancer screening.
• Providing specialized training for nurses and healthcare workers on cervical cancer screening techniques and patient communication.

 Outcomes

Enhanced cervical cancer screening uptake in South Africa.

Expected Impact

Earlier diagnosis of cervical cancer and better treatment outcomes may ultimately lead to a reduction in cervical cancer rates, thereby improving overall public health.

Cohort 1: 2011 -2013 Cohort 2: 2014- 2016

Funder: Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) and Johnson and Johnson (Paediatric Institute LLC and Johnson Corporate Contributions)

Project Overview

The Maternal – Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy aimed to equip maternal-child health nurses and midwives to effectively lead inter-professional teams to improve the quality of healthcare for childbearing women and children up to 5 years old in a variety of health care settings. The project was piloted in South Africa in 2012-2013. Based on the success of the pilot in the North-West Province and the first cohort in Africa, inclusive of Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland and Uganda, the funders continued to support a second cohort. The objective of the project was to improve the quality of healthcare for childbearing women and children up to 5 years old in a variety of health care settings. The project will equip nurses and midwives to lead interprofessional teams, fostering collaboration and improving care coordination, especially for childbearing women and children up to 5 years old in a variety of health care settings. The beneficiaries of the project were maternal-child health nurses and midwives in positions of influence.

Activities

Project management

Outcomes

Improvement in the quality of healthcare for childbearing women and children up to 5 years old in a variety of health care settings

Expected Impact

The improved quality of healthcare is expected to lead to better health outcomes for childbearing women and young children, including reduced mortality rates, improved maternal and child health indicators, and overall enhanced well-being.

Publication

An article was published from the Maternal – Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy (MCHNLA) – STTI project.

Introduction and Background

The UNESDA was funded by AP (Atlantic Philanthropies), ELMA Philanthropies and involved six (6) institutions who identified individual projects in response to the overall aim of UNEDSA which were to enhance the quality of nursing scholarship and practice. The institutions were: Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Fort Hare (UFH), University of the Free State (UFS), University of the Western Cape (UWC), University of Pretoria (UP) and University of Limpopo Medunsa Campus (ULMC).

Objectives

• Facilitate the transformation of nursing and strengthen research, clinical practice, and nursing education.
• Improve the quality of nursing education and research.
• Improve the quality of nursing clinical practice.
• Enhance the status of nursing professionals, and advance nursing practice.

Target Population

University Nursing Departments

Outcomes

• Facilitation of the transformation of nursing and strengthen research, clinical practice, and nursing education.
• Improvement of the quality of nursing education and research.
• Improvement the quality of nursing clinical practice.
• Enhanced status of nursing professionals, and advance nursing practice.

Publication

A publication emanated from the University based nursing education South Africa (UNEDSA) project.