No abstract

ScholarshipScholarly activities a b s t r a c t Background: The nursing profession needs nurses with a higher level of education and not

Escalating adolescent pregnancy and risky sexual behaviour is becoming more common amongst young adolescents and especially amongst black adolescents in South Africa. Statistics confirm that South African adolescents as young as fourteen are already sexually active and become pregnant. The decision to become sexually active with resulting adolescent pregnancy whether planned or not, are directly influenced by the teenager’s beliefs. A person’s beliefs consist of a person’ own individual beliefs or attitude as well as what the individual subjective norm which the individual perceive as other people’s beliefs regarding the same object of reason. The aim of the study was to describe the attitude of black grade six learners under the age of fourteen, towards adolescent pregnancy and sex. A quantitative descriptive research design was used. Results were clustered according to demographic variables as well as beliefs that consist of attitude and subjective norm.

There are challenges related to collaboration among health professionals in resource-limited settings. Continuing Interprofessional Education initiatives grounded on workplace dynamics, structure and the prevailing attitudes and biases of targeted health professionals may be a vehicle to develop collaboration among health professionals. Workplace dynamics are revealed as health professionals interact. We argue that insights into the interaction patterns of health professionals in the workplace could provide guidance for improving the design and value of CIPE initiative. The study was conducted through rapid ethnography and data were collected from non-participant observations. The data were transcribed and analysed through an inductive iterative process. Appropriate ethical principles were applied throughout the study. Three themes emerged namely “Formed professional identities influencing interprofessional interaction”, “Diversity in communication networks and approaches” and “Professional practice and care in resource limited contexts”. This study revealed poor interaction patterns among health professionals within the workplace. These poor interaction patterns were catalyzed by the pervasive professional hierarchy, the protracted health professional shortages, limited understanding of professional roles and the lack of a common language of communication among the health professionals. Several recommendations were made regarding the design and development of Continuing Interprofessional Education initiatives for resource-limited settings.