Abstract

Skill acquisition is the process through which people attain mastery of the basics of a task with the aim to render services for financial freedom. Objectives, to assess nursing student’s knowledge on skill acquisition, to assess nursing students’ knowledge on factors affecting skill acquisitions, to assess nursing students’ knowledge on challenges face.

In the acquisition of skill. Method and material. The study was a cross-sectional research design, with a sample population of 384 participants who were selected using a stratified sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was a well-structured questionnaire.

Results, sample sizes of 384 participants were used in the study which were 245 (64%) females and 139 (36%) males. The age group range from 21-33years. Based on objective one, 74% of participants out of 384 gave the definition of skill acquisition and 26% had no knowledge on skill acquisition, based on objective 2, 55% (187) out of 384 had knowledge on factors affecting skill acquisition.

While 45% had little or no knowledge on skill acquisition, based on objective 3, 261 (68%) out of 384 were not knowledgeable on the challenges faced by nursing students during skill acquisition while 32% were knowledgeable. In conclusion, students had little but not adequate knowledge on skill acquisition.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

This chapter will be talking about background, the problem of the statement, general objective, specific objectives, research questions, the significance of the study, the scope of study, and the definition of terms.

1.1 Background.

Nursing education attained a formal status in the 1860s and that is where Florence Nightingale comes in. Many associates the history of nursing with Florence Nightingale alone, as she became a worldwide symbol for her services to nursing.  She was the one responsible for setting up the first nurse training school at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, in 1860.

Florence Nightingale devised a complete curriculum on nursing practices and for the first time, nursing education was defined. This was the point that nursing was being taken seriously by the world. In 1885, Japan came with the first nursing institute, and the next year the United States followed.  Today, nursing has become a major industry with many areas of specialization. (Adelaide Nutting et al  1912)

The novice to expert model was introduced into nursing by Dr. Patricia Benner in 1982 and discussed how nurses develop skills and understanding of patient care over time. Dr. Benner’s novice to expert model was derived from the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition and adapted to provide a more objective way for evaluating the progress of nursing skills and subjects (Dale et al.,2013).

The model essentially discusses how an individual begins in the novice stage and, as new skills and knowledge are gained, progresses through a number of stages to end in the expert realm. The five stages of proficiency in the novice to the expert model are a novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert (Benner, 2013).

However, the need for nurses expanded with the world wars in the twentieth century, and many nurses were required to begin providing care without adequate training. Since this time, education institutions for nurses have continued to expand. The profession has also branched out into various specializations with further education in particular fields of nursing care, such as pediatrics or oncology. (Yolanda Smith., 2019).

Clinical training which is part of nursing education takes place in hospitals, other health care institutions, communities, and homes under the direction and supervision of trained personnel in the nursing profession. Clinical training as an integral part of nursing education prepares student nurses with the ability of “doing” as well as “knowing” the clinical principles in nursing practice. (Fifz-Patrick., 2006).

There are 27.9 million nurses around the world, an increase of 4.7 million between 2013 and 2018. Over 80% of those nurses are found in countries that account for half of the world’s population. (W.H.O.,) Low and lower-middle-income countries, where the growth in the number of nurses is barely keeping pace with population growth, are suffering the most acute shortages.

The report estimates that these countries need a further 5.3 million nurses to meet their requirements. Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa have fewer than 20 nurses for 10,000people. Nurses represent more than 50% of the healthcare providers in Tanzania  Regulations for and education of nurses have changed throughout history.

After World War I, Tanzania became a British colony, and regulations for nurses and midwives were set by the Colonial government. ‘Modern’ nursing as is practiced today, was introduced into Tanzania mostly by missionary societies and was based on Florence Nightingale principles.

These principles include the premises that nursing is an art and a science, that teaching is an important aspect of nursing, and that prevention is better than cure. (Ministry of health and social welfare 2019).

Cameroon is one of the African nations experiencing a crisis in human resources for health. There are approximately 1.1 physicians and 7.8 nurses and midwives per 10,000 population (WHO., 2010). According to Mubushar S. (2008), the percentage of Nurses is 62.45% female and 37.53% male with the ratio of 1.26:1 respectively. Ills for adequate nursing practice.

This research will be carried out on the topic of Assessing attributing factors hindering the acquisition of skills by student nurses in some selected nursing institutions in Buea (BUIB and RHIMBS) from October 2020 to March 2021 with 384 nursing student during this study time as participants.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The training of nurses involves both theory and practical teaching, and both components are important in the equipping of nurses with the knowledge, attitude in relation to clinical skills in order to bring about competencies to provide quality care. (Konso,et al 2016).

But putting these factors together (theory and practical teaching), the researcher has witnessed during her clinical,  nurses who are not able to carry out nursing procedures such as catheterization, aseptic wound dressing, drug administration, insertion of NG tubes (Naso Gastric Tube ) not to talk of circumcisions where a trained nurse is threatening to render a male child impotence just because of failure to acquire certain skills which are needed in this nursing field and this has led to consequences such as nosocomial infection, drug overdose, and even death.

Furthermore, you will even see patients who go up the extent of calling some nurses they consider incompetence nicknames such as,(tray nurses, egusi nurses).with all these problems the researcher became so worried and deem it necessary to Trace how possible nurses at the field will lack such basic nursing skills and the best way to Trace this was to start from the root (that is at the training institutions). It is for this reason that the researcher deems it necessary to research the topic of Assessing attributing factors to the acquisition of skills by nursing students.

1.3. Objectives

1.3.1 General Objective

To assess attributing factors to the acquisition of skills by nursing students in some selected nursing institutions in Buea.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

1. To assess nursing student’s knowledge of skills acquisition
2. To assess nursing student’s knowledge on Factors affecting skills acquisitions
3. To assess nursing student’s knowledge of challenges faced in the acquisition of skills.