The 2024 final-year Nursing students at the North-West University (NWU) recently took the spotlight as they displayed their research projects during the undergraduate research day, which took place on the Potchefstroom and Mahikeng campuses on separate days.
This annual event was collaboratively led by Francois Watson, senior lecturer at the School of Nursing, and Dr Sabelile Tenza, researcher in quality and safety in healthcare in the NuMIQ research entity, on the Potchefstroom Campus. Neo Nare, lecturer, and Issac Mokgaola, senior lecturer – both from the School of Nursing – steered the event on the Mahikeng Campus.
The main objective was to ignite young researchers' interest and motivate them to communicate their research concepts. Presenting their projects allowed students to experience the full journey of research – from that initial spark of curiosity to a fully-fledged health-science research proposal – while adhering to the expected scientific and ethical standards.
Dr Tenza confirms that the undergraduate research module is designed to lay a foundation for knowledge and practice, as well as instil an everlasting passion for research. She said the module also serves as a critical source in the building of future scientists. “We were so proud to observe the level of in-depth understanding of research principles and enthusiasm on both campuses.”
Nare aptly stated: “The goal of education should be to liberate us and therefore open an avenue of scholars who strive to pursue the truth about our world, wherever that might lead us. The latter is only feasible when we are awarded the tools to pursue that truth, in other words, research methods, logic reasoning, and the frameworks for asking questions of all kinds about people and our world at large. Even more so as the knowledge base of our society is constantly changing.”
Further, the students did not just focus on health-related issues but boldly explored topics impacting student life, broader society and political matters such as the implications of National Health Insurance (NHI). The scope of topics presented highlighted the students’ abilities to pinpoint health-system challenges and develop research-based solutions. It exposed a promising future for nursing, with students stepping confidently into their professional roles.
“We observed budding clinical educators making presentations on high-fidelity simulation and related clinical learning environments, including well-delineated issues surrounding mental health, access to quality healthcare, and enhancing healthcare experiences in palliative care,” Dr Tenza said.
Watson reflected: “The engagement among student researchers was inspiring! Reflecting on their growth, many acknowledged the skills they have gained through this module – critical thinking, teamwork, navigating professional disagreements, academic writing and presentation skills to name a few. The continuous support and collaboration within the teaching team across both campuses was nothing short of incredible, making this learning experience both impactful and enjoyable. We are immensely proud of these future scientists emerging from our undergraduate nursing programme – our health is in the capable hands of these critical thinkers!”
Both campuses of the NWU echoed the sentiment that the quality and breadth of the research proposals presented were impressive. The degree of critical thinking demonstrated by the students’ confidence in answering questions about their research projects, the scientific soundness, and ethical considerations of their proposals were acknowledged by external guests.
Despite the logistical challenges of hosting the event on two different days, the experience was nothing short of amazing for both campuses.
Let us acknowledge our students’ accomplishments and look forward to the beneficial change they will bring to the healthcare industry.
Final-year Nursing students on the Mahikeng Campus
Final year Nursing Students on the Potchefstroom Campus
