Traditional health practitioners' understanding of spirit possession in Gauteng province, South Africa.

Background: Traditional health practitioners (THPs) understand spirit possession as a cultural or religious spirit occupying a person, while the mental healthcare providers understand it as a mental illness. The different understanding is based on manifestations that mimic that of mental illness, such as seeing and hearing things that others cannot see or hear. Spirit possession holds different meanings in different cultures and religions that could be either beneficial or detrimental.

The training of midwives to perform obstetric ultrasound scan in Africa for task shifting and extension of scope of practice: a scoping review.

Introduction: Ultrasound scan is one of the essential assessments that is crucial in the early identification of health risks during antenatal care. Its accessibility to women in low-and middle-income countries remains a serious challenge because ultrasound scans are not within the scope of practice for midwives. However, task shifting and extension of scope of practice aim to train midwives to assess pregnant women through an ultrasound scan.

Work-related support needs of registered nurses in a neonatal intensive care unit in the Tshwane District.

Background: Registered nurses in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) are working under stressful environment caused by the need and commitment to provide care for the critically ill neonates. Therefore, there is an imperative need to know and understand the work-related support strategies that can be adapted for registered nurses working in a NICU in the Tshwane District to enable them to provide quality care for the admitted neonates.

Aim: To explore and describe the work-related support needs of registered nurses working in a specific NICU situated in the Tshwane District.

Enactment of compassionate leadership by nursing and midwifery managers: results from an international online survey.

Aim: To explore the views of an international sample of nursing and midwifery managers concerning attributes that they associate with compassionate management.

Method: A cross-sectional online survey. Using a snowballing sampling method, 1217 responses were collected from nursing and midwifery managers in 17 countries.

The Importance of Being a Compassionate Leader: The Views of Nursing and Midwifery Managers From Around the World.

Introduction: Despite the importance of compassionate leadership in health care, many of the existing publications do not account for the effect of culture. The aim of this study is to explore the views of nursing and midwifery managers from different countries in relation to the definition, advantages, and importance of compassion.

Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, exploratory online survey was conducted across 17 countries, containing both closed and open-ended questions.

Sexual knowledge and practice of adolescent learners in a rural South African school.

Background: Premature sexual activity has become a norm in South African society, often resulting in teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Occurrence of premature sexual activity is related to insufficient education, gender inequalities, household poverty and place of residence. The Stepping Stones project uses a 10-session programme to educate learners about relationships, HIV-prevention and teenage pregnancy.

Traditional birth attendants' experiences during the provision of post-natal care in Mopani District, Limpopo province of South Africa.

Background: South African maternity care guidelines stipulate that post-natal patients can be discharged within 6 h after delivery, provided that the condition of mothers and neonates do not require medical, surgical or obstetric attention. Hence in many instances post-natal care is rendered at home by traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Traditional birth attendants play a crucial role in the care of women during pregnancy, birth and puerperium within communities.

The perspectives of nursing students regarding the incorporation of African traditional indigenous knowledge in the curriculum.

Background: South Africa was caught off guard by the student unrest in 2015 and 2016. This unrest was named the #fees must fall campaign. During this campaign, students raised the issue of decolonisation of the curriculum, challenging the higher education fraternity and the academic community.

The constraints and concerns regarding the size and/or shape of the second generation female condom: The narratives from the healthcare providers.

Background: Despite the redesigning of the Reality condom (FC) to a new version of the second generation female condom commonly known as (FC2), the users are persistently constrained and concerned about the size and shape of this new version. Condom use is aligned to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 3, 5 and 6, which address gender equality, improving maternal health and preventing HIV and AIDS.

Aim: To explore and describe the constraints and concerns regarding the size and/or shape of the FC2.

Assessing the use of contraceptives by female undergraduate students in a selected higher educational institution in Gauteng.

Background: Unplanned pregnancies amongst students at higher education institutions are a major concern worldwide, including South Africa. Apart from various social and psychological challenges, unplanned pregnancies affect students' objectives of achieving academic success. Research undertaken in the United States of America (USA) indicates that around 80% of female students in institutions of higher education between ages 18 and 24 are sexually active.

Comparison between indigenous and Western postnatal care practices in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Background: Postnatal care begins immediately after the expulsion of the placenta and continues for six to eight weeks post-delivery. High standard of care is required during the postnatal period because mothers and babies are at risk and vulnerable to complications related to postpartum haemorrhage and infections. Midwives and traditional birth attendants are responsible for the provision of postnatal care in different settings, such as clinics and hospitals, and homes.