A job analysis of selected health workers in a district health system in KwaZulu-Natal. Part three: Other categories of health workers.
This article described the third part of a study aimed at doing a job analysis of nurses and non-professional health workers in a district health system. This article describes the tasks of five categories of workers, their training and their work-load over an ordinary week. Interviews were done with 52 workers from three hospitals and five clinics, of whom 14 were men and 38 women. The three PHC guards had a much more varied job than the hospital security staff (also three). All of them have had specific task related training. The six General Assistants in Primary Health Care settings were almost exclusively involved in cleaning, while the 23 in hospitals added food and drink management and running errands to their work. Only one had training pertaining to the specific tasks. All three clerks were found in the PHC setting, and their tasks were mainly that of receptionist. None had specific task related training. The three Ground's Men worked at gardening and cleaning at PHC clinics, but a range of other tasks were added from time to time. Porters, of whom ten were interviewed, did mainly transporting of patients and running errands. GA's and security staff were also used to control violent patients and visitors, something for which none of them have had training. Recommendations were made about training and work redesign in the district.
Groenewald
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B
School of Nursing, University of Natal.
Uys
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LR
Mbambo
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D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D006796:Household Work / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D007587:Job Description; D008284:Maintenance and Engineering, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration; D008297:Male; D008502:Medical Secretaries / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D024382:Professional Role; D012637:Security Measures / Q000458:organization & administration; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000458:organization & administration; D014941:Work Simplification; D016526:Workload