Background: The COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, has caused a swift change in the higher education system giving way to a rise in instituting multimodal teaching and learning approaches. These approaches have demonstrated an inadequate capacity for multimodal teaching, particularly through online instruction by many institutions. The Department of Higher Education in South Africa did its utmost best to equip the institutions with the required resources to continue with the provision of education. Methods: A descriptive qualitative research design was followed in the study. The study data source included the South African government’s COVID-19 regulations relating to higher education and training. The purposive sampling method was used to select (8) several government documents relating to the regulation of COVID-19 in higher education and training institutions Document analysis technique was used to collect data from the COVID-19 pandemic regulation documents. Results: the study showed that most HEIs in South Africa adhere to safety measures, ensure business continuity in teaching and learning, continued with the distribution of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances as allocated by the government, and followed procedures for returning certain categories of students on campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The study has evaluated the support for quality higher education teaching and learning during the pandemic period in South Africa. The study, therefore, recommends the continuing of online teaching as part of blended learning so that institutions could always be ready should situations like this occurs again in the future and above be in sync with digital transformation.

(1) Background: Health literacy is the intersection of general literacy, health, and healthcare, but it can also incorporate elements of other types of literacies to varying degrees. The notion of literacy surfaced from the fear that individuals would require more than general literacy skills to manage the complexities of health and health system issues. There is a substantial overlap between general literacy and health literacy. Diabetes patients frequently misinterpret medication instructions, resulting in non-adherence and poor health outcomes. (2) Aim: This study sought to review the literature on the impacts of health literacy on adherence and compliance to diabetes mellitus treatment. (3) Methods: A Narrative Literature Review method was used to identify, analyze, assess, and interpret the available information on health literacy regarding prescribed medication instructions. The following databases and search engines were used to locate the literature: electronic databases, search engines, and hand searches. Fifty-three (53) quantitative and qualitative studies and two books were reviewed. (4) Result: The review pointed out the following: the importance of health literacy, the implications of health illiteracy versus medication non-adherence, factors influencing health literacy versus medication adherence, and the interventions to improve medication non-adherence. (5) Conclusion: Relatively few studies have been conducted on how people living with diabetes should carry out their treatment. Therefore, more research on how people living with diabetes carry out their treatment daily is required. (6) Contributions: This study has identified that health literacy plays a role in adherence to treatment and contributes to improved health outcomes.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is described as a chronic disease resulting from failure of the pancreas to generate enough insulin or inability of the body to efficiently utilize the insulin it generates. Diabetes clients must adjust their lives to live healthy with the diseases for the rest of their lives. Optimizing diabetic knowledge and awareness among people living with diabetes will yield better health outcomes. This study seeks to investigate the knowledge, practices, and challenges of diabetes mellitus clients regarding management of the disease at selected clinics in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Methods: This study used a qualitative research approach and a phenomenological research design. A purposive sampling method was used to acquire the 18 participants for this study. Semi-structured interviews with a guide were used to collect data. Tesch’s coding method was employed for data analysis. Results: The study findings revealed that there are comparable explanations of what it means to follow medication instructions by diabetes mellitus clients, and challenges living with DM. The findings also indicate that there are problems related to conceptualization of medication instructions among diabetes clients. Conclusion: This study indicated that diabetes mellitus clients have poor knowledge regarding management of the disease and its process, and problems related to medication instructions. Therefore, proper teaching of clients and guidance regarding diabetes and its management are required to improve compliance and delay of long-term complications.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a lifelong disease requiring daily self-care activities for better outcomes. Although most of these self-care activities for outpatients are taught in primary health care, their actual practice occurs at home where patients stay. Family dynamics or established cultures impact the management of the disease, hence a need for primary health care–family partnership to empower both families and patients with ways to manage the disease. This systematic review aims to describe the primary health care–family partnership. Methods: The literature was sourced using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. The Scopus/Elsevier, ScienceDirect and PubMed databases were used to source literature written in English and published between January 1, 2010 and July 31, 2022. Studies were included if focused on self-care activities, management and family-centred care (FCC); participants were diabetes patients and non-diabetic family members; and primary health care diabetes intervention. Results: A total of 62 publications that met inclusion criteria were used in this review. The included studies include quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method studies, including reports. The process of including these publications involved identification, screening and re-screening in line with set eligibility. The key search strategies resulted in the following sub-headings: diabetes self-care, diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES), family-centred care, and primary health care. Conclusion: Evidence from existing literature shows that primary health care is the source of information, yet actual diabetes management occurs at home. This review recommends the adoption of DSMES and FCC modalities to set the foundation for workable primary health care–family partnerships. The adoption of these joint modalities for partnerships will outline the dos and don’ts in managing diabetes at home. The literature further indicates that family support is critical, therefore primary health care–families partnership may lead to improved adherence to self-care activities and better outcomes.

Parents with adolescents who abuse substances need support. They have high stress levels and low quality of life compared to other parents. This is because they have unmet support needs, do not know what to do to help their adolescents, and are distressed. Most studies focus on the support needs of adolescents. Less is known about the specific support needs of their parents. This study explores the support needs of parents of adolescents abusing substances and being treated in five hospitals in Limpopo Province. A qualitative research approach was applied with an explorative, descriptive, and contextual design using semi-structured interviews to understand parents’ views. Data saturation was reached at the 14th parent. Data were analyzed using the Tesch method. The parents mainly wanted informational and emotional support. The study identified specific parent-related support needs and adolescent-related support needs. This study is the first to explore the support needs of parents of adolescents abusing substances in a South African rural context.

Clinical exposure of learner nurses to psychiatric hospitals is a requirement by the South African Nursing Council. Clinical experience helps learner nurses build cognitive and affective skills, cultural acculturation, and professional identity. The clinical placement also aids nursing learner nurses in making decisions regarding future career paths. The goal of psychiatric nursing practice is to enhance mental and physical health and improve the patient’s quality of life and rehabilitation. A qualitative research approach was followed, and a descriptive, explorative, and contextual design was used in this study to explore the challenges faced by University of Limpopo learner nurses during psychiatry clinical exposure. The population included learner nurses from level two to level four who registered for psychiatric nursing science practice. Convenience sampling was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, and the data were analyzed using the Tesch open coding method. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were adhered to, and ethical considerations were observed. The findings of this study indicated that learner nurses go through challenges and discomfort in the form of mental health care users, clinical environment matters, and the attitude of clinical staff in the hospital. Proper preparation of the learner nurses and clinical areas can assist in reducing the challenges that learner nurses go through.