The knowledge and utilization of contraception and the attitudes towards pregnancy prevention among undergraduate nursing students at the University of the Western Cape

Abstract

It is not mandatory for the student to declare a pregnancy to her educational institution. It does however become more complicated for the student nurse, because she has to provide a health service while she is a student during her clinical placement. The researcher has noticed that student nurses do fall pregnant during their undergraduate studies at the University of the Western Cape. The researcher was unsure why this phenomenon is occurring amongst undergraduate nursing students. He identified the need to measure the level of knowledge of pregnancy prevention amongst undergraduate nurses, their level of utilization of such services and their attitudes towards falling pregnant during their studies. This study is of a quantitative nature whereby the researcher made use of a descriptive design. The method of data collection utilized was an anonymous self administered questionnaire form. The population under study was the registered undergraduate nursing students in 2008 at the University of the Western Cape. This population consisted of 1031 individuals. Their ethnic background represents the South African demography. An exhaustive sampling approach was used and 401 individuals gave consent to participate in the study. Through this research the researcher hypothysed and proved that the level of knowledge of contraception amongst undergraduate student nurses is indeed inadequate and that this low level of knowledge on the subject area leads to incorrect and inconsistent and non use of contraception in their own lives.