Abstract:
The research study was carried out in North-West Province Bojanala district to explore and describe the availability of support strategies for unemployed post-community service professional nurses. A qualitative, explorative and descriptive method was used to explore and describe the availability of support strategies for unemployed post-community service professional nurses in Bojanala district North-West Province. In this study, the researcher applied snowball sampling to sample all unemployed post-com-munity service professional nurses in Bojanala district North-West Province according to the inclusion criteria. The sample included all unemployed post-community service professional nurses in Bojanala District, who were available and consenting to form part of the study as they have knowledge and experience in the phenomenon investigated, that is, unemployment after completion of community service and those who were unemployed for six months after completion of the community service. Data collected was done using semi-structured interviews. The ethical principles relevant to the study were observed. The measures to ensure trustworthiness were adhered to. The two themes and nine sub-themes emerged from the data collection. The results of the study are as follows; (1) Professional nurses expressed the challenges faced regarding the employment as post-community service and (2) expectations about sup-port from various stakeholders. The study revealed that the post-community service professional nurses who become unemployed struggle to get a job after the completion of community service. Post-community service professional nurses reported several challenges encountered in seeking for employment. These challenges resulted in a psychological and emotional drain on the participants. Recommendations were made to Nursing practice, Nursing Research, the National Department of Health and the South African Nursing Council to assist post-community service professional nurses.
