
Meet our team
We are a team of dedicated researchers exploring the concept ‘presence’ and its application in nursing.
We are all experienced in various fields in nursing, including research, nursing education, nursing management, community nursing, midwifery and psychiatric mental health nursing.
The Team
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Emmerentia du Plessis
Team leader
PhD Nursing, NuMIQ Research focus area, School of Nursing Science, North-West University
As a nursing professional, I am deeply passionate about the concept of presence and its impact on patient care. I find great fulfillment in working with individuals with intellectual disabilities and strive to be there with them and for them. Through my work with a dedicated research team, we continue to explore the many nuances of presence in various nursing contexts.

Kathleen Froneman
Team leader
PhD Nursing, NuMIQ Research focus area, School of Nursing Science, North-West University
As a passionate nursing educator, I have developed a practice model that enhances the presence of nurse educators in large classes through reflective practices. My dedication to nursing education drives me to innovate and support nurse educators in enhancing the learning experiences of nursing students.

Tinda Rabie
Team leader
PhD Nursing, NuMIQ Research focus area, School of Nursing Science, North-West University
​As a scholar with specialization in community nursing, I am dedicated to improving the health and well-being of patients. With my expertise in networking and creating harmony, I strive to enhance presence in community healthcare and make a positive impact on the lives of those I serve.

Molekodi Matsipane
PhD Nursing, Director, School of Nursing Science, North-West University

Khumo Shopo
PhD Nursing, Deputy Director, School of Nursing Science, North-West University

Suegnét Scholtz
PhD Nursing, Deputy Director, School of Nursing Science, North-West University

Precious Chukwuere
Post-doctoral fellow, Presence in mental healthcare for adolescents

Rudo Ramalisa
PhD Nursing, Cultivation of attentiveness in mental healthcare nurses through mindfulness

Beauty Mkhaliphi
PhD Nursing, Strategies to strengthen the clinical accompaniment of nursing students through caring presence

Anneke van Graan
PhD Nursing, Presence in nursing education

Belinda Scrooby
PhD Nursing, Presence with persons with intellectual disability and Presence in nursing education

Annemarie van Wyk
PhD Nursing, Presence in intensive care units, and with persons with intellectual disability

Petro Benadé
PhD Candidate, Exploring good care to older persons through presence practices: design, development and evaluation of an intervention

Christelle Oukouomi Noutchie
PhD Candidate, Guidelines for online training, on caring presence, for nurses working in a psychiatric hospital

Lilly Kalimashe
PhD Candidate, Relational leadership in primary health care

Mariska Oosthuizen-Van Tonder
PhD Candidate, Developing a socio-emotional well-being programme for preschool children in the North West province, South Africa; and presence with persons with intellectual disability

Ronèl Hobbs
PhD Candidate, Guidelines for nurse managers to facilitate the practice of presence in private hospitals, Western Cape Province.

Babsy Tau
PhD Candidate, Presence and nursing management

Olivia Ngami
PhD Candidate, Programme development – preparing registered nurses as renal patient advocates in North West Province public hospitals

Gertrude Phiri
PhD Candidate, Developing a framework to strengthen the resilience of nurse managers in the private healthcare sector, South Africa.

Anna-Therese Swart
PhD Candidate, Accompaniment of persons diagnosed with cancer

Leoni Coetzee
Presence with persons with intellectual disability