Nurses’ knowledge and beliefs about AIDS: comparing nurses in hospital, community and hospice settings

Abstract

STEELE A & MELBY V (1995) Joumal of Advanced Nursmg 22, 879-887 Nurses' knowledge and behe& about AIDS, comparing nurses in hospital, community and hospice settingsThe literature reports an ongoing debate amongst nurses regarding the risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) through routine nursmg care An emotionally charged dilemma appears to exist for many nurses regarding what they perceive as conflict between professional obligation and personal risk This study investigates nurses' beliefs, knowledge and perceptions of risk of contracting HTV while implementing their nursing care The study focuses on qualified nurses m the hospice, hospital and community settings No other similar comparative study that also focuses on hospice nurses has been identified This quantitative study was implemented withm Northern Ireland, by way of a respondent-administered questionnaire The study's sample consisted of 45 qualified nurses and a response rate of 93% (42 respondents) was achieved Analysis of the data involved the use of descnptive and correlational statistics Overall findings indicated that many nurses, but particularly those who work in the hospital and community settings, hold negative and biased beliefs, and have inadequate knowledge and misguided perceptions regarding their risk of contracting HIV through the implementation of routine nursmg care of clients Many of those nurses readily admit their lack of knowledge On the whole, hospice nurses appear more knowledgeable and exhibit a more positive approach to AIDS chents, and appear less fearful than do nurses m the other two settings Implications for hospital management, for nurse education, for nurses themselves and for clients are discussed This study should be seen as a springboard for future research v«thin Northern Irelemd or social status It is also a new health threat, with as yet INTRODUCTION ^^ preventative vaccme and no cure (Bamck 1988, Marcus 1988) In fact, recent vaccme trials appear to have suffered Facets of AIDS and HIV ^ setback [BnUsh Medical JoumaJ 1994) There are many reasons why AIDS activates fear of conNegative atUtudes have been held against homosexual tagion It IS uniformly fatal, with no respect for age group males regardmg the lmUal spread of HIV Duni^ the last decade AIDS was referred to as the 'gay plague' (Watney Correspondence Mr V Melby, Lecturer Nursmg Umversity of Ulster 1987) The resultant dlSCnmmatmg behaVlOUI towards Colermne BT52 ISA Northern Ireland persons With AIDS IS well documented (e g Lyford 1994) © 1995 Blackwell Science Ltd 879 A Steele and V MelbyAIDS may he viewed hy some as divme retribution for what IS considered unmoral sexual behaviour (Neuberger 1986) Such attitudes tend to influence public and professional reactions towards the ADDS client (Stembrook etal 1986) In the Umted Kingdom to date, the mam information source of ADDS and HIV is media eind press coverage AIDS has heen portrayed as an instrument of fear and prejudice, leading to irrational fears and temptation to ostracize AIDS clients (B...

Universal precautions: a survey of community nurses’ experience and practice

“…However the use of gloves for venepuncture was more variable. This supports some of the findings of Steele & Melby's (1995) small comparative study, where it was found that community nurses were less likely to wear gloves routinely for venepuncture than hospice or hospital nurses.…”

“…However, in their small comparative study of hospital, community and hospice nurses ( n = 45), Steele & Melby (1995) report that only 25% of their sample indicated that they never re‐sheathed needles.…”

“…However, this practice has been virtually unexplored in the community setting. In one small comparative study of 45 hospital, community and hospice nurses’ knowledge and belief about AIDS, Steele & Melby (1995) report that community nurses were less likely to wear gloves routinely for venepuncture than hospice or hospital nurses.…”

HIV/AIDS and the workplace: perceptions of nurses in a public hospital in South Africa

“…The third theme of fear was also revealed by earlier studies conducted in the USA (O'Donnell et al 1987), New Zealand (Van Wissen & Woodman 1994, and Northern Ireland (Steele & Melby 1995). These found that nurses expressed apprehension, fear and anxiety when expected to care for patients with HIV/AIDS.…”

Caring for patients living with AIDS: knowledge, attitude and global level of comfort

“…Satisfactory knowledge on AIDS was reported among nurses in India (Datta & Bandyopadhyay 1997), Tanzania (Kohi & Horrocks 1994), Cameroon (Mbanya et al 2001) and Nigeria (Omisakin 2001). Inadequate knowledge was identified among nurses in Northern Ireland (Steele & Melby 1995).…”