The increasing rate of patients with HIV/AIDS brings a burden to the already weakened health care delivery systems in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Hospitals alone cannot deal with the needs of AIDS patients effectively; the patients are discharged to be cared for at home. A qualitative study was conducted to explore and describe the experiences of the family members that are caring for patients with HIV/AIDS at home. Interviews were conducted with 12 participants who were purposively selected as the caregivers of patients suffering from AIDS at home. Ethical measures were adhered to for the protection of the participants. The findings revealed that the family members experience negative feelings, characterized by sadness, pain, anger, depression, and frustration, as they care for their loved one within the context of extreme poverty. Quality care was compromised in situations where basic resources were not available. Guidelines to assist families in caring for their loved one with HIV/AIDS at home were developed.

Background: Integration of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV and AIDS) services into primary healthcare (PHC) is a key public health approach to achieving universal access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Despite the government’s efforts of integrating HIV services into PHC, an insufficient number of PHC staff and inadequate infrastructure are challenging when integrating HIV and AIDS services into PHC. This study explored the challenges of PHC nurses regarding the integration of HIV and AIDS services into PHC.Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the challenges of PHC nurses regarding the integration of HIV and AIDS services into PHC.Method: An exploratory, descriptive and contextual qualitative research design utilising face-to-face semi-structured interviews was conducted with 12 PHC nurses from selected clinics and health centres in the Vhembe district of Limpopo province.Results: Two main themes emerged from data analysis which included challenges related to healthcare recipients and challenges related to healthcare providers.Conclusion: Clear policies on the integration of HIV and AIDS services into PHC should be available and should include strategies to promote HIV testing and counselling, adherence to ART and scheduled appointments, disclosure of HIV status as well as revising the human resource policy to reduce workload.

Background: Effective communication between health care professionals, admitted patients, and their families is crucial to improving the health care outcomes and patient satisfaction. Hence, barriers to effective communication cause a lot of confusion, frustration, and misunderstanding. The study aimed to identify the perceived barriers to effective communication between patients, their families, and health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in public hospitals in Limpopo Province. The study was conducted in rural areas of Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. Methodology: A qualitative exploratory descriptive method was adopted to explore and describe the barriers of effective communication among patients, relatives, and health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in public hospitals in the Vhembe District. Eleven (11) participants were purposively selected. Unstructured in-depth individual interviews were used to collect data and analyzed using thematic analysis following Tesch’s eight steps. Results: The study findings revealed that there was ineffective communication by health care professionals. This was discussed under three themes that emerged: poor communication of diagnosis and prognosis and treatment outcomes; lack of accurate knowledge regarding the virus morphology, variant, and treatment protocols; and the inconsistencies in the dissemination of COVID-19 protocols. Conclusions: Full communication benefits both patients, relatives, and health care professionals as knowledge and understanding are enhanced through communication. Therefore, health care professionals should provide the patients and their relatives with full information about the disease and the visitation protocols to be followed. The study contribution was to explore barriers to effective communication to the patients and relatives by the health care professionals.

Objectives: To present a review of the factors that facilitate professional socialisation among undergraduate nursing learners. Method: A systematic review was conducted on literature from 2008 to 2018. The literature search focused on factors that facilitate professional socialisation of learner nurses. A search of databases was conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Science Direct. The search focused on literature on professional socialisation of learner nurses published from 2008 to 2018. The search resulted in 3035 articles which were further reduced to 13 after further synthesis. Critical appraisal skills programme was used to assess the quality of the studies. Results: Three main themes emerged. Learner factors, factors in the clinical learning areas and interpersonal factors were identified as the factors that facilitate professional socialisation of learners. Conclusion:Learners should have self-motivation and be supported and assisted to develop a positive professional identity. The clinical learning environment should have effective communication that fosters learning. Professional nurses should act as exemplary role models so that learners can emulate the conduct and practice. The review brought to light that the professional socialisation of learners is affected by the learner factors, clinical learning areas and personal factors.

Background: Worldwide, type 1 diabetes mellitus disease is a devastating health condition for both the diagnosed children and caregivers taking care of them. These challenges were drastically affecting caregivers in rendering the required homecare service for their patients. Caring for a child with diabetes mellitus often hurts the caregivers and other family members. Aim: This study aimed to explore the challenges experienced by caregivers during the provision of care to type 1 diabetic children. Setting: The study was conducted in selected health facility of Vhembe District, South Africa. Methods: A qualitative design that was both descriptive and exploratory was used. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select the caregivers who were taking care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus at their homes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants from the Vhembe district of Limpopo province. Results: Caregivers experienced various challenges related to re-admission, poor understanding of medication, low level of literacy, committed mistakes, poor adherence, and fear of giving an injection. Conclusion: It is imperative to educate the caregivers on the care of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus for them to be competent and knowledgeable in assisting their diabetic children at home.