Nurse managers have an important role in reducing absenteeism by addressing the employees' concerns, which can lead to productivity, increased staff morale, decreased medical hazards and satisfied patients.

Background: Self-efficacy and medication beliefs are known factors that influence adherence to treatment in chronic medical conditions. We carried out a cross-sectional study on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with the aim of determining the predictive relationship between these two variables and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) at a health facility in Pretoria. Method: Participants' medication beliefs were assessed using the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire. Self-efficacy was evaluated using the HIV Adherence Self-Efficacy Scale, and adherence to ART determined using the AIDS Clinical Trial Group questionnaire. Results:The mean age of the 232 participants was 40 years (standard deviation 15.6). Seventy per cent were females. Most had been on ART for over two years (87%), and 81.5% were adherent to at least 95% of the prescribed antiretroviral drugs. Nonadherence was highest in those on ART for more than three years (63%). The mean HIV Adherence Self-Efficacy score was 6.45 out of a possible 10. Beliefs held by the participants about the importance of (necessity) and concerns about ART in the management of HIV infection were generally positive. There was a mean score of 4.05 out of 5, indicating a strong belief in the use of ART. There was a strong association between adherence self-efficacy and ART adherence (p < 0.001) in the nonadherent participants. Regression analysis showed significance for adherence self-efficacy on ART nonadherence (p < 0.041), with adherence self-efficacy explaining 9.8% of the variance. Conclusion: Patients' adherence self-efficacy explained a significant portion of variation in the nonadherence to ART, which suggests that low adherence self-efficacy is influential in ART nonadherence. Interventions aimed at improving adherence to ART should address adherence self-efficacy.

BackgroundTuberculosis is a major public health problem in Liberia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the incidence of tuberculosis in Liberia is significantly increasing from year to year. However, little is known about the performance of the programme and the challenges after the 14 years of civil war which ended in 2003.The purpose of the study was to evaluate the performance of the TB programme of Liberia.MethodsThe study utilised mixed research design; both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study conducted from 2013 to 2014. For the quantitative part of the study, a questionnaire, laboratory performance and eleven years TB programme data (2003–2013) were used. For the performance of tuberculosis laboratory testing, all the 107 functional tuberculosis microscopy centers in Liberia were included. For the qualitative part of the study, an interview of 10 informants and two focus group discussions (FGDs) were also conducted, each comprising of eight people. Themes and subthemes emerged from the two FGDs. Data was analysed in line with the Donabedian model. Quantitative findings were analysed and presented using both descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsThe study findings pointed out that there was overall improvement in the performance of the tuberculosis control programme in Liberia from 2003 to 2013. The percentage of cured patients was 60% in 2005 and 62% in 2013. Percentage of treatment completed was 16% in 2005 and 21% in 2013. The case detection rate was 57% and treatment success rate 80% in 2013. The default rate was 11% in 2013. Of the 139 participants, 120 (86%) completed TB treatment while 19 (14%) did not.ConclusionBetween 2003 and 2013, the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Programme (NLTCP) succeeded in restoring the TB services and improving some of the TB treatment outcomes including the Directly observed treatment short courses(DOTS) coverage. Despite these improvements, the TB treatment, laboratory services and human resource capacity lagged behind. The TB programme of Liberia needs to develop new strategies to address its challenges.

The purpose of the study was to explore the perceptions of professional nurses on student mentorship in clinical areas. A qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research was conducted to determine the meaning of mentoring as perceived by professional nurses and to identify the successes and challenges encountered by professional nurses with regard to student mentorship during clinical practice.Data was collected using in-depth individual interviews to collect data from sixteen operational managers who were managing all unit activities, including student mentoring.Each interview lasted for ±45 min. A hermeneutic data analysis (hermeneutic circle) was used to analyse data. Four (4) themes and fourteen (14) sub-themes emerged from data collected from operational managers.The findings revealed that mentoring was perceived as a valuable tool to apply in the preparation of student nurses for future professional role. In the process of mentoring, the caring attitude is important. Factors that facilitated the mentoring process were good communication, time and available resources.

The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the management of HIV infection has resulted in a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. The fact that a nearly perfect adherence is required in ART has remained a major challenge to people infected with HIV. This review underscores the impact of adherence to antiretroviral therapy and highlights recent advances in adherence monitoring and enhancement among people infected with HIV who are on lifelong antiretroviral therapy.