Hope in Relation to Nursing Interventions for HIV-Infected Patients and Their Significant Others

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study explored what nurses can do to decrease hopelessness and enable hope in HIV-infected patients and their significant others. Using a sample of 10 HIV-infected patient and/or significant other dyads recruited from a support group, interview questions focused on specific nursing interventions that were helpful/not helpful in supporting hope. Clusters of common themes were identified in the areas of the nurse's existential presence, appreciation of personhood, professionalism, celebration of life, and consequences. Elements describing the essence of each category were presented to explain meaning in terms of nursing practice and education. The conclusions of this study reinforce the fact that patients consider enabling hope an essential component of nursing. Further study is needed to explore the effects of hope on long-term survivorship and quality of life for patients and their significant others as well as specific nursing interventions to enable hope for this population.

Hope of Patient Recovery in the ICU From the Viewpoint of Iranian Nurses: Concept Analysis

“…In fact, hope is a necessary factor in every dimension of life, and with its penetrating power system to gain new experiences and to generate new forces in the person ( Ghahremani et al, 2006 ). Besides, hope is a response to a threat which leads to achieving aims ( Klotz, 2010 ). Gebhardt et al (2011) quote from Stotland that hope is much expectation for success and despair is little expectation for success.…”

“…Nurses are capable of creating hope in patients or help them keep on with a little hope they have. That is why researchers try to define it, try to help the patients, and the staff comprehends it and applies it in their daily experiences of life ( Klotz, 2010 ). In Tutton’s study (2009) , hope has been defined as a part of patient’s improvement, and nurses are believed to play a major role in making patients and their families hopeful.…”

A discussion of HIV/AIDS family interventions: implications for family‐focused nursing practice

“…Tertiary prevention of HIV/AIDS-FIs should focus on topics such as building hope (Klotz 2010), coping skills, empowerment (Hulme 1999, Kmita et al 2002, communication, stress appraisal, and social support (Fife et al 2008). In particular, empowerment strategies may prove useful in helping families develop coping skills that can facilitate the provision of better care and access to resources for their infected loved ones (Kmita et al 2002).…”

Families as catalysts for peer adherence support in enhancing hope for people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa

“…Being around and receiving support from others who are experiencing similar circumstances can help people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) to experience hope [13,14]. In addition to peer supporters, the family has been identified as an important source of hope for those learning about their HIV-positive status [14,29], as well as for sustaining this hope when living with HIV/AIDS for longer periods [29,30]. The social environment in which PLWHA live is thus a regulator of hope [18,31].…”