How Caring for Persons with HIV/AIDS Affects Rural Nurses

Abstract

Prior research findings about caregiving for persons with HIV/AIDS indicate that caregiving impacts nurses in three separate domains: personal self as a nurse in practice; interactions with the nurse's family members, friends, and colleagues; and interactions with persons with HIV/AIDS. However the impact caregiving for persons with HIV/AIDS has on rural nurses has not been extensively explored. A qualitative study of rural registered nurses' experiences of caring for persons with HIV/AIDS was conducted to determine how caregiving affects registered nurses in rural areas. Content analysis was used to analyze rural registered nurses' written comments about their experiences of caring for persons with HIV/AIDS. Themes identified from the nurses' accounts of instances of caregiving were the perceived risk of acquiring the virus, a lack of concern about HIV/AIDS, and a need for ongoing continued education about the care of persons with HIV/AIDS.

Impact of caring for people living with HIV on the psychosocial well-being of palliative caregivers

“…These can impact negatively on the healthcare worker's psychosocial wellbeing if not resolved in a satisfactory manner (Delobelle et al 2009;Mullins 2009;Van Dyk 2007). Some of the organisational challenges contributing to occupational stress or workplace-related stress include lack of space and privacy, insufficient organisational support and acknowledgement, heavy workload, inadequate training, insufficient funding, insufficient safety measures, and lack of medical supplies (Miller et al 2007;Mullins 2009;Ogińska-Bulik 2006).…”

“…Locke (as cited in Chirwa et al 2009Chirwa et al :1298 defined job satisfaction as 'a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one's job experience'. Healthcare workers working with people living with HIV infection are more likely to provide better care to patients when they are satisfied with their work (Mullins 2009) and correctly equipped to deal with organisational challenges. It is also evident that adequate education and training contribute positively to job satisfaction (Fransman et al 2000).…”

“…In the AIDS field, however, healthcare workers are faced with distinctive demands (for example, dealing with the social, mental, spiritual and physical problems experienced by people living with HIV infection) that may make them more prone to experience decreased psychosocial well-being and an increase in distress, feelings of not coping and burnout compared to workers in other areas (Davids et al 2009). Several stressors inherent in AIDS care have been identified, such as frustration due to the overwhelming nature of the disease, bereavement overload, fear of social stigma and isolation, different types of patient-caregiver relationships, over-identification with patients, fear of contagion, and lack of social support (Delobelle et al 2009;Miller et al 2007;Mullins 2009;Van Dyk 2007).…”

“…AIDS care presents a significant burden for those caring for people infected with and/or affected by HIV, and coping with the disease that has fallen onto caregivers. Furthermore, AIDS has become a manageable disease with the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) which, counterintuitively, often places additional demands on health delivery systems due to the complications often associated with medication and opportunistic diseases that could prevail (Mullins 2009). …”

“…Research in this area is especially crucial in countries where the brunt of care for people living with HIV is taken on by caregivers. Caring for people with serious chronic illness is a physical and emotional challenge for even the most committed of caregivers, and can have detrimental effects on well-being if not managed effectively (Mullins 2009). There is a need for research focusing on the psychosocial needs of caregivers as well as a further need to recognise the negative impact that caregiving might have on caregivers working in AIDS care (Davids et al 2009).…”