Thesis (M. Cur.)-- University of Limpopo, 2013 / Background: The growing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) pandemic continues to make a serious impact on all countries throughout the world. Globally, countries have responded to the HIV/AIDS pandemic by investing millions of dollars to help fight the disease, but the impact of HIV/AIDS is even greater in developing countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa. Aims: The aims of this study were to describe the perceived problems experienced by professional nurses who provide health care to patients living with HIV/AIDS in public hospitals of Polokwane municipality, Limpopo Province and to identify guidelines to support these professional nurses. Study method: A qualitative, descriptive and contextual method was used in this study. Semi-structured, one-to-one interviews were conducted with professional nurses who participated voluntarily in the study. Tesch’s open-coding method was used for data analysis. Results: Professional nurses who provided care to people living with HIV/AIDS at Polokwane Hospital expressed feelings of frustrations and work overload, treatment delay, lack of knowledge on HIV/AIDS, lack of support systems, poor prognosis and patients presenting with confusion and mental disturbances. Conclusion and recommendations: Despite the fact that the professional nurses expressed negative experiences as they carried out their daily activities, and they still continued rendering care to HIV/AIDS patients, notwithstanding the obstacles they encountered. Recommendations were made with regard to nursing practice and nursing education, staff support by
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management, education and counselling for relatives, reaching out to the relatives and community, and further research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ul/oai:ulspace.ul.ac.za:10386/973 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Mametja, Victoria Lesetja |
| Contributors | Lekhuleni, M. E., Kgole, J. C. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiv, 106 leaves |
| Relation | Adobe acrobat reader, version 7 |
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