Educational intervention with international nurses and changes in knowledge, attitudes and willingness to provide care to patients with HIV/AIDS

This paper reports the findings of a study which examines the relationship between the use of an educational intervention with nurses from several Asian countries and changes in knowledge, attitudes and willingness to care for patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). A pre-test and post-test questionnaire was used to collect the data. The results indicate, that whilst there was an improvement in knowledge following the educational intervention, there is a need far further improvement in the knowledge levels of the nurses. The method of contracting the virus is less influential in shaping students' attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS. Fear of contagion is evident; this increases when more invasive clinical procedures are being carried out. What is also evident is that multiple levels of infection control protocols are used with patients. Fear of contagion is also apparent in the participants' willingness to work with colleagues and patients with HIV/AIDS. While the participants stated that they were more willing to work with colleagues and patients with HIV/AIDS following the educational intervention, they said that they would continue to take additional precautions for fear of contracting HIV in the workplace. The conclusion emphasizes that it is important for education about HIV/AIDS to be incorporated within current undergraduate and in-service programmes.