Caring for the career exploring the lived experiences of nurses caring for hivaids patients in selected hospitals in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

The study explored the lived experiences of nurses caring for HIV/AIDS patients in selected hospitals in Accra, Ghana. Objectives of the study included exploring the challenges encountered by nurses caring for HIV/AIDS patients, exploring how the work the nurses do affect their lives in the form of work place hazard, and exploring how the nurses cope with their work-related challenges. The study employed the phenomenological design. The population were nurses working in the isolation wards of the 37 Military and Korle Bu Teaching hospitals in Accra. These hospitals were selected because they have wards specifically designated for HIV/AIDS patients. The sample was purposively selected, and the sample size of 13 was determined by data saturation. Using a semi-structured interview guide, data were generated through indepth face-to-face, audiotaped interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the nurses experienced work-related challenges such as work-related stress, fear of infection, courtesy stigma, witnessing the suffering and death of patients, resource challenges, and lack of motivation. These challenges negatively affect the nurses physical and emotional wellbeing, and have the potential to compromise the quality of care they provide to the patients. The nurses adopted coping strategies such as rationing of care and PPEs, and religious coping, to deal with the work-related challenges. The study concluded that the nurses’ work-related challenges need to be mitigated. This will help maintain the nurses physical and emotional wellbeing, and enable them continue providing the requisite care to the patients. Recommendations aimed at mitigating the work-related challenges were made. These include nurse managers providing adequate resources, and counselling services for the nurses when necessary. It was suggested that similar studies be conducted in other hospitals.