Hostname: page-component-68945f75b7-76l5x Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-05T23:18:53.476Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Fear of HIV Infection and Impact of Training on the Attitudes of Surgical and Emergency Nurses Toward Inpatient HIV Testing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Maria Gańczak
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
Peter Barss*
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
*
United Arab Emirates University, Department of Community Medicine, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (peter.barss@uaeu.ac.ae)

Abstract

This study evaluates the association between the degree of fear of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and support for different HIV testing policies. A strong fear of acquiring HIV infection at work was widespread among a sample of 601 Polish surgical and emergency nurses. Most favored inappropriate HIV testing of all surgical patients and inpatients. Previous training about HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and experience caring for HIV-positive patients had a significant impact on reducing support for testing of all inpatients but not for testing of surgical patients.

Type
Concise Communication
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. UNAIDS. 2004 Report on the global AIDS pandemic, UNAIDS, Geneva, Switzerland. Available at: http://www.unaids.org. Accessed June 2004.Google Scholar
2.UK Public Health Laboratory Services. PHLS AIDS and STD Centre at the Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre and Collaborators Occupational transmission of HIV. Summary of published reports. December 1999 edition. Available at: http://www.phls.co.uk. Accessed November 2004.Google Scholar
3.Do, AN, Ciesielski, CA, Metler, JD. Occupationally acquired HIV infection: national case surveillance data during 20 years of the HIV epidemic in the United States. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003;24:8696.Google Scholar
4.Chapman, K, Meadows, J, Catalan, J, et al. Testing patients for HIV before surgery: the views of doctors performing surgery. AIDS Care 1995;7:125128.Google Scholar
5.Danziger, R, Abel, P, Goddard, N, et al. Preoperative testing for HIV: a survey of surgeons' attitudes and practices. Lancet 1996;348:10361037.Google Scholar
6.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Revised guidelines for HIV counseling, testing and referral. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2001;50(RR-19):710.Google Scholar
7.Damani, NN. Blood-borne hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. In: Manual of Infection Control Procedures. 2nd ed. London, England: GMM; 2003:191198.Google Scholar
8.World Health Organization. HIV and the Workplace and Universal Precautions. Fact Sheet 11, Geneva, 2000. Available at: http://www3.who.int/whosis. Accessed February 17, 2004.Google Scholar
9.World Health Organization. HIV/AIDS. Report by the Secretariat, Fifty-Fourth World Health Assembly A54/15, April 9, 2001. Available at: http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA54/ea5415.pdf. Accessed December 22, 2006.Google Scholar
10.Tyndall, MV, Schechter, M. HIV testing of patients: let's waive the waiver. CMAJ 2000;162:210211.Google Scholar
11.Lowenfels, AB, Wormser, GP, Jain, R. Frequency of puncture injuries in surgeons and estimated risk of HIV infection. Arch Surg 1989;124:12841286.Google Scholar
12.Highriter, ME, Tessaro, I, Randall-David, E, et al. HIV-related concerns and educational needs of public health nurses in a rural state. Public Health Nurs 1995;12:324334.Google Scholar
13.van Wiessen, K, Woodman, K. Nurses' attitudes and concerns to HIV/AIDS: a focus group approach. J Adv Nurs 1994;20:11411147.Google Scholar
14.Ganczak, M, Milona, M, Szych, Z. Surgical nurses and their concerns of acquiring HIV infection at the workplace. Rocz Akad Med Bialymst 2005;50:203206.Google Scholar
15.Rea, D, Brown, Y, Calder, B. Nurses' knowledge about and attitudes toward patients with AIDS. J Contin Educ Nurs 1992;23:6975.Google Scholar
16.Tan, L, Hawk, JC III, Sterling, ML. Preventing needlestick injuries in health care settings. Arch Intern Med 2001;161:929936.Google Scholar
17.Perry, J, Robinson, ES, Jagger, J. Needle-stick and sharps-safety surgery: getting to the point about preventable injuries. Nursing 2004;34:4347.Google Scholar
18.Shelton, P, Rosenthal, K. Passive design devices provide superior protection against accidental needlestick injury. Nurs Manage 2004;35:2532.Google Scholar
19.Ganczak, M, Milona, M, Szych, Z. Nurses and occupational exposures to blood-borne viruses in Poland. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2006;27:175180.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed