Effectiveness of an HIV/AIDS educational programme for Chinese nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Infectious Disease Control
• Public Health

Background:

• The growing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic necessitates enhanced nursing knowledge for effective patient care.
• Existing HIV/AIDS educational interventions have primarily focused on Western nurses, with limited research in other cultural contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a multifaceted educational intervention on Chinese nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to care for patients with HIV/AIDS.
• To assess the effectiveness of an interactive workshop designed to improve nurses' capacity to manage HIV/AIDS patients.

Main Methods:

• A pretest, post-test experimental design was used with 208 nurses across seven Chinese provinces.
• The intervention involved a 5-day workshop incorporating didactic lectures and value-clarifying activities based on Bloom's Taxonomy.
• Outcome measures included changes in HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes (empathy, avoidance), and willingness to provide nursing care.

Main Results:

• Baseline HIV/AIDS knowledge among nurses was suboptimal, with neutral attitudes and willingness to care.
• The workshop led to statistically significant improvements in nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to provide care for patients with HIV/AIDS (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Intensive, interactive HIV/AIDS professional workshops can effectively enhance nurses' competence and compassion.
• Such educational initiatives are crucial for supporting national efforts in providing comprehensive care to individuals affected by HIV/AIDS.