HIV infection, AIDS and community nursing staff in Scotland

Little is known about the effects of the 'AIDS epidemic' on the work of community nursing staff. In order to ascertain the extent and nature of their work related to HIV infection and AIDS, and to assess their knowledge and beliefs, a postal survey of one in five community nursing staff in Scotland was carried out. A response rate of 85% was achieved. While only 3% of respondents had encountered a patient with AIDS, 11% had been involved with HIV antibody positive patients and 30% had encountered professionally others worried about or at high risk of infection. Findings show that, although community nursing staff consider they have a role to play in health education, counselling and terminal care, they largely feel lacking in confidence and ill-prepared for this role. Recommendations are made for improvements in education, and in the provision of information and policy, geared specifically to the roles of different types of community nursing staff in their day-to-day work.