Changing nurses' AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes through continuing education

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) continuing education conference on nurses' knowledge and attitudes. Subjects in the study (N = 125) were participants in a one-day conference held at a major medical center in southern California. Content of the program included AIDS epidemiology and etiology, infection control, psychosocial and institutional support for health care workers, sexual history taking and counseling, attitudes toward risk behaviors and the major transmission groups, and legal and ethical issues. Subjects were pretested and posttested using a structured questionnaire that measured AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes, and satisfaction with the conference. Participants were retested 2 to 3 months after the conference. There were significant pretest/posttest differences in knowledge and attitudes that were retained on retest. Subjects with lower levels of knowledge made the greatest gains in knowledge. There was also a tendency for knowledge levels to increase between posttest and retest suggesting that subjects were continuing to learn. Participants indicated satisfaction with the conference speakers and content.