Nurses' Experiences Working With HIV Prevention: A Qualitative Study in Tanzania

Despite the high rates of HIV infections in Tanzania, significant gaps in the depth and comprehensiveness of HIV knowledge persist among the population in Tanzania. The aim of our study was to explore nurses' experiences of providing information about HIV prevention in Tanzania. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with eight nurses in health care centers. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis as described by Burnard. The results showed that the nurses carried out the preventive HIV work by giving information, offering counseling, and teaching precautions. The nurses faced many challenges: for example, misconceptions about condom use, people's lack of information about HIV, dealing with the stigma attached to HIV, and the lack of resources in the country. The preventive work affected the nurses emotionally, as they felt a sense of social responsibility to help prevent HIV.