Nurses' attitudes and concerns to HIV/AIDS: a focus group approach

An exploratory qualitative study was instigated to further identify nurses' attitudes to the care of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This follows as a sequel to a study using a questionnaire. Data were collected from nine focus groups attended by a total of 29 nurses at a hospital within a New Zealand regional health authority. The principal findings suggest that nurses' attitudes to this patient group are varied and depend on social influences, personal experiences and the extent of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS. Other concerns raised included nurses' rights to choose to care for HIV-positive patients and the issue of universal precautions. These findings may have implications for further educational initiatives and formation of hospital policy.