Abstract:
Considering the growing consensus surrounding the need for psychiatric nurses taking care of mental health-care users living with HIV/AIDS, this study is about guidelines for psychiatric nurses caring for mental health-care users living with HIV/AIDS in a public psychiatric hospital. In this regard, the study critically explored the extent to which psychiatric nurses are providing care to these users in a public psychiatric hospital. It did so by firstly exploring and describing psychiatric nurse experiences of providing care to mental health care users living with HIV and AIDS in a public psychiatric hospital in Gauteng. Secondly, to the researcher developed guidelines for nursing management based on psychiatric nurses’ experiences to ensure effective care to mental health care users living with HIV and AIDS.
An explorative, descriptive, contextual and qualitative design was used to explore and describe nurses’ experiences. Purposive sampling was used to select nine participants. Data were collected using interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The guidelines were derived from the findings and validated using a Delphi technique and, subsequently, measure to ensure trustworthiness were followed. Ethical considerations were observed to ensure no harm was done, participants’ confidentiality was ensured, and informed consent was obtained.
The findings were gathered into four main clusters that logically belonged together. These four clusters were: These four clusters were: 1) issues related to psychiatric nurses caring for MHCUs living with HIV/AIDS; 2) issues related to MHCUs living with HIV/AIDS; 3) ways of coping of psychiatric nurses caring for MHCUs living with HIV/AIDS; and 4) psychiatric nurses’ need for support in caring for MHCUs living with HIV/AIDS. From cluster 1 two guidelines were derived, from cluster 2 two guidelines, from cluster 3 one guideline, and from cluster 4 two guidelines were derived. A one-round Delphi technique was used to validate the guidelines to ensure effective care to to mental health care users living with HIV and AIDS. This dissertation provides recommendations to implement the guidelines for psychiatric nurses taking care of mental health care users in a psychiatric hospital.
