Perceptions of nurses on TB with HIV adherence counselling skills in a health sub-district, Cape Town: A qualitative study

Background: People living with HIV (PLHIV) co-infected with Tuberculosis (TB) account for one in three HIV-related deaths. Retention in care and adherence to medication remain key behaviours that PLHIV co-infected with TB must adopt to achieve better health outcomes. Nevertheless, TB with HIV adherence-counselling services provided by nurses designed to enhance these behaviours remain inadequate. Additionally, limited information is found in the literature on the perceptions of nurses regarding their TB with HIV adherence counselling skills pertaining to PLHIV co-infected with TB. Aim: To explore and describe the perceptions of nurses regarding their TB with HIV adherence counselling skills of PLHIV co-infected with TB. Setting: The study was conducted in a health sub-district of Cape Town. Method: An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design was followed. A total of 14 purposively sampled nurses were interviewed individually. Nurses caring for PLHIV co-infected with TB were included and nurses not offering care to PLHIV co-infected with TB were excluded. All interviews were audio recorded with the participants' permission followed by verbatim transcriptions. Thematic analysis was done using ATLASti.8 electronic software. Results: It was established that the varied roles of these nurses increased their workload. Nonetheless, despite the gap in their counselling skills, the majority still maintained work expertise, professionalism and empathy towards the patients. Additionally, there were perceived barriers impacting patients' attendance of their follow up appointments. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, there is a need to equip nurses caring for PLHIV co-infected with TB with adherence counselling skills to improve practice.

Nursing informatics skills relevance and competence for final year nursing students

Background: The increasing use of technology in nursing practice requires nursing students to be competent in nursing informatics with an attitude of acceptance of technology in the healthcare environment. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine final year nursing students' perceptions and skills in nursing informatics and their attitudes towards computerisation in nursing practice. Method: The study population were 198 final year nursing students from a selected university in the Western Cape, South Africa. All-inclusive sampling was used. A descriptive survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire which included two validated scales, namely the validated Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) and the Nurses' Attitudes towards Computerisation scale. Means and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the ratings of the perceived relevance of nursing informatics skills in nursing practice, perceived levels of competence in nursing informatics skills and attitudes towards computers were calculated. Results: A total of 91 undergraduate respondents completed the survey. Computer literacy skills were rated overall as most relevant (4.23, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 4.06­4.40) and the skills perceived most competent (4.16, 95% CI: 3.81­4.22). The respondents had an overall positive score for attitudes towards computerisation in healthcare (67.34, s.d. = 10.40, 95% CI: 65.18­69.51). Conclusion: The study concluded that computer literacy skills, informatics literacy skills and information management skills were relevant to nursing practice, despite varying levels of competence in these skills among nurses.

Coping strategies of mothers with preterm babies admitted in a public hospital in Cape Town

Background: Most pregnancies run a normal course, ending in a healthy mother­infant relationship, but sometimes, it can also be a life-threatening and stressful condition. The stress levels of mothers are more aggravated when they deliver preterm babies.Objectives: To explore the coping strategies of mothers of preterm babies with the stress of preterm delivery and subsequent admission of the preterm neonate to a neonatal care unit.Method: A qualitative research approach applying an exploratory and descriptive design was applied to explore the coping strategies of mothers with preterm babies admitted in a neonatal care unit. The study applied a purposive sampling technique to select mothers with preterm babies. The population for this study included women who delivered preterm babies and whose babies were admitted in the neonatal care unit at a public hospital in Cape Town. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached, and 11 mothers with preterm babies in the selected public hospital participated in the study. Data were analysed manually using thematic content analysis with an inductive approach. Results: Results were deductively interpreted and supported by the Brief COPE model. The main themes that emerged from data analysis included praying, attachment with baby and acceptance of the situation. Under praying the following subthemes emerged, namely praying for God's strength, God's grace, babies' survival and thanksgiving to God for babies' health and preferred gender. The theme of attachment with the baby emerged with the following subthemes: bonding with the baby and seeing the baby. The last theme that was acceptance of the situation emerged with the following subtheme: perseverance in the situation and mother's awareness of her responsibility. Conclusion: Even though the mothers of preterm babies cope differently after delivery, their coping abilities, which included praying, attachment to baby and acceptance of the situation, were greatly determined by the condition of their babies as well as the support they receive from significant others