Ethical Standards for the Occupational Health-Nursing Practitioner Regarding the HIV Positive Person in the Workplace

ABSTRACT

The occcupational health-nursing practitioner often becomes involved in ethical dilemmas with regard to the handling of HIV-positive people in the workplace in that the interests of the HIV-positive people conflict with the interests of the employer. Therefore; the occupational health-nursing practitioner could find himself ? Herself acting as mediator between the two parties. Despite the existence of legal norms ancl ethicirl standards to regulate the interests of the HN-positive person in the workplace; no guidelines exist as to how these norms and standards should be operrationalised during interaction between the HN-positive person; the occcupational health-nursing practitioner and the employer The occupational health-nursing practitioner is therefore rrncertain us to the manner in which to act professionally within the laid-ilown ethical standards for HN positive people in the workplace.The purpose of this study is to provide guidelines and criteria for the operationalisation of ethical standards for the occupational health-nursing practitioner regarcling the HN-positive person in the workplace. This is done through a literatrrre study with specific reference to current ethical frameworks within the occupational health-nursing context; after which the research is focused on two target groups; namely the occupational haalth-nursing practitioners and HIV-positive persons in the workplace. The design of the research is qualitative; explorative and descriptive. In order to assist the occupational health-nursing practitioner to handle the HIVpositive person in the workplace in an ethical manner guidelines and criteria were compiled for the operationalisation of the standards