Knowledge, attitudes, perceived vulnerability of Chinese nurses and their preferences for caring for HIV‐positive individuals: a cross‐sectional survey

Aims. The study was to assess HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and perceived vulnerability with potential factors. Background. HIV/AIDS is a public health catastrophe in China. Nurses are expected to care for nurture, comfort and advocate for all patients regardless of their condition. However, in the area of HIV/AIDS, nurses suffer as a result of expectations put on them by their professional roles. Design. This was a descriptive, cross‐sectional design that used a survey approach. Method. Data were collected from Summer 2003–Winter 2004. Results. Nurses reported significant perceived severity of risk from occupational exposure. Many nurses were frequently exposed to being stuck by needles (86%) and being splashed by body fluids and more than half of them (59·7%) were concerned about contracting HIV/AIDS. Nurses who had experience of finger pricks worried about potentially contacting HIV and being unaware of it (odds ratio= 0·444, p = 0·004). Nurses demonstrated a lack of knowledge and training in infectious diseases which may be a result of the fact that the study location is not considered a ‘concentrated area’ for infectious disease transmission; therefore, the need for the infectious diseases training has not been considered urgent. Conclusions. A well‐designed educational programme on occupational hazards and risk behaviour should be implemented to educate nurses in suburban cities and the general public. Hospital administrators should implement on‐site continuing education on HIV/AIDS throughout China. Armed with better knowledge of both transmission routes and precautions, nurses can protect themselves while providing care to patients. Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses in China urgently need psychosocial and physical supports from families, friends, communities and their working environments while combating HIV epidemic. With good support system, nurses will better educate patients and their family members on how to prevent transmission not only of HIV/AIDS but of a wide range of other infectious diseases as well.