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Introduction management of tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) within primary health care (PHC) facilities involve nursing students as part of them integrating theory to practice. Clinical learning for nursing students requires adequate support from the Nursing Education Institution (NEI) and nursing professionals. Given the dearth of literature regarding clinical support for nursing students in the management of TB/HIV in PHC setting, this study is aimed at exploring and describing nursing students' experiences regarding clinical support. Methods a phenomenological design was used to explore and describe the experiences of nursing students using an individual, unstructured, in-depth interview. Audio-taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Atlas TI software. Results themes derived from the study were factors inhibiting clinical support which incorporated shortage of professional nurses (PNs), lack of accompaniment, fear of managing TB/HIV patients and negative attitudes of PNs; outcomes of poor clinical support included inability to integrate TB/HIV theory to practice and lack of confidence among nursing students; nursing students' desired outcomes through clinical support included becoming a competent TB/HIV nurse and the ability to integrate TB/HIV theory to practice; and strategies to strengthen and promote clinical support in TB/HIV management through strengthened occupational health and safety learning, provision of knowledge regarding post-exposure prophylaxis and infection control, and appointed clinical PN for students in each facility. Conclusion the development of policies for clinical support, increasing supervision, appointment of clinical preceptors and accompanists in facilities where nursing students are placed would promote clinical learning within the NEI and the production of competent and confident nurses.

Background: Nurses, as front-line care providers in the South Africa’s health care system, are called upon to deliver integrated interventions for tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (TB and HIV) including nurse-initiated management of anti-retroviral therapy (NIMART) and anti-TB treatment. Adherence to treatment guidelines and factors associated with non-adherence to treatment guidelines among nurses remain under explored.Purpose: To explore and describe barriers to treatment guidelines adherence among nurses initiating and managing anti-retroviral therapy and anti-TB treatment in KwaZulu-Natal and North West provinces.Design: This study employed a qualitative exploratory descriptive design.Methods: Four semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted during 2014 each consisting of four to eight NIMART trained nurses. Audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Atlas T.I. software.Findings: During data analysis, two themes emerged: (1) NIMART trained nurses’ distress about TB and HIV guidelines adherence that is inclusive of lack of agreement with guidelines, poor motivation to implement guidelines, poor clinical support and supervision, resistance to change, insufficient knowledge or lack of awareness and (2) exterior factors inhibiting nurses’ adherence to treatment guidelines which incorporated organisational factors, guidelines-related factors and patient-related factors.Conclusion: This qualitative study identified that nurses have substantial concerns over guideline adherence. If NIMART trained nurses’ barriers inhibiting adherence to treatment guidelines cannot be remedied, patient outcomes may suffer and South Africa will struggle to meet the 90-90-90 targets.

Background: The purpose of the performance management system (PMS) is planning, monitoring, evaluation and development of employees to meet the organisational goals and objectives and transform of service delivery to excellence of the organisation. However, public services are deteriorating and implementation of PMS stimulated different views among professional nurses (PNs) in the Mopani district clinics, which warrants exploration and documentation of the findings.Objective: The objective of this study was to explore and describe the PNs’ perceptions towards PMS.Methods: A qualitative, phenomenological research was conducted to explore and describe the nurses’ lived experiences regarding PMS. A purposive sampling method was used. Data collection was done using focus group interviews. Three focus group discussion sessions were conducted, inclusive of six to nine participants in each session.Results: Twenty-two PNs were interviewed. The findings revealed the following themes: PNs’ uncertainty regarding the implementation of PMS, poor implementation of PMS and its process, lack of knowledge and understanding of PMS implementation and its process, and negative attitudes towards the implementation of PMS.Conclusion: PNs perceived PMS negatively. There is a need to improve leadership and management behaviour by enhancing productivity, job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Constructive feedback, training and capacity development, including standardisation and stabilisation of performance instrument, might improve the process.

Background: Nurses caring for people living with HIV (PLWH) are at higher risk of exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by needle sticks, cuts, getting body fluids in their eyes or mouth and skin when bruised or affected by dermatitis. Objectives: To determine knowledge, insight and uptake of occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (OPEP) amongst nurses caring for PLWH. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in this study. Stratified random sampling was used to sample 240 nurses. The study was conducted in a regional hospital in Limpopo province. Both parametric and non-parametric statistics were employed to analyse data. Results: A total of 233 nurses participated in the study. Sixty per cent ( n = 138) of all nurses had a situation at work when they thought that they were infected by HIV and 100 (43%) nurses had experienced the situation once or more in the past 12 month. Approximately 40% did not know what PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is, and 22% did not know or were not sure if it was available in the hospital. Only few participants ( n = 68, 29%) had sought PEP and most ( n = 37, 54%) of them did not receive PEP when they needed it. There was a significant association between the knowledge and availability of PEP ( r = 0.622). Conclusion : The study recommend an urgent need for policy makers in the health sector to put in place policies, guidelines and programmes that will rapidly scale up PEP services in health care settings, so that preventable occupationally acquired HIV infection can be minimised amongst nurses. Keywords: Post-Exposure Prophylaxis; Nurses; HIV, Occupational Exposure; PLWH

Background: Gender-based violence is a challenge in South Africa, despite available interventions. Caring for the survivors of both forms of violence is critical for ensuring their speedy recovery.Objectives: To compare the effects of trauma on female survivors of sexual assault versus those experienced by survivors of physical assault by their intimate partners.Method: A quantitative cross-sectional comparative study design was used to compare 30 sexually-assaulted women and 30 physically-assaulted women regarding depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder and coping styles three months after the incident. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the survivors of both types of assault and the Beck Depression Inventory posttraumatic stress disorder checklist and Brief COPE Inventory were administered in order to obtain quantitative data. Both parametric and non-parametric statistics were employed. Ethical measures were adhered to throughout the research process.Results: A significantly-higher proportion of sexually-assaulted women disclosed the incident to family (p = 0.021). The majority of sexually- (90%) and physically- (86%) assaulted women were likely to recall the incident. Sexually-assaulted women had a significantly-higher mean for avoidance/numbness (p < 0.001) and physical-assaulted women in arousal (p > 0.051). About 41% of sexually-assaulted participants reported severe depression. Findings confirmed that sexual assault is more personal whilst physical assault is more interpersonal. If physically-assaulted women were removed from the perpetrators they recovered faster than sexually-assaulted women. Their stay with the perpetrators may perpetuate the violence.Conclusion: The need for counselling and support for the survivors of both traumas was recommended. All stakeholders should be educated to provide support to survivors of both traumas. Agtergrond: Ten spyte daarvan dat daar intervensies beskikbaar is, bly geslagsgebaseerde geweld ‘n uitdaging in Suid-Afrika. Die versorging van die oorlewendes geweld is van kritieke belang om die oorlewendes se spoedige herstel te verseker.Doelwitte: Die doel was om die gevolge van trauma op die vroulike slagoffers van seksuele aanranding te vergelyk met die trauma wat die oorlewendes van fisiese aanranding ervaar het.Metode: ‘n Kwantitatiewe dwarssnit ontwerp is gebruik om 30 seksueel aangerande vroue en 30 fisiek aangerande vroue te vergelyk sover dit depressiesimptome, posttroumatiese stresversteuring en coping styl betref drie maande na die voorval plaasgevind het. Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gevoer met die oorlewendes van beide soorte aanvalle, terwyl die Beck depressie-inventaris, die kontrolelys vir posttroumatiese stresversteuring en die bondige COPE-inventaris afgeneem is om kwantitatiewe data te bekom. Sowel parametriese as nie-parametriese statistiek is gebruik. Etiese vereistes is regdeur die navorsingsproses nagekom.Resultate: ‘n Aansienlik hoër persentasie seksueel aangerande vrouens het hulle gesin oor die voorval ingelig (p = 0.021). Die meeste seksueel (90%) en fisiek (86%) aangerande vrouens het die voorval onthou. Seksueel aangerande vrouens toon ‘n aansienlik hoër gemiddelde vir vermyding of gevoelloosheid (p < 0.001) en fisiese aangerande vrouens het ‘n hoër gemiddelde vir opwekking (p > 0.051). Sowat 41% van die seksueel aangerande deelnemers meld erge depressie. Die studie bevestig dat seksuele aanranding persoonliker is, terwyl fisieke aanranding meer interpersoonlik is. As fisiek aangerand vroue van die oortreders verwyder word, herstel hulle vinniger as die seksueel aangerande vroue. As hulle by die oortreders bly, kan die geweld voortduur.Gevolgtrekking: Die noodsaak aan berading en ondersteuning vir beide groepe oorlewendes word aanbeveel. Alle belanghebbendes moet opgevoed word om ondersteuning aan oorlewendes te bied.

Female condom is the female-initiated barrier contraceptive with the aim of protection against HIV, other sexually transmitted infections, unintended and unwanted pregnancy. However given the use of female condom is somewhat affected by a number of factors regardless of its importance. The purpose of the study was to determine and describe the attitudes of female students on the use of female condoms at the University of Venda in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Quantitative approach was used. Purposive sampling was used to sample 100 registered female students at the University of Venda. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data and results were analysed descriptively. The results revealed negative attitudes towards female condom use and reasons for non-usage of female condoms amongst female students which include not thinking of using it and partner verbalising not having HIV. Recommendations included strengthening health education and counselling on female condoms use as well as promoting the awareness regarding the importance of condom use. Keywords: Attitudes, female students, female-initiated barrier contraceptive, Sexually Transmitted Infections, female condoms.