title: Caring for people with AIDS: nurses' attitudes and feelings.
abstract: A qualitative, non-experimental study was conducted to identify the feelings and attitudes that nurses associate with caring for people with AIDS. Data collection and analysis were guided by the phenomenological method. Cognitive dissonance theory served as the theoretical framework to view the experience of caring for someone with AIDS. Data analysis of audiotaped, semi-structured interviews resulted in the identification of six mutually inclusive as well as exclusive themes which represent the attitudes and feelings of nurses: fear, anger, sympathy, self-enhancement, fatigue and helplessness. Particularly evident were differences in the way respondents perceived and treated AIDS patients who are intravenous drug users and those who are homosexuals.
authors.affiliation: Windham Hospital, Willimantic, Connecticut 06226.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Breault
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Polifroni
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000451:nursing*; D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D003237:Connecticut; D004645:Empathy; D005221:Fatigue; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires