title: The status of HIV/AIDS nursing in Australia: a specialty in decline?
abstract: Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), occasions of service for patients with HIV/AIDS have altered drastically. HIV/AIDS nurses perceived that this change in activity had caused an exodus from the specialty by experienced nurses, and those that remained were rapidly deskilling. A survey of nurses working in HIV/AIDS in Australia and New Zealand was conducted to assess the impact of HAART on nursing skills and retention. More than 72% of respondents reported that they had lost some or many clinical HIV/AIDS nursing skills. About 37% of nurses reported that they were losing confidence in their knowledge of the management of opportunistic infections and cancers. About 27% reported larger numbers of nurses leaving their specialty area than in previous years. To enable nurses to respond rapidly to a potential decline in the effectiveness of HAART, this loss in skills and knowledge must be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Immunology and Infectious Diseases Unit, John Hunter Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dobson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loewenthal
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution; D013041:Specialties, Nursing / Q000639:trends*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce