| Learning Objective #1: Describe the incidence of HIV during pregnancy, including the nursing, medical, and psychosocial implications | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe the relationship between nurses attitudes and prejudice and care intentions when caring for pregnant women with HIV infection |
Design: Cross sectional descriptive correlational study. Sample: National sample of 350 obstetrical nurses. Methods: Mailed anonymous survey using three measures with vignettes. Instruments: Pregnant Women with HIV Scale (PWHS) (alpha = .89 with two subscales; Mothering and Choice (alpha = .92) and Sympathy and Rights (alpha = .78). The Prejudice Interaction Scale (PIS) to measure prejudice and intentions to care with four vignettes depicting pregnant women who varied in HIV status, compliance with care, transmission, and ethnicity (alpha = .76 to .85).
Findings: Overall attitudes of nurses toward pregnant women with HIV are positive. Nurses who knew more than four people affected by HIV/AIDS had more positive attitudes (p < .05). Knowing more people with HIV/AIDS, being older and having no religious affiliation were predictors of more positive Sympathy and Rights attitudes. PWHS and PIS were inversely correlated (r = -.35 to -.59). There was a main and interaction effect between vignettes and prejudice and intentions to care. Nurses with more positive beliefs were less prejudice and more willing to care for pregnant women with HIV (p < .0001). There were no significant predictors of care intentions. There were significant differences in care intentions between the HIV negative and positive women and amongst women with HIV. Implications: Findings suggest that the characteristics of a patient may influence nursing care intentions.