Stress named as the Major Cause of Nurse Shortage in HIV Care

Oct. 29, 2007 - PRLog -- Melbourne, Australia —Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) HIV patients in South Africa have left the nurses who provide this vital community service exposed to continual emotional strain – leading to career burnout –causing these caregivers to eventually leave the service.

A study published by Wiley-Blackwell in the special issue of Nursing & Health Sciences finds that VCT nurses in the Limpopo province experience many challenges relating to emotional drain, with grief and continual loss listed as the main stress factors.    

The Limpopo province – the poorest and most rural in South Africa—has trained more than 300 nurses since 2001 to provide adequate VCT services for the community. At present, it has only 20 are still delivering VCT services

Based on her research project “Challenges faced by nurses in rendering HIV/AIDS services in Limpopo Province”, Dr. Mashudu Maselesele, published the paper – “Nurses’ experiences of delivering voluntary counseling and testing services for HIV/AIDS in the Vhembe district, Limpopo province, South Africa”. The study aims to explore and describe the experiences of the nurses in order to better understand why they quit the service; in the hope of rectifying the situation.  

Professional nurses render VCT services over and above their daily nursing functions, without additional compensation and support. In addition to the inadequate resources for effective the delivery of counseling and testing services (all of which is voluntary), they also have to deal with further obstacles such as the stigma of the disease and frustrations concerning certain behaviors and practices of clients and community members.

Dr. Maselesele says “VCT is a very crucial entry point in enabling HIV prevention and management, and is extremely essential in not only helping patients cope with their illness but also helps reduce overall infection rates. It is therefore vital that we implement effective healthcare worker-retention strategies – via proper mentoring and emotional support – to improve the motivational levels of nurses.”

She added, “We must consistently maintain and sustain the high quality of service this counseling program has been delivering.”


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This paper is published in the December 2007 issue of Nursing and Health Sciences. The journal is one of the 16 Wiley-Blackwell journals participating in the Council of Science Editor’s (CSE) Global Theme Issue dedicated to poverty and human development. The Table of Contents may be viewed online at the following URL: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/nhs/9/4 .

Media wishing to receive a PDF or schedule media interviews with the author should contact Alina Boey, PR & Communications Manager Asia at alina.boey@asia.blackwellpublishing.com or phone 613-83591046.  



About the Council of Science Editors (CSE)
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Nursing & Health Sciences
Nursing & Health Sciences focuses on the international exchange of knowledge in nursing and health sciences, particularly between East and West. The journal publishes peer-reviewed papers on original research, education and policy as well as more informal papers describing personal experiences. By encouraging Eastern and Western scholars alike to share their clinical knowledge and experience, the Journal aims to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the lived experience of health care around the world and the opportunity to enrich their own practices for improved global health.



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