Nurses' experiences of working with Prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV : A minor field study in the Rufiji district of Tanzania

Abstract: This study is a Minor Field Study and is funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). At the end of 2016 there were 1.4 million people living with HIV in Tanzania; That same year approximately 55.000 people were newly infected with the disease. The most frequent route of infection is through mother to child transmission (MTCT). The risk of transmission can be reduced with the help of medication and other strategies, called prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. Tanzania is working actively with these prevention programs, however the rates of MTCT still remains high in the country. Due to their profession, nurses play a significant role in these prevention programs. They have an important role in educating the patients and encouraging a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, it is important to investigate nurses' experiences of working with PMTCT of HIV to gain knowledge and valuable information of their experiences. The aim of the study is to investigate local nurses' experiences of working with PMTCT of HIV in the Rufiji area in Tanzania. The data of the study have been collected through individual interviews with six nurses using a semi-structured guide with open questions. The nurses' experiences of working with PMTCT of HIV covers three key areas. First, they work actively with motivating the mothers in several significant areas, such as motivating the mothers to take a voluntary HIV-test and bringing their partners to undertake the HIV-test. Second, the nurses described the importance of counseling the mothers and their partners. One part in counseling is to get the mother's mind ready to receive the result of the HIV-test. Third, the nurses experienced stigma as something they all had to be aware of and meet in their everyday work life. Stigma from the community and relatives is one reason for poor adherence from the mothers to the PMTCT program.