TB/HIV Exposure among Nursing Students in the Clinical Practice Environment

Abstract

Nurses are faced with challenges regarding inadequate precautionary resources and the lack of support for occupational health practices still experienced in the clinical setting which expose them to the risk of contracting TB and HIV. Hence this study sought to investigate TB/HIV exposure among nursing students in the clinical practice environment. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in this study. The study sample included nursing students from first to fourth year level from the School of Nursing Sciences at the North-West University who were purposively selected. A high percentage of nursing students reported that they have experienced a situation where they were afraid that they might have been infected with both TB and HIV. Awareness about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was marked among the majority of nursing students. The uptake of PEP differed across junior and senior levels of nursing students. The results revealed that the higher the level of study, the greater the exposure. The lack of sufficient clinical support from nursing staff and preceptors had equally contributed to the exposure of nursing students to both HIV and TB, therefore, more support must be provided to nursing students.