MANAGING OCCUPATIONAL HIV EXPOSURES - A CANADIAN STUDY

The findings reported in this paper are part of a larger study that ex plored how nurses cope with the risk of acquiring HIV infection while caring for persons with AIDS (PWAs). The data were collected through i n-depth interviews with 13 nurses who cared for PWAs in a large Wester n Canadian hospital. Seven of these nurses perceived that they had bee n exposed to HIV-infected blood or body fluids. This paper describes h ow these seven nurses coped with actual exposures to HIV-infected bloo d or body fluids, Data were analyzed using the methodology of grounded theory. Nurses' coping efforts after exposure were grouped into four categories: minimizing the effect of exposures, reducing a sense of vu lnerability, selective disclosure to others, and assigning meaning. Nu rses minimized the physical effects of exposure through measures such as 'bleeding' the needlestick injury and immersing the affected area i n bleach solution. Nurses reduced their sense of vulnerability by asse ssing the possibility of harm, avoiding situations that aroused fear, and confronting the decision for HIV testing. Nurses limited their dis closures to co-workers to avoid rejection and to preserve professional self-esteem. Disclosure to significant others was influenced primaril y by the support nurses perceived they would receive, Finally, nurses attempted to assign meaning to the exposure by determining why the eve nt occurred and by evaluating the implications it has had on their liv es. The article concludes with implications for nursing practice.