HIV AND THE WORK INTENTIONS OF PUBLIC-HEALTH NURSES

Studies have examined the association between attitudes about the huma n immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and nurses' willingness or intentions t o work with infected persons. However, the relationship between these intentions and perceived concern from nurses' family and friends, or f actors of professional nursing experience is relatively unexplored. An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 311 public health nurses fro m areas with high and low prevalence of acquired immunodeficiency synd rome (AIDS) in North Carolina. Multiple regression analysis showed tha t nurses had stronger intentions to work with HIV-infected clients if they had more favorable attitudes about the disease, perceived friends and loved ones to be supportive of such work, had stronger profession al ties to public health, and had worked fewer years in public health. In addition, nurses from low AIDS-prevalence areas had stronger inten tions to work with these clients if they had professional nursing care experience with them. These findings are consistent with the Theory o f Reasoned Action, but also identify professional nursing experience a s independently associated with behavioral intentions. This suggests t hat attitudinal, normative, and professional experiences are all impor tant in examining nurses' intentions to work with clients infected wit h HIV.