Geoffrey Maina

Living with and teaching about HIV: Engaging nursing students through body mapping

Body mapping, an artistic method of narrating experiences alongside people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs), was used to educate first year nursing students about social and personal aspects of the illness, including stigma. Body mapping creates a safe space where individuals can discuss personal, emotional, cultural, political and socio-economic dimensions of their lives in relation to HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study is to understand how individuals from multiple perspectives experience body mapping as an educational tool, including a nursing student, an expert facilitator, a PHA and a course professor. The stories they live and tell motivate and inform the content of this study. We conducted three individual in-depth interviews with a student, a PHA and an expert facilitator on their experiences of participating in body mapping. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Field and observational notes were also collected and reflections have been incorporated in this paper. Three themes were derived from our analyses: 1) stock taking narratives, where body mapping serves as a mediator for reflecting, accessing and organizing past experiences; 2) transactional narratives where body mapping creates safe spaces within which relationships are created, and experiences are shared, and 3) give and take narratives that connote transformation of self as a result of participating in body mapping. In conclusion, the body mapping exercise as an educational tool is an opportunity to share experiences, and to learn about and to shift attitudes surrounding HIV/AIDS. Thus, body mapping can be a valuable tool for HIV education for first year nursing students.

Implementation Process of a Canadian Community-based Nurse Mentorship Intervention in HIV Care

&NA; We describe salient individual and organizational factors that influenced engagement of registered nurses in a 12‐month clinical mentorship intervention on HIV care in Canada. The intervention included 48 nurses and 8 people living with HIV (PLWH) who were involved in group‐based and one‐on‐one informal mentorship informed by transformative learning theory. We evaluated the process of implementing the mentorship intervention using qualitative content analysis. The inclusion of PLWH as mentors, the opportunities for reciprocal learning, and the long‐term commitment of individual nurses and partner organizations in HIV care were major strengths. Challenges included the need for multiple ethical approvals, the lack of organizational support at some clinical sites, and the time commitment required by participants. We recommend that clinical mentorship interventions in HIV care consider organizational support, adhere to the Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS principles, and explore questions of professional obligations.

A systematic review of best practices in HIV care.

ABSTRACT Best practices in HIV care have the potential to improve patient outcomes and inform practice. We conducted a systematic review of best practices in HIV care that were published from 2003 to 2013. Practices that demonstrated success in achieving desired results based on their objectives were included in the review. Two themes emerged from the eight articles reviewed: (a) the importance of linking newly diagnosed people living with HIV to care and (b) the role of integrated and comprehensive service provision in improving patient outcomes. Inconsistencies in reporting and arbitrary use of the term “best practices” were hurdles in this review.

Characterizing the Structure and Functions of Social Networks of Men Who Have Sex with Men in Ghana, West Africa: Implications for Peer-Based HIV Prevention

&NA; Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ghana are at an increased risk of contracting HIV. Understanding the social networks of MSM may support the development of HIV prevention strategies for this unique population. This article explores the structure and function of the social networks of MSM from 22 focus groups drawn from two urban and one rural setting in Ghana. Gaining insights into the characteristics of these networks will allow health care providers to design HIV prevention efforts and increase access to these programs.

Exploring the meaning of living with HIV as a chronic illness in Kenya: A narrative inquiry

Since the introduction of antiretroviral medications, HIV has been regarded as a chronic illness. However, people living with HIV continue to experience social consequences of HIV infection such as stigma, discrimination, violence, and other human rights violations. In this paper, we focus on the experiences of Atoti, a person living with HIV in Kenya. We argue that HIV remains a biographically disruptive and exceptional illness that is complicated by its invisibility and unpredictable trajectory. Based on Atotis experiences, we argue that Burys (1982) concept of biographical disruption, used to explain the social processes of a person suffering a chronic illness, does not fully capture the complexity of experiencing living with HIV. Focusing on life as a whole, rather than on the disease response and process as a biographical disruption, allows for a deeper appreciation of HIVs complexity as a medical illness with major social ramifications.

A Systematic Review on the Intersection of Homelessness and Healthcare in Canada

Background: Nurses must understand the needs and barriers of people who are homeless when they are in a health care environment in order to render effective care. Objective: The objective of this review is to synthesize research findings on studies that examine the needs and barriers of people who are homeless in Canada when they intersect with health care providers. Methods: A scope of manuscripts, published in English from 1980 to 2011 that assess the needs and barriers of people experiencing homelessness in Canada when in the health sector without limitation on study design from different electronic databases and manual searches, was conducted. Results: Six articles (N=4 qualitative, N=2 quantitative) met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Eight themes emerged from a narrative synthesis of the findings. Conclusion: Individuals who are homeless have multiple needs when in the health care sector. Thus, collaboration among different disciplines is essential in order to provide them with holistic care.

Nurses Taking the Lead: A Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Forum on Substance Abuse and Addiction in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, is experiencing a substance use and addiction crisis with devastating consequences. To engage local stakeholders on substance use and addiction issues, nurse researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert Campus, planned and organized a one-day community engagement and knowledge exchange forum. The forum provided the opportunity for interested community groups, members and individuals to share their experiences and to explore novel ways to prevent and respond to the substance abuse and addiction challenges in the region. Participants included community leaders, people and families living with addiction, service providers, local stakeholders, health professionals, researchers and Indigenous Elders. This paper describes the process and outcomes of this event and describes the role of nurse scholars in leading these efforts.