Pre-Service Competence of Nursing Students in The Management Of TBHIV Co-Infection

Abstract

Task shifting models use in the integrated management of TB/HIV co-infection is a step towards bridging the gap created by the syndemic. Nursing students as the future workforce ought to have the competence in managing TB/HIV co-infection. Blooms' Taxonomy of learning was used as a theoretical framework to assess the pre-service competence of final year diploma and undergraduate nursing students in the management of TB/HIV co-infection within the Ghanaian context. A cross-sectional survey design and total population sampling technique was employed. Data was collected from 348 nursing students in four (4) nursing training institutions in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi square, correlation, and regression analysis were employed to summarise data. The results revealed high knowledge of TB/HIV co-infection and its complications (M = 15.5, SD = 2.4). Majority (n = 280, 82.6%) were unaware of the World Health Organization task shifting guideline for HIV management. Respondents were moderately skilled in the management of TB/HIV co-infection within the context of WHO task shifting guidelines for HIV management (M = 25.39, SD = 5.72). Skill competence in health assessment (M = 1.87, SD =.63), anti-retroviral medication administration (M = 2.08, SD =.69) and conduct of Voluntary Counselling Test (M = 1.81, SD =.72) was poor. Respondents exhibited moderate levels of avoidance (M = 3.3, SD = .699) moderate to high levels of empathy (M = 4.62, SD = .85) and mildly positive attitude (M = 1.32, SD = 1.06) towards TB/HIV co-infection. Competency was influenced by empathy (p = .001), previous experience in managing TB/HIV co-infections (p = .001), level of education (p = .018), nursing speciality (p = .013) and knowledge of WHO task shifting guidelines (p < .001). Further training is required to enhance the pre-service competence of nursing students in the management of TB/HIV coinfection