Experiential HIV Testing Increasing Testing Related Knowledge and Practice, and Reduce Stigma Toward HIV of Nurses.

Overview

This is a randomized controlled trial design. The investigators plan to recruit about 60 to 70 emergency department nurses from a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan. After completing the paper consent form, these nurses will be randomly assigned to 2 groups, which are a control group and an experimental group. The pre-test includes the demographic data sheet, HIV testing related knowledge and practice scale, and The Health Care Provider HIV/ AIDS Stigma Scale (HPASS). All nurses will receive a learning material when they finish the pre-test. In addition, the experimental group will be provided a real HIV testing and counselling by a researcher. The post-test will be finished one month later of pre-test in the control group, and one month later while the intervention completed in the experimental group. The semi-structural interview will be performed to the experimental group to collect and analyze their opinion toward the experiential HIV testing.

This project aims to develop an intervention of "experiential HIV testing" and to verify the following effects on emergency nurses: (1) Improve HIV testing related knowledge and practice; (2) Reduce HIV-related stigma; (3) Find out the possible demographic factors that might affect the effectiveness of experiential HIV Testing. During the intervention, nurses can directly participate in the whole process of anonymous HIV testing in the role of who need to be screened, and pre- and post-testing counselling accompanied the education and discussion will also be provided to them by a researcher. Through the above-mentioned measures, the knowledge and practices related to the HIV testing could be improved, and the stigma attitude toward HIV could be reduced through the self-reflection on the testing process.