Patterns of Response Among Nurses After High-Risk Occupational Exposure

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the responses of nurses after high-risk occupational exposure. Ten nurses with documented occupational exposure to patients with known seropositivity or risk factors for HIV infection were interviewed and audiotaped as they described their subjective perspective of the experience. Data collection and analysis were guided by the phenomenological method described by Giorgi.¹ Six themes emerged from the data representing the patterns of response after occupational exposure: emotional impact, experiencing the stigma of AIDS, analyzing the ramifications, reacting to HIV testing, aftereffects, and needing support. Viewing AIDS as a death sentence emerged as the framework used by nurses to guide their interpretation of this experience.