Ethiopian nurses' work with primary prevention : a minor field study in Addis Ababa

Background One central task within nursing is health promotion, which can be done at different levels. Primary prevention aims to promote health and protect against illness by preventing problems before they occur. HIV is still a worldwide issue, yet Ethiopia is one country where efforts at preventing the spread of the virus have had positive results. Aim This study aimed to describe how nurses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, work with primary prevention to minimise the spread of HIV. Method The study was conducted as a qualitative field study at a hospital in Addis Ababa. Semi-structured interviews were held with seven nurses at four different units. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. Result The nurses mentioned various efforts of preventing HIV, where the main findings describe the different hands-on methods at their unit as well as the nurses’ frequent work with health education and information. An additional finding outlines the setting in which the nurses carry out their preventive work. Conclusion In conclusion, the nurses worked in a variety of ways to prevent the spread of the virus to themselves and to their patients. Screening was an important effort to minimise the exposure to other non-infected individuals. Health education and information were quoted by the majority of the nurses, but it was impacted by the awareness that the patients already exhibited. The findings show the multitude of efforts attempted at all units, which highlight the significant presence and value of health promotion within nursing