Background: Integration of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV and AIDS) services into primary healthcare (PHC) is a key public health approach to achieving universal access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Despite the government’s efforts of integrating HIV services into PHC, an insufficient number of PHC staff and inadequate infrastructure are challenging when integrating HIV and AIDS services into PHC. This study explored the challenges of PHC nurses regarding the integration of HIV and AIDS services into PHC.Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore the challenges of PHC nurses regarding the integration of HIV and AIDS services into PHC.Method: An exploratory, descriptive and contextual qualitative research design utilising face-to-face semi-structured interviews was conducted with 12 PHC nurses from selected clinics and health centres in the Vhembe district of Limpopo province.Results: Two main themes emerged from data analysis which included challenges related to healthcare recipients and challenges related to healthcare providers.Conclusion: Clear policies on the integration of HIV and AIDS services into PHC should be available and should include strategies to promote HIV testing and counselling, adherence to ART and scheduled appointments, disclosure of HIV status as well as revising the human resource policy to reduce workload.

Preconception care (PCC) is the provision of biomedical, behavioural, and social health interventions to women and couples before they fall pregnant. The World Health Organization (WHO) developed PCC recommendations in 2013, which were included in the South African maternity care guidelines in 2016. The purpose of PCC is to lessen behaviours and environmental factors leading to maternal ill-health, thus reducing maternal and perinatal mortality rates. Objective: To determine the implementation of PCC recommendations at health facilities in the selected districts of Limpopo Province and the associated factors. Methods: A qualitative exploratory design was used. Nonprobability, purposive sampling was used to sample 29 professional nurses (PNs), and 51 women of childbearing age (WCBA) (19–35 years) from clinics and community health centres (CHCs). Data were collected through in-depth interviews with the professional nurses and focus group discussions with the WCBA. Data analysis was performed through open coding. Measures of trustworthiness were adhered to. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from relevant stakeholders, participation was voluntary and participants signed a consent form prior to data collection. Results: The findings of the study revealed that there was partial implementation of the PCC recommendations in the selected districts of Limpopo Province, PCC provision was dependent on clients’ initiation, a knowledge gap regarding PCC recommendations was identified from the professional nurses, and a lack of awareness regarding PCC from the WCBA. Conclusion: The preconception period is an important determinant of the pregnancy outcome; therefore, focus should be redirected to the pre-pregnancy period and not only to when the woman is already pregnant. However, to achieve this, professional nurses and WCBA should be empowered regarding PCC and its benefits.

Health SA Gesondheid promotes communication, collaboration and teamwork between professions and disciplines within the health sciences to address problems that cross and affect disciplinary boundaries.

Curationis provides a forum for cutting-edge theories and research models related to the exploration of issues experienced and the best practices of nurses and midwives so as to improve nursing education, nursing administration and community nursing within Africa.

Background: Nurse training in South Africa requires placing learner nurses in real-life setting for them to gain practical experience. To complete their training and be competent practitioners, learner nurses must have expectations and aspirations when they go for practice.Aim: This study sought to understand learner nurses’ expectations at clinical learning areas during placement.Setting: Four clinical learning areas in the Limpopo province were purposely sampled. Tertiary, regional and district hospitals were sampled to obtain information from different levels of care.Methods: A qualitative, descriptive and contextual design was used to explore the expectations of learner nurses during clinical placements. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from various bodies and ethical considerations were ensured. Nonprobability purposive sampling was used, and six focus groups were formed. Each focus group discussion (FGD) had six to eight participants. The FGDs were according to level of study, with the third and fourth levels each having two FGDs because of the number of participants.Results: The following three themes emerged: milieu in the clinical learning areas, learning in the clinical areas and self-actualisation.Conclusion: The clinical learning areas are institutions of promoting learning through practice. They should promote learning and offer support to learners so that learners meet their expectations, which may prevent discouragement and attrition.Contribution: This study adds to the body of knowledge in nursing education and practice because when students’ expectations are met, their training outcome might be positive leading to competent professional nurses.

Family involvement in long-term mental health care is a significant therapeutic aspect in managing mentally ill patients. This study aimed to determine the perspectives of family members about caring for mental health care users at selected long-term mental health institutions in Limpopo Province. A qualitative explorative and contextual descriptive design was used. Purposive sampling was used to select family members with mental health care users admitted in long-term health institutions in Limpopo Province. Data were collected with in-depth individual interviews aided by an audio recorder and field notes. Data were qualitatively analysed. Trustworthiness and ethical considerations were ensured. Two themes yielded from the interviews: Perspectives of family members about their involvement in the care of mental health care users and difficulties in caring for mental health care users at home when granted leave of absence or discharged. Sub-themes: Caring for mental health care users leads to an understanding of mental illness; Lack of skill and inability to monitor mental health care users at home; Mental health care users abuse substances during leave of absence which makes family reluctant to request them for visit; Caring for mental health care users at home viewed as a difficult task and stigma from the community. The challenges experienced by family members contribute to poor interaction with mentally ill patients. We recommend that family members of mental health care users be educated about mental illnesses and encouraged to participate in the care of the patients.