Hands, Hearts and Hope: Nurses’ experiences in caring for people living with HIV in Moshi, Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania : A qualitative study of challenges, strategies, and everyday nursing practice

Sammanfattning

Background: HIV remains a major global health challenge, particularly affecting low- and middle-income countries, such as Tanzania. Nurses play a crucial role in caring for people living with HIV (PLHIV), and highlighting these experiences is essential for improving the quality of HIV care. Aim: To highlight nurses’ experiences of providing care for PLHIV in Moshi, Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. Method: A qualitative study with an inductive approach was conducted. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with six nurses working in HIV care and analyzed using thematic analysis focusing on manifest content. Results: Three themes were identified: Challenges Affecting Nurses’ Ability to provide care for PLHIV, Relational and Emotional Work in HIV Care and Adaptive Caring Strategies for a Better Future Through Teamwork and Education. The nurses described navigating structural and emotional challenges through relational care, teamwork, empathy, and patient education, which were perceived as improving adherence and reducing stigma. Conclusion: The findings illustrate the complexity of HIV care in a low-resource setting and highlight nurses’ central role in supporting PLHIV. Education, relational care, and teamwork emerge as essential strategies for improving health outcomes in similar contexts.