The Role of Nurses in the Church towards AIDS Issues - Essay Example

"The Role of Nurses in the Church towards AIDS Issues" is a worthy example of a paper on the virus.
The pandemic of HIV/AIDS is not really an issue that is confined within the expertise of the medical world. It is a known fact that several institutions have been mobilized in our society to tackle the causality and social implications of this daunting syndrome.

The church is one of the institutions that help cater to the needs and issues towards HIV/AIDS. However, the efforts of a church group can be more effective if guided properly by the knowledge of medical science. A nurse, in this instance, can represent the medical world and provide the necessary inputs to improve their approach towards HIV/AIDS and clarify some old misleading myths associated with it.

The church has long years of involvement on the issues of AIDS, primarily with a focus on the stigma that it carries. Generally, AIDS has been viewed to be acquired through sexual intercourse most especially with multiple partners - an issue that is a very big taboo for the church. In addition, AIDS patients developed social needs that only the church can effectively provide. These are some of the church’s driving forces to create proactive ways how to combat this pandemic, not only on the health side but of course the morality that is associated with it. There are several ways to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS which the scientific world now offers. As for the church, it has already developed groups within its members and even established collaboration with international health care groups, NGO’s and other secular organizations as a prevention and support mechanism.

However, there are occasional factors that can be observed within church groups that deal with HIV/AIDS. Most members of the church group are volunteers that are not really medical people. Generally speaking, these groups are more focused on catering to the emotional and social needs of possible HIV patients. Without firm and correct medical knowledge about the syndrome, biases, discrimination, and gossips can possibly emerge. From a health promotional model perspective, this can become perceived barriers that can impair the commitment of people and patients inside the group (Pender 2012). Thus, it is best to promote health needs by the intervention of a medical person. A nurse with proper background and experience in HIV/AIDS can do the work. 

The nurse has the role to present the dynamics of healthcare-associated with the syndrome as part of the health promotional needs of the group. According to Pender (2012), individuals will constantly interact and progressively transform their environment and themselves over time. In this aspect, health professionals become part of the interpersonal environment, which influences the entire life span of that individual. Thus, the nurse can become part of the action plan towards an effective church group.

Firstly, the task is to provide the required knowledge about the nature and causes of AIDS. Myths and hearsays must be clarified so as to lessen biases and discrimination.  The nurse can lead the church group in information campaigns and together with the group help reach outpatients by a social and medical approach. Secondly, the nurse has the role to introduce the unique behavior of AIDS patients, from a medical perspective, that might produce specific actions that can help the group on adjustments and devise more effective health care strategies. Finally, health-promoting behavior must be achieved within the church group and its patients. It should result in improved health, enhanced functional ability, and better quality of life (Pender 2012). At present, AIDS seems incurable but living life to its fullest is another thing

In conclusion, the nurse can definitely enlighten and tackle some risk factors that a church group can have. The promotion of health care dynamics is essential to a group that has the best position to share compassion and care with those who are needy and hurt.