HIV COUNSELLING

Counselling is defined as a helping relationship between a trained counsellor and a client in which a trusting relationship and the skills of a counsellor help client to understand his/her problems better and decide how best to solve the problems. Counselling can be applied to one individual.
In counselling there are two aims; the health workers first aim is to help the patients explore how they would like to deal with attitudes they have towards HIV/AIDS. Second aim is to help them explore the options they have on how to cope and change behaviour in order continue living and to pretend further spread of the infection. Counselling is essential both before and after testing for the HIV virus. The aims of pre-test counselling are to;
Give the patient the time, opportunity and information to understand implication of the study.
To gain the trust of the individual that the test result will be kept confidential.
Prepare the individual for possible positive test and explore coping and support services for an individual who may be HIV-positive.
Respond to the personal and individual needs and requirements of the clients.
Post test counselling resolves around the communication of life and death for the patient if done incorrectly. People who are informed that they are HIV-positive go through a series of recognizable emotional reactions such as shock, anger, guilt,loss of identity, feelings of insecurity,fear,sadness,depression and even relief. With support and counselling individuals come to term with their status and move on to focus on living rather than dying is this is the goal of post test counselling. Counselling HIV patients should include various health education and information as well as fact-finding. The counsellor can start with the natural history of the disease and what the patient might expect in future. This is to establish a clear facts and remove misconceptions. The patient needs to be taught how to communicate the news to family and friends. The health worker also needs to determine the personal resources of the patient e.g. family, friends, employers, finances that may be used for treatment; this prevents distress and helps the patient plan a future within practical limits.
The patients family must be involved in the care since most of this will take place at home and family members can contribute to care in many ways besides nursing, especially the early recognition of dangerous signs and symptoms.
Sikah Kelvin wanyama

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