Nurses' implementation of mental health screening among HIV infected guidelines

A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach was employed, using purposive sampling to select primary health professional nurses trained in HIV programmes at five primary health care facilities. Data were collected through focus groups and in-depth individual interviews. Thematic analysis was used to generate three themes, namely; guidelines as framework for care pathway, mental screening practices, strengthening mental health screening. The study revealed significant weakness in the detection of mental illness in primary health care settings, due to a lack of skills and insufficient screening resources. The implication of these findings is a need to equip all NIMART trained nurses with basic mental health screening skills.