Objective:To elucidate the awareness and approach to pre-operative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and emphasis on the attendant components of HIV testing.Methods:The study was conducted at the theatres of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital among 123 nursing, anaesthetic, and operating staff. A descriptive cross sectional design was adopted with stratified sampling. The study instrument was a structured, self administered pro forma.Results: All respondents were all aware of HIV infection and all had transmission through infected blood and tissues (100.0%). 88.6% had infection through needle stick injuries, 62.6% through vertical transmission, and 98.4% through blood transfusion. Sixty three percent of respondents correctly knew what preoperative testing was, while 58.5% were aware of the preoperative testing policy of the hospital. All respondents favoured the policy of preoperative testing. Attitudinal values to seropositive patients were not very different as 72.4% of respondents claimed they treated every patient as high risk, and all respondents used personal protective equipment.Conclusions: Routine HIV testing now represents a conventional means providing patients with knowledge of their HIV status. Such testing should be accompanied by informed consent, counselling, confidentiality, protection, and access to treatment.
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