Table 2 Thematic network: from codes to global theme

- Nurses police adherence

• It is the nurses responsibility to monitor adherence.

1. Nurse power, patient vulnerability

Social representations of a ‘good patient’ that govern nurse-patient relationships and facilitate/undermine ART adherence

- Nurses are powerful

• Nurses are in a powerful position compared to rural, poor and uneducated patients.

- Patients powerless

- Nurses are frightening

• ARV users are not in a position to assert their needs or dissatisfaction.

- Nurses reprimand

• Nurses are powerful mediators between doctor and patients.

2. Distressing situations patients seek to avoid

- Young nurses

• Young nurses appear more authoritarian.

- Nurses treatment power

• Nurses have the power to undermine doctors.

- Punishments

• Nurses can decide to punish patients if they do not behave as expected.

- Nurse expectations

- Clinic visits

• Patients do not know what their monthly clinic visit will be like

3. Predictably unpredictable clinic visits

- Worry

- Waiting time

- Unpredictability

• Patients often have to wait for a long time to be seen.

• Patients try to make the best out of their visits to the clinic.

- Well behaved

• ARV users should comply with the instructions given, including attend timely review dates

4. Representations of a ‘good patient’ and why patients seek to perform within them.

- Follow instructions

- Obedient

- Timely review dates

- Is taking drugs timely

• ARV users should be obedient to nurses

- Being positive

- Being good natured

• ARV users should be positive and content with the service received

- Wait patiently

- Honesty

- Listening closely

- Committed to treatment

• ARV users should be open, honest and accept help readily

- Clean and smart

• ARV users have sourced out what nurses would like from them and maintain a good relationship by living up this.

- Negotiating a good relationship

- ‘Good patients’ do better

• ARV users should be clean and well dressed