1 ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.25159/2520-5293/2862 ISSN 2520-5293 (Online), ISSN 1682-5055 (Print) © Unisa Press 2017 Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery https://upjournals.co.za/index.php/AJNM/index Volume 19 | Number 3 | 2017 | #2862 | 20 pages FACILITATORS FOR AND BARRIERS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES Lucretia V. Dlwati, DLitt et Phil Thandisizwe R. Mavundla, DCur https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3925-0926 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4673-9383 Walter Sisulu University, University of South Africa, School of Nursing Sciences Department of Health Studies Fungai Mbengo, MPH https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9056-1896 University of South Africa, Department of Health Studies ABSTRACT The South African government developed the National Tuberculosis Management Guidelines (NTBMGs) to provide guidance to professional healthcare workers on the management of people with TB and also those co-infected with HIV. However, little is known about primary healthcare (PHC) nurses’ perceptions of the implementation of the NTBMGs, despite their critical role in TB management. The purpose of this study was to explore PHC nurses’ perception of the implementation of the NTBMGs in order to identify factors infuencing the implementation of the NTBMGs and to make recommendations to improve the implementation of the NTBMGs. The study was conducted in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The Normalization Process Model (NPM) was used as a theoretical framework to understand the factors infuencing the implementation of the NTBMGs. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was utilised. Data were collected using individual semi-structured interviews on a purposive sample of 10 PHC nurses working in rural clinics. Data were analysed following a descriptive method of Tesch. The study revealed several facilitators for and barriers to the implementation of the NTBMGs based on the NPM. The facilitators included the PHC nurses’ satisfaction with the Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course (DOTS) strategy in rendering health services to TB patients, and the PHC nurses’ perception of TB meetings as an appropriate platform for problem-solving, of the NTBMGs to be consistent with TB management, and of job satisfaction in relation to