AEGiS-06IAC: HIV nurse clinician training program.

6th International AIDS Conference


San Francisco, California, USA — June 20-23, 1990

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HIV nurse clinician training program.

Int Conf AIDS 1990 Jun 20-23; 6:352 (abstract no. Th.D.904)
Mertz SA, Gates J, Mancuso B, Fitzhugh Z; AIDS Education and Training Center for Southern California University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA

OBJECTIVE: To prepare skilled nurse clinicians to care for patients with HIV disease and to serve as HIV consultants to staff in their home agencies; to increase the number of clinicians caring for HIV-infected patients in the community by recruiting nurses who are in positions to effect the most change in improving the quality of patient care.

METHOD: An intensive HIV clinical training program was developed for registered nurses actively engaged in clinical care. Training is conducted in small groups and in one-on-one preceptorship rotations, with the majority of clinical training taking place at the LAC/USC Medical Center, which serves the largest number of patients with HIV infection in Southern California. The program is presented in two sections: a one week full-time small group laboratory workshop followed by clinical rotations for two days a week for the next six weeks. Training emphasizes skill development in physical assessment, health history taking, risk reduction counseling, case management of HIV positive patients, and consultation and teaching. Clinical preceptorships include ambulatory and inpatient general medicine, obstertics, pediatrics, home health care, and community-based and hospice agencies. The program prepares nurses to assess clients at risk for HIV disease, counsel clients, manage health care needs, and assess and intervene where appropriate to assist individuals in coping with the psychosocial aspects, including the family of the HIV-infected patient and the health care staff.

RESULTS: By June 1990, 58 registered nurses will have been trained. Categories represented include HIV clinic managers, clinical specialists, head nurses, AIDS project managers, and research and AIDS education coordinators.

CONCLUSION: Preliminary data suggests that nurses who have completed the program have been in positions to train additional professional and support staff and that such training has effected change within agencies in attitudes and in clinical care.

Keywords: AEGIS, Nurse Clinicians, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Home Care Services, Counseling, Consultants, Case Management, Caregivers, Health Services Needs and Demand, California, Human, Child, education, ICA6KWDaegis,nurseclinicians,hivinfections,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,homecareservices,counseling,consultants,casemanagement,caregivers,healthservicesneedsanddemand,california,human,child,education,ica6

900620
ThD904

Copyright © 1990 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.