Relf, M. V. and Mekwa, J. and Chasokela, C. and Nhlengethwa, W. and Letsie, E. and Mtengezo, J. and Ramantele, K. and Diesel, T. and Booth, C. and Deng, L. and Mallinson, R. K. and Powell, D. and Webb, A. and Liddle, A. and Yu-Shears, J. and Hall, C. and Aranda-Naranjo, B. and Parham Hopson, D., Essential nursing competencies related to HIV and AIDS: Executive summary.,
The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANAC, vol. 22 no. 1
(January-February, 2011),
pp. S9-16, ISSN 1552-6917 [doi]
(last updated on 2012/03/23)
Abstract:
With nearly 33 million global citizens living with HIV or AIDS, the need for a highly qualified, competent nursing workforce is critical. With the recent increase in global funding to expand access to antiretroviral therapy, there have been considerable efforts to improve the capacity of nurses to initiate and maintain antiretroviral therapy while evaluating its effectiveness, monitoring for side effects, reducing the incidence of drug-drug interactions (including drug interactions related to therapies provided by traditional healers), promoting adherence to therapies, and providing management of symptoms. Therefore, using a participatory action approach, nursing leaders from six sub-Saharan African countries collaborated to develop the essential nursing competencies related to HIV and AIDS. These competencies can help to guide preservice education related to HIV and AIDS, to strengthen in-service or capacity-building programs designed for already qualified nurses, and to guide policy and regulatory reform in the context of taskshifting, task-sharing, and scope of nursing practices.
Keywords:
Africa South of the Sahara • Anti-HIV Agents • Clinical Competence* • HIV Infections • Humans • drug therapy • nursing* • supply & distribution • therapeutic use
