Report back from ASHM Advanced course in HIV Nursing
Post date: 23 January 2008
Held in Sydney 7-8 December 2007
A working group consisting of HIV specialist nurses and medical staff was organised by ASHM in mid-2006 to respond to the nationally growing need for formalised HIV advanced practice nursing education. The working group developed the proposal and a curriculum for a pilot HIV Advanced Practice Nursing Course, held in December 2006. Evaluation of the 2006 course demonstrated that participants found the course valuable and recommended that the course be repeated in 2007. Course curriculum was reviewed and revised by the working group and the HIV Advanced Course was held in Sydney 7-8 December 2007.
Feedback from the two day Advanced course in HIV Nursing (7-8 December 2008) was very encouraging and evaluated very well. The course was targeted to nurses currently involved in the management of HIV-positive people.
Thirty nurses attended the 2-day Advanced Course in HIV Nursing, including participants from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales - metropolitan and rural. Examples of session topics included: The spectrum of HIV disease, symptom guided health assessment, initiation of therapy, side effects and resistance, travel and adherence, legal issues, HIV in the older population.
Evaluations from the participants were all encouraging with comments including: 'Again very informative. More depth to current knowledge base confirming knowledge - interesting to hear other experiences'; 'The quality of speakers was exemplary'; and 'A quick note to say thank you and ASHM for organising the course - it was very educational and well presented by everyone involved'.
Participants also enjoyed the opportunity to network with nurses from other states and discuss the diversity in employment in regards to HIV.
The advanced HIV nursing course attracts 14 CPD hours towards The College of Nursing CPD Program.
ASHM and the HIV Nursing Education Working Group (which developed the program and invited the presenters) wish to sincerely thank Merk Sharp Dohme, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline and Abbott Virology for providing sponsorship. The collaboration between ASHM and the HIV Nursing Education Working Group is very much appreciated and valued. The course will be further amended based on feedback and evaluation from the 2007 course participants and working group.
More information
The next two-day HIV Nursing Course will be held in Sydney on 21-22 November 2008. For more information please contact:
Niamh Lynn
tel: 02 8204 0723.