As the AIDS infection rate rises, the chances that any nurse may encounter an infected patient rise, too. You may need to recognize or treat the human immuno­deficiency virus (HIV). You also may have to teach patients how to prevent HIV infection—or how to live with it.
The Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC), an ANA organizational affiliate, can help. Its passionate members have a mission of promoting the professional development of nurses who deliver health care to those infected with or affected by HIV. And the ANAC is ready to meet the HIV educational needs of all nurses. Membership offers educational and professional development opportunities through the Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, an annual conference, webinars, ANAC’s HIV/AIDS Nursing Scope and Standards, and ANAC’s Core Curriculum for HIV/AIDS Nursing.
Because some members must work in settings with inadequate resources, the ANAC has developed an initiative on occupational safety measures. Foremost in the initiative is a document developed with the Health Action AIDS Campaign of Physicians for Human Rights called “Statement on the rights of nurses to health and safety: A global call to action.”
The statement calls for a commitment by government leaders, payers, and partners to incorporate basic health and safety provisions into their programs for HIV prevention, care, and treatment. The statement is endorsed by organizations around the world, including the International Council of Nurses, Public Services International, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, and Global Health Workforce Alliance as well as nursing associations from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Cameroon, Belgium, and Singapore.
To learn more about ANAC membership or read the statement, visit www.nursesinaidscare.org.