Evaluating the implementation of nurse-initiated HIV rapid testing in three Veterans Health Administration substance use disorder clinics

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are at higher risk of HIV infection, yet recent studies show rates of HIV testing are low among this population. We implemented and evaluated a nurse-initiated HIV oral rapid testing (NRT) strategy at three Veterans Health Administration SUD clinics. I...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of STD & AIDS 2012-11, Vol.23 (11), p.799-805
Main Authors: Conners, E E, Hagedorn, H J, Butler, J N, Felmet, K, Hoang, T, Wilson, P, Klima, G, Sudzina, E, Anaya, H D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
AIDS/HIV
Biological and medical sciences
Clinical Laboratory Techniques - methods
Clinical Laboratory Techniques - utilization
Epidemiology. Vaccinations
Female
General aspects
HIV Infections - diagnosis
Human viral diseases
Humans
Infectious diseases
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Point-of-Care Systems - utilization
Substance-Related Disorders - therapy
Veterans Health
Viral diseases
Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
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Summary:Individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are at higher risk of HIV infection, yet recent studies show rates of HIV testing are low among this population. We implemented and evaluated a nurse-initiated HIV oral rapid testing (NRT) strategy at three Veterans Health Administration SUD clinics. Implementation of NRT includes streamlined nurse training and a computerized clinical reminder. The evaluation employed qualitative interviews with staff and a quantitative evaluation of HIV testing rates. Barriers to testing included lack of laboratory support and SUD nursing resistance to performing medical procedures. Facilitators included the ease of NRT integration into workflow, engaged management and an existing culture of disease prevention. Six-months post intervention, rapid testing rates at SUD clinics in sites 1, 2, and 3 were 5.0%, 1.1% and 24.0%, respectively. Findings indicate that NRT can be successfully incorporated into some types of SUD subclinics with minimal perceived impact on workflow and time.
ISSN:0956-4624
1758-1052
DOI:10.1258/ijsa.2012.012050