232999 “Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of an HIV Nurse Practitioner Diploma Programme in Zambia”

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Eleanor Msidi, ZRN, PhD, Registrar, General Nursing Council of Zambia , HIV Nurse Practioner Program, General Nursing Council of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Moses Sinkala, MD, Medical Director, Catholic Medical Mission Board, Zambia , Lusaka, Zambia Location, Catholic Medical Mission Board, Lusaka, Zambia
Ruth Wahila, ZRN, BSN, MSN, Coordinator, HIV Nurse Practioner Programme , HIV Nurse Practioner Program, General Nursing Council of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Alexandrina Mwale, ZRN, HIV Nurse Specialist , HIV Nurse Practioner Program, General Nursing Council of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
Lynda Wilson, RN, PhD, FAAN, professor, UAB School of Nursing , School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Angela Montesanti, BS in Biochemistry, MPH Candidate, UAB School of Public Health , School of Public Health- Dept. of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Objectives: The objective was to develop, implement, and evaluate a 1-year long diploma program to prepare nurses in Zambia to provide comprehensive treatment, care, and support for HIV/AIDS patients.

Methods: The cohort consisted of 31 nurses from all Zambia provinces. The programme was offered in three components: A) 2 weeks of didactic content taught by experts in HIV/AIDS care; B) 4 weeks of intensive clinical mentoring in Lusaka clinical facilities; C) monthly clinical mentoring/course activity completion over a 10-month period in district health facilities.

Results: Component A: The mean posttest grade was higher than the mean pretest grade (Mean Pretest=86.73, SD=6.231; Mean Posttest=94.23, SD=2.812). Component B: The mean total clinic hours worked was 46.8 (SD=16.4). About 47% of participants evaluated 1-3 adults patients for initial visit (mean=5, SD=3.1). The mean number of adults evaluated for follow-up was 18.5 (SD=7.6). About 50% evaluated at least one child for initial visit, while 45% evaluated 1-2 children for follow-up during. Component C: About 83% of participants completed the required 400 clinic hours. The range of patients evaluated for initial visit was 10-150 adults (Mean=59, SD=42.0) and 0-43 children (Mean=15, SD=11.3). The range of patients initiated on HAART was 1-132 adults (Mean=41, SD=34.7) and 0-43 children (Mean=9, SD=10.0), with 23% initiating HAART for zero children. The range of patients evaluated for follow-up was 39-662 adults (Mean=203, SD=133.7) and 4-90 children (Mean=40, SD=20.2). The mentors' mean overall performance evaluation rating was 76.9% (SD=9.27). All participants passed the qualifying exam, with a mean of 73% (SD=8.4).

Learning Objectives:
The objective of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a 1-year long diploma program to prepare nurses in Zambia to provide comprehensive care, treatment, care and support, including prescribing anti-retroviral medications, for patients with HIV and AIDS.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Health Care Delivery

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an MPH candidate in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Public Health. As a Catholic Medical Mission Board intern for Summer 2010, I have completed all initial data analysis for the evaluation of the HIV Nurse Practitioner Program and all its components, of which I will be presenting for the APHA Student Assembly section poster session.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4138.1: Student Late Breaker Poster Session