Development of The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Adult/Geriatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program in HIV Prevention, Treatment, and Care

Abstract

In response to the call to create an AIDS Education and Training Center for Nurse Practitioner Education by the Health Resources and Services Administration, The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing embarked on a transformative curriculum overhaul to integrate HIV prevention, treatment, and care into the Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Program. A six-step process outlined in the Curriculum Development for Medical Education was followed. A pilot cohort of Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner students were enrolled, including 50% primary care setting and 50% HIV-focused primary care through a 12-month HIV continuity clinic experience. Through this pilot, substantive changes to the program were adopted. Programmatic outcomes were not compromised with the modification in clinical hours. The model of a 12-month HIV continuity clinical experience reduced the number of required preceptors. This model has important implications for the HIV workforce by demonstrating successful integration of HIV and primary care training for nurse practitioners.

Keywords: HIV; nurse practitioner; primary care; workforce.