Background: Registered nurses (RNs), numbering approximately four million, are the largest healthcare profession in the U.S. This paper examines the outcomes of nurse-led initiatives providing HIV and prevention education to the LGBTQ+ community, focusing on engaging and retaining high-risk patients in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) programs. The study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of specialized PrEP-RN nurses in linking and retaining LGBTQ+ patients in HIV prevention programs. Partnering with Gilead Sciences, the project strives to educate patients on PrEP and achieve sustainable linkages through nurse-led efforts, ensuring long-term compliance. This is particularly crucial given the high HIV prevalence among transgender women (15-28%) and men who have sex with men (MSM), the most at-risk groups.
Methods: In South Florida, four skilled RNs completed intensive training in HIV prevention, earning the PrEP-RN title. They established key community connections and conducted vital clinical follow-ups to combat stigma and misinformation about HIV prevention, moving away from traditional physician-centric models. Operating across four CAN Community Health clinics in cities including Fort Lauderdale and Miami, these nurses adhered to CDC and organizational PrEP guidelines, offering comprehensive services. They tackled barriers to PrEP access with a personalized approach, providing one-on-one educational sessions, regular telehealth follow-ups, and quarterly in-person check-ins.
Results: The PrEP RN study enrolled 121 patients over the last year, with 50.4% identifying as MSM and 13.2% as bisexual. Sixty-three percent of the participants were from the LGBTQ+ community, underscoring the project's reach into vulnerable sectors.
Conclusion: This project underscores the pivotal role of nurses in addressing global health issues like HIV. The quantitative outcomes demonstrate the significant impact a small group of nurses can have in a region, suggesting that scaling such initiatives could substantially benefit at-risk communities like the LGBTQ+. This emphasizes the critical leadership role of nurses in transforming healthcare practices.
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