title: Expert perspectives on the contribution of HIV general practice nursing to the 'extraordinary story' of HIV medicine in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper explores cultural and professional dynamics of HIV general practice nursing in Australia. It highlights specific contributions that HIV general practice nurses make to HIV medicine and considers how nurses' clinical practice has been shaped by past experiences of the AIDS crisis and subsequent developments in HIV medicine.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In international contexts, nurses in HIV medicine commonly work as part of shared-care teams. In recent years, HIV general practice nursing has become a prioritised area for primary health care in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for this analysis were drawn from 45 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted with nurses and general practitioners (GPs) who provide HIV care in general practice, and key informants who work in policy, advocacy or education and training of the HIV general practice workforce.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Viewed through a socio-ecological framework of social capital, descriptive content analysis highlights a unique and strong HIV health professional identity, which emerged out of the adverse conditions experienced by nurses, GPs and allied health professionals during the 1980s AIDS crisis. Participants reported that today, HIV general practice nursing includes information provision, HIV treatment side-effect management, teaching patients methods to increase adherence to HIV treatments and capacity building with allied health professionals. Participants reported that HIV general practice nurses can reduce the clinical burden on GPs, ameliorate patients' exposure to HIV health care-related stigma and discrimination and facilitate the emergence of a comprehensive and personalised model of shared primary health care based on trust and rapport, which is desired by people with HIV. This study's findings support the future expansion of the role of HIV general practice nurses in Australia and internationally. General practice nursing will become increasingly important in the scaling up of HIV testing and in caring for increasing numbers of people living with HIV.
authors.affiliation: 1Research Fellow, National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hopwood
authors.affiliation: 2Senior Research Fellow, National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: 1Research Fellow, National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Asha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.affiliation: 3(Exec.) Director, APNA (Australian Practice Nurses' Association), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.affiliation: 4Director and Professor, National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.affiliation: 5Associate Professor, Department of Modern History, Politics and International Relations, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: 6 Dip. Community Services, Consumer advocate (independent) for people living with HIV in Australia, Warana, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Canavan
authors.affiliation: 7Emeritus Professor, Social Policy Research Centre, The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kippax
authors.affiliation: 8Executive Dean and Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kidd
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D058006:General Practice; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013240:Stereotyping; D035502:Trust