An HIV/AIDS nurse is trained to provide care for HIV-infected patients. As most people are aware, AIDS is a deadly, incurable disease that affects a person’s immune system. As such, the patients with HIV will have their immune systems constantly attacked and they will never recover from the disease.

The nurses working in this field will work with patients and help cope with the physical and emotional aspects of the disease. Several HIV/AIDS nurses are found to be working in a community or public health organization. These are the places where the nurses are needed the most to educate people about the disease. Though there has been more awareness for HIV/AIDS, as well as more education, there is still a high demand for nurses and doctors alike to specialize in this disease.

Determining the suitability of the specialty:

Nurses who specialize in infectious diseases can sub-specialize in HIV/AIDS nursing if they have an earnest desire to support, as well as assist the patients with HIV. Also, they must be willing to create awareness and prevention plans among those people who are at risk for the infection. As HIV/AIDS nurses, they must be able to counsel and assist the friends and family members of the patients. If an infectious disease nurse is interested in carrying out all these functions, then it could be said that this specialty is suitable for her.

HIV/AIDS Nurse – Job Description:

So, what does an HIV/AIDS nurse do? As mentioned earlier, the primary role of an HIV/AIDS care nurse is to care for patients with HIV. In addition to providing care for the emotional and physical needs at various stages of the disease, these nurses would also carry out educational work. They will act as a means of educating the public about the nature of the disease and explaining the ways to prevent them from contracting it. During an HIV/AIDS nursing career, the individual will be working with almost all types of patients as the disease is not limited to any age group or demographics.

Apart from these duties, these nurses will also assist doctors during the procedures and while administering medication in an attempt to slow down the disease progression.

Becoming an HIV/AIDS Nurse:

Due to the specialized nature of the role, the aspiring HIV/AIDS care nurses should follow a series of steps to become one. The first step towards this is to get an approved nursing education program, and the much preferred way to do this is to get a degree in nursing. Most commonly, people choose to earn an Associate or Bachelor degree in nursing from an accredited college. Only a few people are found getting their diploma when it comes to HIV/AIDS aspiring nurses.

After earning a degree, all the aspiring nurses will go on to take the NCLEX exam so as to become licensed. They must attain the level of a registered nurse by completing 200 or more hours of training \on the HIV/AIDS level. Also, it is recommended for the aspirants to gain at least two years of experience working in the HIV or related field. After this, he or she must gain the certification to practice as an HIV/AIDS care nurse by passing the “AIDS Certified Registered Nursing (ACRN) Examination.”

About the ACRN Certification:

The Association of Nurses in AIDS Care along with the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board endorses the concept of periodic certification for all the nurses in the field through examination. It’s to be understood that certification is a part of credentialing. As such, this certification is known to focus on the current competence of the nurses in the specialized field of AIDS. This certification is seen as highly valuable, which provides the official recognition of nursing knowledge of the individual in the field of HIV/AIDS. To take this exam, one must also be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in the US and should have at least two years of experience in the related field.

The eligible candidates who pass this examination can use the ACRN designation behind their names. Also, a registry of HIV/AIDS care nurses is being maintained by the certification board. It’s to be noted that the certification in HIV/AIDS nursing will be active for a period of four years, during which the candidate should retake the examination or get recertified through continuing education credits.

HIV/AIDS Care Nurse Pay:

It’s to be noted that the annual salary for these nurses would vary by state, as well as by the employer. For example, these nurses are found to be making an average of $39,000 per year in Hawaii, whereas, in Massachusetts, these nurses are found to be making an average of $75,000. Thus, on an average, the HIV/AIDS care nurses are expected to make between $50,000 and $62,000 in a year. Remember, in addition to the state and employer aspects, the salary will also commensurate with the working experience.

Overall, the nurses who are working in the Infectious Department can take the next step to become specialized in the HIV/AIDS nursing because there are about 1.1 million Americans living with illnesses at present. About 37,000 new cases are reported every year. Therefore, the demand for these nurses is higher and will continue to increase further in the coming years!