Evolution of HIV Health Care Workforce Needs in the U.S. Mountain West During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Method Study.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected health care delivery for vulnerable populations. Many facilities shifted services to telemedicine, and people with HIV or at risk of acquiring HIV experienced interruptions in care. Simultaneously, traditional training approaches to help providers adapt were disrupted. Using a mixed method approach to examine changes over time, we integrated data on trainee needs collected by the Mountain West AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC): a 10-state needs assessment survey in 2020; feedback from a 2020 community of practice; aggregate training data from 2000 to 2022; and a second survey in 2022. HIV care providers' training needs evolved from wanting support on telemedicine and COVID-19 patient care issues, to a later focus on mental health and substance use, social determinants of health, and care coordination. This integrative analysis demonstrates the vital role that AETCs can play in addressing evolving and emergent public health challenges for the HIV workforce.

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment: Nurses Helping Colorado Training Program.

BACKGROUND: Nurses Helping Colorado was a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration-funded program to train nurses on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), a research-based strategy for preventing substance use disorders. METHOD: Trainees were 678 undergraduate nursing students and 480 graduate advanced practice nursing students at an academic medical center. Training included classroom lectures, role-play simulation, and supervised practice. The program was evaluated using participant self-reports immediately posttraining, 3 to 12 months later, and postgraduation. RESULTS: Trainees reported high satisfaction, increased knowledge, and willingness to use SBIRT. Gains were maintained after training. After students graduated, 52% used screening, 52% offered brief interventions, and 37% used referral to treatment. Results were higher than those for past graduates, and most were higher than community benchmarks. CONCLUSION: When SBIRT training was woven through nursing curricula, students demonstrated learning and used these methods in practice after graduation. SBIRT education is appropriate across the lifespan and across settings in nursing. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(8):476-482.].