Scholarly Activity Overview
On June 8, I have attended the International Conference on HIV Treatment and Prevention Adherence, which was held in Miami, Florida. This conference was aimed at hospital nurses, teachers, social workers, and pharmaceutical representatives with the purpose of enlightening the participants about the latest findings, practices, and techniques in treating and preventing HIV (“International conference,” 2018). Participating in this scholarly activity improved my knowledge and understanding of the disease and gave me additional insights into what I can do in order to promote health and decrease the morbidity of HIV in patients.
The Problem Discussed
The human immunodeficiency virus is one of the most dangerous diseases known to the world. It targets and destroys the T-helper cells and white antibodies, thus rendering the immune system dangerously unprepared for possible illnesses and diseases (Waller, 2016). If left untreated, HIV can destroy or severely damage a person’s immune system. The disease is transmitted through semen, blood, breast milk, as well as vaginal and anal fluids. It is a considerable problem for people living in poverty without access to basic education and medical facilities (Waller, 2016). By participating in the conference, nurses could learn more about the disease and vulnerable populations, get acquainted with strategies used to increase awareness, and discover how they could help patients that had contracted HIV.
Potential Solutions to the Problem
Participating professors and leading researchers concluded that prevention and propagation of mindfulness and safe sex are the most effective strategies against HIV (“International conference,” 2018). The leading role in this endeavor would fall upon hospital nurses, schoolteachers, and social workers, who have the opportunity to influence and educate vulnerable populations as well as inform them about the treatments available against HIV. Although there is currently no cure for the disease, treatments enable HIV patients to live a healthy and normal life. The pharmacological part of the conference largely revolved around new medicines that could be used in antiretroviral therapy.
Objectives and Opportunities
This scholarly activity captures several opportunities pertaining to HIV. Aside from spreading the knowledge about the latest news, techniques, and treatments of HIV, it serves as a platform for medical specialists to get together and consolidate their efforts in reducing the numbers of future HIV patients as well as improving the lives of those already carrying the disease. The objectives achieved during the conference were as follows (“International conference,” 2018):
- The conference helped determine the most effective strategies for health promotion in impoverished communities;
- Latest scientific evidence on AIDS and HIV treatments was provided;
- Prospective treatments and cures were considered;
- Plans for future research and advocacy were discussed.
Attending this conference increased my professional understanding of the situation and made me realize my role and place in the international struggle against HIV, AIDS, and other sexually-transmitted diseases.
Program Competencies Addressed
The International Conference on HIV Treatment and Prevention Adherence covers a wide range of competencies addressed in our syllabus. These competencies include new practice approaches, interprofessional collaboration, population health concerns, health policies, and health disparities. This correlates with our PICOT studies and intervention proposals, as the purposes of both are similar – to promote health, improve outcomes, and decrease morbidity in patients through health promotion, research, and advocacy on all levels. A nurse has a duty to participate in scientific and political activities that support this agenda. The International Conference on HIV Treatment and Prevention Adherence is a large platform that can be used by nurses, social workers, teachers, and other specialists to improve the lives of HIV patients around the globe.
References
International conference on HIV treatment and prevention adherence. (2018). Web.
Waller, D. G. (2016). Sexually-transmitted infections, HIV and AIDS. London, England: Elsevier.