Members of the nursing and midwifery professions have a special responsibility to provide health care and to advocate for the groups most vulnerable in any health setting (19) and to ensure that key affected populations receive the best care. 

In HIV nursing this responsibility is amplified, largely due to the long history of stigma associated with HIV, and with the marginalised groups most affected.  Individually targeted and system-wide approaches are necessary to engage and retain people in HIV care (78). 

ASHM has developed an online learning module to address systemic barriers to care, stigma, and discrimination (28) to increase access to the health system by people at risk of or living with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. 

To access this free education module, see Removing Barriers   

Useful resources 

• Nursing and midwifery care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, see Best and Fredericks (2018) (79). 
• The NAPWHA-auspiced Positive Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Network (PATSIN) is a national membership-based group for indigenous people with HIV.   
• EORA action plan is an example of a Community-Controlled response to HIV prevention. 
• Cultural safety in practice 
• NATSIHWA cultural safety framework 
• Kirby Institute Annual Surveillance Report 2022 
• Asylum seekers and refugees guide 
• Australia refugee health practice guide 
• NSW Health Refugee Health resources 
• Harm Reduction Australia 
• Medically supervised injecting room– Sydney 
• Medically supervised injecting room – Melbourne 
• National LGBTI Health Alliance