A documentation policy development proposal for clinicians caring for people living with HIV/AIDS

In Canada, nondisclosure prosecutions against people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) have increased. Nurses who provide services to PHAs could become involved in such criminal cases because they (a) elicit sensitive information about their clients' sexual practices, and (b) adhere to documentation standards. Currently, HIV documentation policies do not exist for clinicians working with PHAs in Canada or abroad. Sexual assault nursing, which includes documentation guidelines, may offer guidance in the creation of a PHA care policy because sexual assault nursing and PHA care both intersect with the justice system. A PHA care policy may have several benefits: It can increase clinician confidence in patient interactions and documentation by clarifying roles and scope of responsibilities, reduce inconsistencies in practice, diminish conflict among professionals, and reduce the stress involved in clinical practice. The outcome of these improvements could be an increase in PHAs' level of comfort with nurses knowing that policies exist.