How to Become an HIV/AIDS Nurse—And Where the Job Market Is Strongest

When HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) first appeared in the US in 1981, there was no effective treatment for the virus. Patient care at the time was limited to treating the diseases and infections to which AIDS patients were vulnerable, followed, inevitably, by palliative and hospice care. The number of AIDS deaths in the US rose annually from about 13,000 in 1987 to nearly 42,000 in 1995.

In the mid-1990s, however, medicine developed effective treatment regimens, and the death toll began to drop: to 31,000 in 1996, then to approximately 20,000 in 1997. HIV no longer automatically meant AIDS, and people could realistically discuss the possibility of “living with HIV.” Today—with proper treatment—a 20-year-old who is HIV-positive can expect to live another 54.9 years.

Proper treatment is key. HIV-positive patients need to maintain a strict treatment regimen to prevent the virus from advancing to AIDS. If you want to become an HIV/AIDS nurse, your role will focus on supporting this patient population, more than half of whom are age 50 and older. As an HIV/AIDS nurse, you will help your patients deal with their condition, the side effects of their prescriptions, and the aging process.

In the guide ahead we’ll explore:

• What does an HIV/AIDS nurse do?
• Job outlook for HIV/AIDS nurses
• Steps to become an HIV/AIDS nurse
• Education requirements for HIV/AIDS nurses
• Why should you become an HIV/AIDS nurse?

What does an HIV/AIDS nurse do?

How is the role of an HIV/AIDS caregiver different than other nurses? These professionals:

• Advocate for patients living with HIV/AIDS
• Act as coordinators, connecting patients to resources and support
• Educate patients and their loved ones about living with and preventing the spread of the condition
• Oversee patients, monitoring their vitals, administering meds, managing side effects, and creating and modifying treatment plans

What is it like to be an HIV/AIDS nurse?

HIV outreach nurse Lesa Dumsha shared a typical day in the life of an HIV outreach nurse on the Vancouver Coastal Health website. She says her work involves:

• Supporting clients throughout their diagnosis and treatment journey
• Crisis management
• Educating patients about medications
• Advocacy work to decrease the risk of transmission to partners

“The main goal of our role is to empower our clients,” Lesa explains. “New referrals… are at their most vulnerable, often experiencing a sense of despair… We try to instill hope and motivation for positive change.”

What types of people are best suited for HIV/AIDS nursing?

HIV/AIDS nursing requires keeping up with your continuing education as the science related to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment expands. As such, this role is best suited for those who:

• Love to ask questions
• Enjoy advancing their knowledge and skills with continuing education opportunities like seminars and additional coursework
• Like to go-with-the-flow and learn on the job
• Want to help educate others on the job, in their community, and through HIV/AIDS advocacy work

Job outlook for HIV/AIDS nurses

What is the average salary of an HIV/AIDS nurse?

The average salary of HIV/AIDS nurses is $71,655 annually. That’s about on par with what all registered nurses earn annually ($71,730 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)).

Where are the most jobs for HIV/AIDS nurses?

HIV/AIDs nurses work around the world, from large clinics in cities to small, rural settings, according to the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. A disproportionate number of new HIV cases occur in the southern United States (50 percent of new infections, even though the region represents only 37 percent of the country’s population). Many new HIV/AIDS nursing jobs are in places like New Orleans, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Baton Rouge.

You will likely work in settings that include:

• Medical clinics
• Public health facilities
• Research labs
• Universities
• Government agencies
• Community organizations

Additional employers may include primary care providers, acute care facilities, community groups, and schools.

Steps to become an HIV/AIDS nurse

While most who go to nursing school will not specialize in HIV care, many will encounter HIV/AIDs patients throughout their careers. You can, however, pursue special certification after you complete your RN degree requirements.

How long does it take to become an HIV/AIDS nurse?

At a minimum it could take two years—if you earn a two-year associate’s degree. On the higher end, the educational requirements could take six years, if you opt for a bachelor’s and master’s in nursing. To become certified, you’ll need another two to three years of experience, so all told it could take up to nine years to become a certified HIV/AIDS nurse.

While becoming a certified HIV/AIDS nurse is voluntary, certification is highly valued and demonstrates HIV/AIDS nursing knowledge, according to the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board (HANCB). For those who want to obtain one or both HIV/AIDS nursing certifications—HIV/AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN) Certification and Advanced HIV/AIDS Certification Registered Nurse (AACRN) Certification—you will need to first become a registered nurse.

After finishing your two-year or four-year nursing degree, you can become licensed as an RN—a requirement for RNs in all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories—which involves:

• Graduating from an accredited nursing program approved by your state board
• Passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN)

The final steps for general RN licensure may also include passing a criminal background check or meeting other state-specific criteria.

What is the certification process for becoming an HIV/AIDS nurse?

Beyond obtaining your RN license, you can become certified in your area of specialty. The HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board (HANCB) is a nonprofit professional organization that offers two types of HIV/AIDS nursing certifications indicating competence in the field:

• HIV/AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN) Certification
• Advanced HIV/AIDS Certification Registered Nurse (AACRN) Certification (You’ll need a master’s degree in nursing to obtain this one.)

To qualify for either certification, you must be an RN with a prescribed amount of professional experience (different for each certification), and you must pass an exam. The HANCB also recommends experience in research. Certified nurses report increased personal and job satisfaction while improving their ability to collaborate and produce better patient and organizational outcomes, according to the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.

Educational requirements for HIV/AIDS nurses

What is the highest level of education required to become an HIV/AIDS nurse?

There’s no reason to wait until graduating from high school to start exploring a career in nursing. Some healthcare facilities may allow you to volunteer, so you can gain experience in a clinical setting and see what daily life for patients and employees is like.

After high school, your next step is to complete a two-year associate’s degree in nursing or a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing. Both degrees qualify you to take the NCLEX-RN exam and earn your RN certification. The latter may be the better option if you plan on pursuing a master’s degree.

The minimum educational requirement to become an RN is a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). Completing additional education, such as a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing and a two-year Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), is not a requirement for the ACRN certification. Earning a master’s degree or higher in nursing or completing a postgraduate program in nursing is a requirement for the AACRN certification, however. If your long-term goal is to become certified as an AACRN, you should plan on obtaining your bachelor’s and master’s in nursing.

What should you look for in an HIV/AIDS nursing program?

Seek out nursing schools that offer an HIV/AIDs specialty. Some options include:

• Duke University has an HIV specialty for nurse practitioners in its nursing master’s program and its DNP program
• Johns Hopkins University offers a 12-credit post-baccalaureate HIV primary care certification program in the School of Nursing
• Rutgers University – New Brunswick also offers a certificate program as well as a DNP specialty in HIV care

Online nursing programs are available for associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s level nursing degrees. Be especially cautious at the associate’s level; some online programs charge significantly more than your local community college charges, and the community college degree will likely serve you better where you live. Already have your associate’s degree and want to complete a four-year degree program? Consider RN to BSN programs to save time and money.

What fieldwork is required to become certified as an HIV/AIDS nurse?

While the ACRN Certification does not require fieldwork, it does require two years of experience as an RN. The AACRN Certification, however, requires three years of experience as an RN and 2,000 hours of HIV/AIDS nursing within five years of applying.

Why should you become an HIV/AIDS nurse?

Whether you’ve just started to plan your nursing career or you’re an RN looking to specialize in HIV/AIDS care, your personality traits and/or skill set should include the following qualities:

• Ability to collaborate well with colleagues
• Empathy to help patients and loved ones through grief and loss or coping with a chronic disease
• Strong critical thinking skills
• Openness to non-heteronormative lifestyles

A career as an HIV/AIDS nurse demands a passion for treatment and care, along with a strong sense of wellness advocacy that goes beyond just the patients you treat. While some reports suggest the AIDS epidemic may be in the past—particularly in cities—there is still a demand for health professionals in many populations that need preventative education and critical care treatment.

If you’re passionate about preventing infection and want to advocate for patients and general awareness of HIV/AIDS, becoming an HIV/AIDS nurse may be a career fit for you.

Questions or feedback? Email editor@noodle.com