The Importance of HIV/AIDS Nursing on Combating HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Indonesia.

Mohammad Hidayat1, Adhi Nurhidayat1, Hepa Susami2, Diah Utami3, David Metzger3

1. Drug Dependence Hospital-RSKO Jakarta, Indonesia

2. Addiction Research Centre Jakarta, Indonesia
3. Indonesian HIV/AIDS Counselor Association Jakarta, Indonesia
4. University of Pennsylvania, USA

Background
Since the first reported HIV/AIDS cases in 1987, Indonesia steadily reach 21,770 HIV/AIDS cases
reported by the end of June 2010. Nursing in Indonesia were declared as an integral part of
health care system since 1974, representing the largest group of Indonesian health care
workers. Nurses have an essential role on delivering appropriate implementation based on
human needs in terms of HIV/AIDS care. Nevertheless, most of the nurses carried out poor
quality HIV/AIDS care since they have lack of current competencies on HIV/AIDS nursing. This
paper was aimed to review the educational program on HIV/AIDS nursing in Indonesia.
Methods
The data presented was collected via curriculum, regulation, and organizational review to
define the educational program on HIV/AIDS Nursing in Indonesia.

Result
By 2007, a total of 235 referral hospitals for HIV/AIDS cases noticed by the Ministry of Health of
Indonesia. There were insufficient resources available to describe the precise data regarding to
the number of nurses whether national nor specific related to the hospitals recently. By 2006,
there were 308.000 nurses in Indonesia. With a total of 12 (31%) vocational nursing schools and
319 (69%) nursing institute, it was estimated to reach 372,783 nurses gradually by 2010.
The national nursing education curriculum in terms of HIV/AIDS nursing which was revised on
2006 simply accommodated HIV/AIDS nursing science in short periods of 3,5 hours (less than
1%) of total of all 6 semesters. The curriculum includes sections that cover the etiology of HIV,
pathofisiology, diagnostic test, stadiums and clinical manifestations, prevention and
transmission, standard precautions, therapy and post exposure prophylaxis, and nursing care
plan.
Moreover, the absent of professional peer group and HIV/AIDS nursing certification board
enrich the lack of resources available on enhancing capacity building and competencies on the
issue above.

Conclusion
The present findings indicate the lack of HIV/AIDS nursing curriculum and further training
program which include internship to enhance capacity building and competencies of graduate
nurses on the field and reflect the urgent needs of HIV/AIDS nursing certification toward the
standardize quality of nursing practice.

Keywords: Nursing – HIV/AIDS - Indonesia