Nurse Practitioner Program

Program Overview

Expanding the role of Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in HIV care presents an opportunity to increase the provincial capacity to prevent new HIV infections and to improve access to treatment for people living with HIV (PLWH), particularly in areas with underserved populations. To support the expansion of the role of NPs, the BC College of Nurses & Midwifes (BCCNM formerly BCCNP; formerly CRNBC) and the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) Clinical Education and Training Program collaborated to update prescribing standards and to establish education requirements for nurse practitioners for HIV prevention and the treatment of people living with HIV. The Nurse Practitioner Training in HIV Prevention and Treatment program is a tiered program:
  • Tier 1: Treatment for HIV Prevention (PEP/PrEP prescription), and
  • Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH (ARV Initiation and Management)
Following successful completion of each program, the NP’s BCCNM registration number and MSP billing number will be registered with the BC-CfE Drug Treatment Program. The NP will be allowed to prescribe the respective medications.

Updated Guidance for Nurse Practitioners Prescribing PEP and PrEP in BC (Tier 1)

Effective January 1, 2025, the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE), the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM), and BC PharmaCare have updated the requirements for nurse practitioners prescribing antiretrovirals for HIV prevention in British Columbia.

To prescribe PEP and PrEP, nurse practitioners must:

The Nurse Practitioner Program Tier 1: HIV Prevention will no longer be a mandatory requirement for prescribing PEP and PrEP. However, it will remain available as an optional learning resource.

For further inquiries:

  • Contact BC-CfE Education for questions related to learning content.
  • Reach out to the BC-CfE Drug Treatment Program for questions regarding prescribing.
Resources: Achieved competencies for:
Resources:
Tier 1:
  • HIV Prevention online course (Recommended)
  • BC-CfE PEP and PrEP guidelines
  • Online multiple choice evaluation (optional)
Achieved competencies for:
Initiate prescription and monitor PEP/PrEP
Resources:
Tier 2:
Achieved competencies for:
Assessment, monitoring and ART initiation in people living with HIV
Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Prerequisites
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  • Licensed nurse practitioner registrant of BCCNM
  • Completion of BC-CfE Intensive Preceptorship Program (IPP)*
Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Training Content:
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Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Assessment
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Case-based online evaluation
Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Evaluation Cost:
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$350, billable to employer***
Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Registration
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Click to Register for Tier 2 Evaluation
Tier 2: Treatment for PLWH
Application Process:
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Registrants for the Tier 2 online case-based assessment will be accepted on a first come first serve basis after submitting their registration form. Due to limited capacity, the BC-CfE can only accept a few applicants to write the assessment per quarter (e.g. Jan-March, April-June etc.).
*The Intensive Preceptorship Program is designed to provide standardized clinical training, which was created by the BC-CfE. It has its own associated costs and information that can be found at the following link. ** If the applicant completed the “HIV Diagnosis and Management” online course they can update their knowledge by doing the new “HIV Treatment and Management” online course. ***If you are an Independent Contracted NP, self-funding is an option to cover exam costs. If you have any questions about the programs or pre-requisites, please contact us at education@bccfe.ca .

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The BC-CfE is pleased to offer the Tier 2 training program to support Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in their efforts to safely and effectively prescribe Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for people living with HIV in British Columbia. Successful completion of the BC-CfE Tier 2 training program should assist NPs to enhance their clinical competencies related to the prescription and monitoring of ART. Please note that the prescription and monitoring of ART continues to evolve and therefore all ART prescribers are expected to stay abreast of ongoing developments within this therapeutic area. Similarly, all ART prescribers are encouraged to seek expert guidance from qualified experts when confronting therapeutic challenges. Such expertise can be readily accessed by contacting the BC-CfE specialist office at 604-806-8316 or 604-806-8315 or the REACH line at 604-681-5748 (Vancouver); 1-800-665-7677 (Outside Vancouver). It is important to emphasize that while the BC-CfE provides administrative review of all ART prescriptions in BC, this is largely aimed to ensure overall programmatic compliance. This review does not equate with a clinical review of the appropriateness of a clinical decision, and therefore clinical responsibility for ART prescription and monitoring lies with the prescriber.