Nurse practitioner (NP) student knowledge of PrEP in preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in high-risk women

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess knowledge and awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in senior nurse practitioner (NP) students and compare the effectiveness of the education interventions in increasing knowledge of PrEP to high-risk women among NP students. In 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved PrEP for use in preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in high-risk individuals, but uptake remains low in women. Methodology: The study was conducted using a pre-test, post-test design, and a 2-weeks follow-up post-test evaluation. Senior NP students enrolled in an adult-gerontology primary care 3 clinical course in a university in Northern New Jersey were recruited for the study. The target population represents nurse practitioner students training to become providers in clinical settings that heavily rely on prescribing medication as an essential part of the practice. After completing the pre-test, the NP students received a PrEP PowerPoint educational intervention; following the teaching intervention, students completed a post-test. Two weeks later, they completed another 2-weeks follow-up post-test evaluation to assess retention and determine utility of the information in the clinical setting. Results: Thirty-two volunteered senior students participated in the study. After an educational intervention, significant increases in knowledge of PrEP were noted from pre-test (M = 7.25) to post-test (M = 8.75) based on both the paired t test (t[31] = 7.12, p = .001) and from pre-test (M = 7.25) to follow-up (M = 9.63) based on both the paired t test (t[31] = 10.23, p = .001) and the Wilcoxon matched pairs test (z[31] = 4.73, p = .001). Also, significant increases in knowledge were also noted from post-test (M = 8.75) to follow-up (M = 9.63) based on both the paired t test (t[31] = 3.51, p = .001) and the Wilcoxon matched pairs test (z[31] = 2.91, p = .004). Implications for Practice: Are clinical practice, healthcare policy, quality & safety, education, and economics. Conclusion: NP students' knowledge and acceptance of PrEP and their likelihood to prescribe PrEP as HIV prevention improved after an educational intervention.DNPIncludes bibliographical reference