Health Sciences and Social Services Curative Health

Develop And Implement Antiretroviral Treatment Plans For Clients Training

SAQA US 117507 | NQF 4 | Credits 6 | Duration 3 Days
From $713 per delegate

Description

This course equips healthcare practitioners with the knowledge and skills to develop and implement antiretroviral treatment (ART) plans for clients in accordance with South African National Department of Health guidelines. Participants will learn to assess client readiness, initiate and monitor ART, manage side effects, and promote adherence to achieve optimal health outcomes. The training ensures competency in delivering client-centered, evidence-based HIV care.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply the principles of antiretroviral therapy, including drug classifications and mechanisms of action, to develop individualized treatment plans.
  • Assess client eligibility and readiness for ART initiation using clinical and laboratory criteria.
  • Implement ART plans according to national protocols, including prescribing, dispensing, and monitoring.
  • Evaluate client response to treatment through viral load monitoring and management of side effects.
  • Demonstrate effective adherence counseling and support strategies to improve treatment outcomes.
  • Analyze and manage treatment failure, including regimen switching and referral pathways.

Target Audience

This course is designed for nurses, clinical associates, and other healthcare professionals involved in HIV care and treatment within public and private health facilities in South Africa.

Prerequisites

Participants must be registered healthcare professionals (e.g., nurses, doctors, clinical associates) with a valid practice license.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Antiretroviral Treatment Planning

Objectives:
• Understand the epidemiology and pathophysiology of HIV/AIDS in the South African context.
• Describe the principles of antiretroviral therapy (ART) including drug classes and mechanisms of action.
• Explain the criteria for initiating ART according to current South African guidelines.
• Identify factors influencing treatment adherence and patient readiness.
• Apply ethical and legal frameworks in HIV care and treatment planning.

Topics:
• Overview of HIV/AIDS in South Africa: prevalence, transmission, and impact.
• Pathophysiology of HIV: viral life cycle and immune system effects.
• ART drug classes: NRTIs, NNRTIs, PIs, integrase inhibitors, and entry inhibitors.
• National and WHO guidelines for ART initiation: CD4 count, viral load, and clinical staging.
• Patient assessment for ART readiness: psychosocial factors, comorbidities, and adherence potential.
• Ethical considerations: confidentiality, informed consent, and stigma reduction.
• Legal aspects: disclosure, partner notification, and children’s consent.
• Introduction to treatment plan documentation and monitoring parameters.

Day 2: Developing Individualised Antiretroviral Treatment Plans

Objectives:
• Select appropriate first-line and second-line ART regimens based on patient characteristics.
• Develop a comprehensive treatment plan including drug regimen, monitoring schedule, and adherence support.
• Manage common ART side effects and drug interactions.
• Address special populations: pregnant women, children, adolescents, and patients with comorbidities.
• Integrate laboratory monitoring: baseline and follow-up tests.

Topics:
• First-line ART regimens: preferred options and alternative regimens.
• Second-line and salvage therapy: when to switch and regimen selection.
• Individualised treatment planning: considering age, weight, renal function, and hepatitis co-infection.
• Management of side effects: nausea, anaemia, lipodystrophy, and hypersensitivity reactions.
• Drug interactions: ART with TB treatment, contraceptives, and other medications.
• Treatment for special populations: PMTCT, paediatric dosing, and adolescents.
• Laboratory monitoring: CD4 count, viral load, chemistry, and haematology.
• Adherence strategies: pill burden reduction, counselling, and community support.

Day 3: Implementing, Monitoring, and Evaluating ART Plans

Objectives:
• Implement ART plans in clinical settings with a multidisciplinary team approach.
• Monitor treatment response using viral load and CD4 trends.
• Identify and manage treatment failure and resistance.
• Evaluate patient outcomes and modify plans as needed.
• Apply quality improvement principles to ART services.

Topics:
• Implementation steps: prescribing, dispensing, and patient education.
• Multidisciplinary team roles: doctors, nurses, counsellors, and pharmacists.
• Monitoring treatment success: viral suppression and immune recovery.
• Identifying treatment failure: clinical, immunological, and virological criteria.
• Management of drug resistance: resistance testing and regimen changes.
• Adverse event reporting and pharmacovigilance.
• Patient retention in care: tracking and tracing defaulters.
• Quality improvement: audits, feedback, and continuous professional development.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
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Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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