Motivate & Empower

 

Motivate by Focusing on the Why

One of the most valuable ways to spend initial training time is to focus on motivating and inspiring staff about the importance of opt-out HIV testing. Always seek to appeal to their hearts and minds. A few ways to accomplish this include:

• Communicate how the project’s objectives align with the organization’s larger vision for health justice and quality care for all. For example, talk about how your organization seeks to improve health and well-being for the community, improve access to health care, make all people feel cared for, act as a lasting health care resource for the community, or serve as an integral partner with the community in the promotion of health, education and access to care.
• Explain why the project is relevant to your patient population. Give them information and statistics to help them believe in the importance of testing. Share data such as:
  • HIV is a disease of poverty, affecting communities of color the hardest. There’s a rising Latino population in Sonoma County

    

     

     

    and Latinos make up 65% of our patient population.

  • Youth aged 13 to 24 accounted for more than 1 in 5 new cases in 2014.
  • Young gay and bisexual males accounted for 8 in 10 HIV diagnoses among youth in 2014.
  • You can’t tell someone has HIV by looking at them.
  • At the end of 2012, 44% of youth ages 18 to 24 living with HIV did not know they had HIV.
  • Under proper care, people with HIV can live long, active lives.

• Provide a vision for what the project could accomplish. Tell people they can do their part to eradicate HIV from the community.

 

Empower by Providing the What & the How

Once you have buy-in from staff of the importance of opt-out HIV testing, you can then answer the questions that would naturally follow.

Namely, what exactly does staff need to understand about HIV and HIV testing, and how exactly are they expected to

implement new workflows and processes? Leading with the “What” and “How” can cause some staff to view HIV testing as yet another additional thing they have to squeeze into their already pressured time with patients. However, once they understand the value of HIV testing, they’ll appreciate knowing the details that will empower them to contribute to the project’s success. They’ll be ready to take ownership of accomplishing the project’s objectives.

 

Resources:

• Opt-Out HIV Testing:  Why It Matters
• Quick Facts on HIV – HIV.gov:  U.S. government HIV website with up-to-date statistics and other HIV and AIDS information