• Elissa M Schechter-Perkins, Julia E Rubin-Smith, and Patricia M Mitchell.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• Emerg Med J. 2014 Sep 1;31(9):736-40.

ObjectiveTo assess staff knowledge of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, attitudes and barriers towards emergency department (ED) HIV testing before and after implementing an ED rapid HIV testing programme (EDRHTP).MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional pre/post survey at an urban academic medical centre. In March 2009, ED registered nurses (RNs) and doctors (MDs) participated in an anonymous survey. An EDRHTP was established in September 2009, and in March 2011, the survey was redistributed to ED staff. Differences before and after programme implementation were assessed using χ(2) statistics or Fisher's exact test.ResultsRespondents reported greater familiarity with CDC guidelines after programme implementation (44% vs 59%, p=0.04) and more believed that HIV testing should be offered to all ED patients (44% vs 79%, p<0.0001). Prior to programme implementation, RNs and MDs differed in attitudes towards ED HIV testing across most questions, and differences disappeared post programme.ConclusionsOverall support for ED HIV testing increased after establishment of a rapid testing programme.Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

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