NSW Gov
Freshly settled into his role as Sexual Health Clinical Nurse Consultant, Chris Bailey-Mills is already hard at work.
With HIV Testing Week coming up in the first week of June, to coincide with Pride Month, Chris is keen to get the message out.
"HIV Testing Week aims to raise awareness about the importance of regular HIV testing, encouraging people to get tested and knowing your HIV status. Getting tested for HIV is a crucial step in ending HIV transmission, and an early diagnosis means starting treatment early so you will live a long and healthy life," he said.
"We recommend all sexually active people know their HIV status. If you think you might be at risk, including if you've had unprotected sex with a new partner, you should test for HIV at least annually. For men who have sex with men, we recommend testing for HIV four times a year - every three months - if you are sexually active.
"There are many ways to get tested for HIV and this can be at a local GP, Sexual Health clinic, online testing service or in the privacy of your home with a Dried Blood Spot (DBS) test or a HIV self-test you can order online or buy at pharmacies."
Chris, who is the Sexual Health Clinical Nurse Consultant for both Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts, is keen to make sure the community is informed with all the latest information on HIV.
"I like to remind people that HIV nowadays is no longer a death sentence. We have come a long way since the Grim Reaper television ads and there have been great advances in technology," he said.
"There are medications you can take to prevent HIV which is known as HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) that involves HIV negative people taking antiretroviral medication to protect them and prevent HIV infection. PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV infection."
Chris said there are safe and effective treatment with minimal side effects for people who do test positive.
"Taking your medication correctly reduces the virus in the body to very low levels and this is called achieving an undetectable viral load. Having an undetectable viral load means you cannot pass on HIV to your sexual partners. In recent years, there are now even options for injectable HIV treatments which means you don't have to take tablets," he said.
For Chris, the new role in sexual health is an exciting new chapter in his career of caring for others.
"I've always been passionate about caring for people. During school I would volunteer with students living with a disability to ensure they felt included and welcome with their peers. Everyone I met, encouraged me to be a nurse from an early age," Chris said.
"Once I left high school I started a job in the aged and disability sector, working with people who have both intellectual and physical disabilities. While I was in this role, all the registered nurses strongly encouraged me to go to university to do my nursing degree. After considering my options, I commenced my Bachelor of Nursing at the University of Wollongong.
"I have now been nursing for many years and have had various roles within NSW Health and the private sector. I have worked in many specialities such as paediatric oncology, disability and aged care, medical and surgical and vaccination clinics.
"I don't think I could ever stop being a nurse. I love the profession and gives me great job satisfaction knowing I am making a difference in people's lives."
While it is still early days in his new role, Chris is enthusiastic about the job and the work he will be doing.
"Being a part of the LGBTIQ+ community, I have always been passionate about LGBTIQ+ health and I've always wanted to give back to the community to provide a safe space for people to be who they are without judgement. Working in various nursing roles, I have always been the champion for LGBTIQ+ patients and being an advocate for them," he said.
Chris first became aware of Sexual Health nursing while he was working in a vaccination clinic in the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.
"I worked with the Illawarra Sexual Health Clinical Nurse Consultant, and I was in awe of the work she did in the Sexual Health speciality. My knowledge of Sexual Health nursing was limited, as it not something that is taught in a general nursing degree," he said.
"After our shifts together, I wanted to know all the details of how I can get a job in Sexual Health ASAP. I enrolled myself in various courses and training programs to prepare myself for a potential job opening.
"I found a maternity relief position for a Sexual Health Registered Nurse position which I applied and was successful for. I took a leap of faith and left my permanent position for a temporary position, and it paid off.
"I fell in love with Sexual Health Nursing with a passion and completed a Graduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health specialising in HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). I soon climbed the ranks achieving Clinical Nurse Specialist status and now I am a Sexual Health Clinical Nurse Consultant."
As part of HIV Testing Week, Chris will be part of an expert panel talking about HIV testing week at a virtual forum on Thursday 6 June. The forum has been organised by ACON and Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts.
To register for this free event, which runs for an hour from noon, click here:
If you have any questions about HIV or Sexual Health, the Sexual Health info link website is a great resource https://www.shil.nsw.gov.au/
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