[Durgical](https://durgical.com/en/) › [DurgiPedia](https://durgical.com/en/durgipedia/) › [Nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/) › [Family and community nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/areas/community/) › HIV and STI prevention in the community: counselling, rapid testing, linkage and mother-to-child elimination

# HIV and STI prevention in the community: counselling, rapid testing, linkage and mother-to-child elimination

- Safe practice

The nurse offers voluntary, confidential testing, gives clear prevention advice, links people who test positive to care and helps protect babies from infection.

Updated Nov 13, 2026

## Key points

- The 5 Cs of HIV testing: consent, confidentiality, counselling, correct results and connection (linkage) to care.
- A rapid or self-test result that is reactive must be confirmed by trained staff before diagnosis.
- After a recent risk exposure with a negative result, retesting is needed (the window period is about 28 days for most tests).
- Undetectable viral load on treatment means HIV is not transmitted to sexual partners.
- Congenital syphilis is prevented by testing in prenatal care and treating the pregnant woman and her sexual partners.
- Condoms used correctly and every time are among the most effective ways to prevent STIs, including HIV.

## What it is

Most curable sexually transmitted infections cause no symptoms, so testing is offered rather than waiting for complaints. Rapid tests for HIV and syphilis give same-day results and can be used in homes, mobile units and outreach. WHO asks every testing service to follow the five Cs: consent, confidentiality, counselling, correct results and connection to prevention, care and treatment. A reactive result is confirmed according to the national algorithm, and people with HIV start treatment as early as possible: when the virus is undetectable, it is not transmitted sexually. Colombia works within PAHO's EMTCT Plus framework to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and Chagas disease.

## What it requires

- Training in pre- and post-test counselling and in the national testing algorithm.
- A private space, even in outreach (a tent, a separate room).
- Rapid tests and materials for safe waste disposal, per institutional protocol.
- A referral route agreed with the HIV programme and prenatal services for same-day linkage.

## Components

- Information and voluntary consent.
- Rapid testing and confirmation per national algorithm.
- Prevention package: condoms, information on pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, hepatitis B and HPV vaccination.
- Linkage to care and treatment.
- Testing and treatment of sexual partners.
- Mother-to-child elimination actions in prenatal care and for the newborn.

## How it is applied (and why)

- Explain the test, its benefits and its limits, and ask for free consent — testing is voluntary, never forced.
- Ensure privacy and confidentiality during the whole process — fear of disclosure keeps people from testing.
- Perform the rapid test following the institutional protocol — correct results are one of the 5 Cs.
- Give the result in person with clear counselling, whatever it is — a negative result is also a moment for prevention.
- If reactive, start confirmation per national algorithm and refer the same day — fast linkage means earlier treatment.
- If negative after a recent risk, explain the window period and when to retest — an early test can miss a new infection.
- Offer condoms and information on prophylaxis and vaccines — prevention is combined, not a single measure.
- Encourage testing and treatment of sexual partners per protocol — treating partners stops transmission and reinfection.
- In pregnant women, test in prenatal care and coordinate treatment of her and her partners — this prevents infection in the baby.

## In nursing practice

- Adolescents need friendly, confidential services; see the adolescent-friendly services page.
- WHO recommends a dual HIV/syphilis rapid test as the first test in antenatal care.
- Self-tests can widen access; a reactive self-test still needs confirmation by trained staff.
- Use language without judgement about sexual practices, drug use or sex work.

## Common mistakes

- Giving a diagnosis of HIV from a single reactive rapid test.
- Giving results in a corridor, by phone without identity check or in front of relatives.
- Testing without linkage: a positive result with no appointment is a lost person.
- Treating the pregnant woman with syphilis but not her partners, which allows reinfection.

## Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

## What are WHO's 5 Cs of HIV testing services?

Consent, confidentiality, counselling, correct test results and connection (linkage) to prevention, care and treatment.

## Is a reactive HIV self-test a diagnosis?

No. A reactive self-test or rapid test must be confirmed by trained staff following the national testing algorithm.

## What does an undetectable viral load mean for transmission?

A person on treatment with no virus detectable in the blood does not transmit HIV to sexual partners.

## Which four infections does the EMTCT Plus framework aim to stop passing from mother to child?

HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and Chagas disease.

[Add to my cards (4)](https://durgical.app/estudiar/?add=/en/nursing/hiv-and-sti-prevention-in-the-community-counselling-rapid-testing-linkage-and-mo/)

## Elsewhere in DurgiPedia

- [Professional secrecy and confidentiality](https://durgical.com/en/medical-ethics/professional-secrecy-and-confidentiality/)
- [Principles of screening](https://durgical.com/en/epidemiology/principles-of-screening/)

## Connections

## Related 4

- [Contact tracing and partner notification: finding, interviewing and following contacts](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/contact-tracing-and-partner-notification-finding-interviewing-and-following-cont/)
- [Sexuality and sexual health in nursing care](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/sexuality-and-sexual-health-in-nursing-care/)
- [Prenatal care: the nursing visit and warning signs](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/prenatal-care-the-nursing-visit-and-warning-signs/)
- [Youth-friendly health services for adolescents and young people](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/youth-friendly-health-services-for-adolescents-and-young-people/)

## Related conditions 3

- [HIV infection and AIDS](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/hiv-infection-and-aids/)
- [Syphilis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/syphilis/)
- [Viral hepatitis](https://durgical.com/en/conditions/viral-hepatitis/)

[← All of nursing](https://durgical.com/en/nursing/)

Educational content for students; it does not replace your institution's protocols, supervised clinical training or a prescriber's order. Dose-calculation examples use made-up numbers: they are educational, not a clinical order.

Sources: [HIV and AIDS: fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids) (World Health Organization, 2026); [HIV testing services: approaches, the 5 Cs and self-testing](https://www.who.int/teams/global-hiv-hepatitis-and-stis-programmes/hiv/testing-diagnostics/hiv-testing-services/1) (World Health Organization, 2024); [Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): fact sheet](https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis)) (World Health Organization, 2025); [ETMI Plus Colombia 2018-2021: marco para la eliminación de la transmisión materno infantil del VIH, la sífilis, la hepatitis B y la enfermedad de Chagas](https://www.minsalud.gov.co/sites/rid/Lists/BibliotecaDigital/RIDE/INEC/INTOR/eliminacion-transmision-materno-infantil-vih-sifilis-chagas-hepetitib-etmi-colombia-2018.pdf) (Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, Colombia, 2018).

## **Spotted a mistake?** We are always improving for the community. Tell us what is wrong and our team will review it. Report a mistake

Representative model, for educational purposes only.

---
Source: https://durgical.com/en/nursing/hiv-and-sti-prevention-in-the-community-counselling-rapid-testing-linkage-and-mo/
License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Cite as: DurgiPedia (durgical.com), https://durgical.com/en/nursing/hiv-and-sti-prevention-in-the-community-counselling-rapid-testing-linkage-and-mo/