{
  "abstract": "Background Nurse-delivered sexual health and PrEP clinic models are well-established and widely adopted internationally. The WHO recognises that task-sharing with nurses involvement can be applied to support scaling-up of PrEP service. In Italy, the Multidisciplinary Centre for Sexual Health (Ce.Mu.Ss.) in Turin has implemented a nurse-led STI clinic for asymptomatic patients showing sustained effectiveness in clinical practice. The progressive increase in PrEP user enrolment at our centre, with quarterly STI screening, encouraged us to explore service implementation strategies. In April 2025, we established a nurse-led STI and PrEP clinic.Methods A retrospective observational study was performed to evaluate the type of activity carried out at the nurse-led clinic and the appointment slot occupancy rate from its opening on 16th April 2025 through to the end of December 2025. Thirteen slots per week were planned.Results In 2025, 150 new PrEP users were enrolled at our centre, bringing the total enrolments since programme start in 2018 to 611, with 461 in regular follow-up at the end of 2025. During the same period, 153 gonorrhoea infections and 31 syphilis were diagnosed among PrEP users, all requiring attendance for intramuscular treatment. Since its opening, 327 patients were booked at the nurse clinic, with 20 no-shows. In the first quarter following service launch, the slot occupancy rate was 53%, attributable to quarterly PrEP follow-up visits already scheduled at the medical-led clinic and to the initial set-up phase. In the final quarter (October–December 2025), the occupancy rate reached 96%. Among the persons assessed, 183 (60%) were seen for PrEP follow-up visits, 49 (16%) for gonorrhoea treatment, 41 (13%) for syphilis treatment and 34 (11%) for asymptomatic STI screening in non-PrEP patients. All treatment prescriptions, including PrEP prescriptions, were issued by a physician prior to the visit, following allergy verification. Benzylpenicillin injections were administered in the nurse clinic only to patients who had previously received at least one dose. A same-day parallel medical-led clinic was maintained and patients found to be unexpectedly symptomatic at the time of nursing assessment were promptly referred to the medical clinic. The nurse clinic was well accepted by all patients, with good engagement and high levels of satisfaction reported. Collaboration between medical and nursing staff remained consistently excellent.Conclusions Our experience demonstrates that a nurse-led clinic represents a feasible and efficient strategy to support expansion of PrEP and STI services. Saturation of the nurse clinic is anticipated and further expansion is under evaluation. Structured and continuous training for nursing staff should be implemented and formally endorsed by national policies in order to enhance the nurse role in PrEP services and to address the growing PrEP demand.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Infectious Diseases Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "S Venturelli"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Surgery Department, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "A Crovetti"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Corporate Management for Healthcare and Social Professions, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "A Bresciani"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Infectious Diseases Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "L Comi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Infectious Diseases Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "F Borghi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "E Nespoli"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "G Ghilardi"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Infectious Diseases Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "D Ripamonti"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Infectious Diseases Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy"
      ],
      "name": "F Crippa"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P175 Nurse-led follow-up PrEP and STI clinic to address growing PrEP enrolments",
  "uid": "f1724d8a-99d1-52d4-843a-ed14c217b5cb"
}