Jane McCall has worked in the field of HIV/AIDS since 1983 in a variety of positions from bedside acute care nurse to emergency to her present position as nurse educator for the HIV program at St. Paul’s hospital in Vancouver. It became evident to Jane early on in the epidemic that injection drug use was a significant factor in the spread of HIV infection in the community that St. Paul’s serves and the significant number of people presenting to emergency with injection related infections made it clear that harm reduction practices were an integral and important response to the HIV epidemic.
In addition to her work supporting nurses providing direct care to patients with HIV/AIDS at the hospital, Jane also provides outreach education about HIV/AIDS and harm reduction to the nursing programs at various colleges and universities around Vancouver. She has also established a working relationship with various community agencies in Vancouver, in recognition of the fact that harm reduction is a continuum that must reach across all sectors of health-care.
Jane completed a master’s degree in nursing in 2006. The focus of her research was the experiences and perceptions of Aboriginal women who are living with HIV/AIDS with health care and related services. She was presented with an Award of Excellence for Exceptional Contribution to the Development of Nursing in HIV/AIDS Care by the Canadian Association of Nurses in AIDS Care in 2006.