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Concurrent Session 3C: Nurses at the Heart of Syndemic Care for People Who Use Drugs

Tracks
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Thursday, October 8, 2026
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Tycho + Kepler

Details

This session will highlight the critical role of nurses in delivering syndemic care for people who use drugs, addressing overlapping health and social challenges such as hepatitis C, HIV, mental health, substance use, and social determinants of health. Through short presentations and interactive discussion, the session will showcase nurse-led models of integrated, non-siloed care across different specialties.


Speaker

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Mrs Nicki Palmer
Hepatitis C Project Nurse
NHS Public Health Wales

Opening Remarks

11:15 AM - 11:20 AM

Biography

Nicki is a nurse with over 30 years of experience, including the past eight years dedicated to viral hepatitis from a public health perspective. In her most recent role with Public Health Wales, she supports the Welsh Government agenda on the elimination of Hepatitis B and C as a public health threat.
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Ms Michelle Pittman
Nurse Practitioner
RECAP Health Services & Horizon Health

Opening Remarks

11:15 AM - 11:20 AM

Biography

Michelle Pittman is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in addiction medicine, mental health, Hepatitis C, and sexual health. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Nursing from Athabasca University. Michelle works as an Addictions and Mental Health NP at RECAP Health Services in Fredericton, where she leads a nurse-led Hepatitis C treatment program that has achieved WHO elimination targets within the injectable opiate agonist therapy (iOAT) population. She is active in provincial, national, and international advocacy and knowledge translation. Michelle serves on the steering committee with Action Hepatitis Canada, the Nurses’ Committee with INHSU, executive member Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick, board member of CATIE and the Canadian Association of Hepatology Nurses. Outside of work, Michelle is a proud wife and mother to an adventurous five-year-old.
MA Barbara Janikova
Project Coordinator
Spolecnost Podane Ruce, Czechia

Integrated model of care: HCV nurse, multi-agency cooperation, peer work, and in-house DAA treatment

11:20 AM - 11:25 AM

Biography

Miss Tina Zackova
Nurse
Podane Ruce

Integrated model of care: HCV nurse, multi-agency cooperation, peer work, and in-house DAA treatment

11:20 AM - 11:25 AM

Biography

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Ms Marguerite Beiser
Director of HCV Services
Boston Health Care For The Homeless Program

Every pathway, every patient: Nurse-led care drives HCV elimination across shelter, street and clinic

11:25 AM - 11:30 AM

Biography

Maggie Beiser is an adult nurse practitioner at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where she provides primary and specialized HIV, HCV, addiction, and gender care for people experiencing homelessness and/or using drugs. She founded the BHCHP HCV treatment program and leads its educational, research, and advocacy efforts. Find me on BlueSky @maggiebeiser
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Ryan Gould
Registered Nurse
Boston Healthcare For The Homeless Program

Every pathway, every patient: Nurse-led care drives HCV elimination across shelter, street and clinic

11:25 AM - 11:30 AM

Biography

Ryan Gould is a Registered Nurse who completed his Associate Degree in Nursing at Vermont Technical College. He currently works as an ambulatory care nurse at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where he specializes in Hepatitis C treatment and HIV prevention.
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Mrs Leah Higgins
Harm Reduction Nurse Prescriber
Rodger Wright Harm Reduction Network

Filling the Gaps: Evolution of a New Zealand Harm Reduction Clinic Beyond Hepatitis C

11:30 AM - 11:35 AM

Biography

Leah is an experience harm reduction nurse. She worked for 8 years working in Melbourne at Primary Health Services for people who inject drugs and as an outreach nurse supporting those experiencing homelessness. For the past 10 years, she’s been a vital part of the Rodger Wright Community Clinic, and in 2021, she completed her nurse prescriber course to better serve our community. Leah is passionate about her role, especially when it comes to getting to know the people she meets and witnessing them take control of their health in their own time.
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Ms Marguerite Beiser
Director of HCV Services
Boston Health Care For The Homeless Program

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

Maggie Beiser is an adult nurse practitioner at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where she provides primary and specialized HIV, HCV, addiction, and gender care for people experiencing homelessness and/or using drugs. She founded the BHCHP HCV treatment program and leads its educational, research, and advocacy efforts. Find me on BlueSky @maggiebeiser
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Ryan Gould
Registered Nurse
Boston Healthcare For The Homeless Program

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

Ryan Gould is a Registered Nurse who completed his Associate Degree in Nursing at Vermont Technical College. He currently works as an ambulatory care nurse at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where he specializes in Hepatitis C treatment and HIV prevention.
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Mrs Leah Higgins
Harm Reduction Nurse Prescriber
Rodger Wright Harm Reduction Network

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

Leah is an experience harm reduction nurse. She worked for 8 years working in Melbourne at Primary Health Services for people who inject drugs and as an outreach nurse supporting those experiencing homelessness. For the past 10 years, she’s been a vital part of the Rodger Wright Community Clinic, and in 2021, she completed her nurse prescriber course to better serve our community. Leah is passionate about her role, especially when it comes to getting to know the people she meets and witnessing them take control of their health in their own time.
MA Barbara Janikova
Project Coordinator
Spolecnost Podane Ruce, Czechia

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

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Mrs Nicki Palmer
Hepatitis C Project Nurse
NHS Public Health Wales

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

Nicki is a nurse with over 30 years of experience, including the past eight years dedicated to viral hepatitis from a public health perspective. In her most recent role with Public Health Wales, she supports the Welsh Government agenda on the elimination of Hepatitis B and C as a public health threat.
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Ms Michelle Pittman
Nurse Practitioner
RECAP Health Services & Horizon Health

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

Michelle Pittman is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in addiction medicine, mental health, Hepatitis C, and sexual health. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of New Brunswick and a Master of Nursing from Athabasca University. Michelle works as an Addictions and Mental Health NP at RECAP Health Services in Fredericton, where she leads a nurse-led Hepatitis C treatment program that has achieved WHO elimination targets within the injectable opiate agonist therapy (iOAT) population. She is active in provincial, national, and international advocacy and knowledge translation. Michelle serves on the steering committee with Action Hepatitis Canada, the Nurses’ Committee with INHSU, executive member Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick, board member of CATIE and the Canadian Association of Hepatology Nurses. Outside of work, Michelle is a proud wife and mother to an adventurous five-year-old.
Miss Tina Zackova
Nurse
Podane Ruce

Panel Discussion

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM

Biography

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INHSU 2026

Closing remarks

12:10 PM - 12:15 PM

Biography


Chairperson

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Nicki Palmer
Hepatitis C Project Nurse
NHS Public Health Wales

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Michelle Pittman
Nurse Practitioner
RECAP Health Services & Horizon Health

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