AIDS

Question 1

What is the virus that causes AIDS?

Answer 1

HIV

Question 2

How is HIV transmitted?

Answer 2

1. Sexual intercourse
2. Direct contact with infected fluid such blood and body fluids (semen, breastmilk)
3. HIV mother gives birth to baby

Question 3

What are the 5 symptoms of HIV?

Answer 3

1. Fever
2. Weight loss
3. Diarrhea
4. Night sweats
5. Fatigue

Question 4

How is the presence of HIV confirmed?

What is screening test?

Answer 4

The ELISA test
•If it’s positive then it followed up with HIV differentiation assay

The western blot test is no longer used

Question 5

How does HIV attack the body?

Answer 5

It attracts the immune system by destroying the T-lymphocytes aka CD4 cells

The virus replicates its self rapidly

Question 6

What CD4 cells do?

Answer 6

They help the immune system + they recognize and fight pathogens

Question 7

Y is CD4 count important?

Answer 7

The lower the CD4 count the more damage the virus had done to the body

Question 8

What is a normal CD4 count?

Answer 8

500-1500

Question 9

What is the normal CD4 count in a client with HIV?

Answer 9

Anything at or above 500 the client is considered in good health! If it’s below 500 , HIV has progress to AIDS

Question 10

If the CD4 count is below 200

Answer 10

The client is risk for opportunistic infections

Question 11

List 5 opportunistic infections

Answer 11

• oral pharyngeal canididal ( mouth infection)
• Kaposi’s sarcoma( skin cancer)
• pneumocystis pneumonia
• cytomegalovirus ( blindness)
• meningitis

Question 12

What is the goal of HIV meds?

Answer 12

To Interfere with the virus replicating

Question 13

What are the most important HIV meds to know??

Answer 13

Zidovudine (AZT, RETROVIR)

Question 14

Which isolation precaution are used with HIV?

Answer 14

Universal precautions

Pt don’t have to tell they have HIV

treat everybody as if their infected

Question 15

How do precautions change with AIDS?

If the client has has a low CD4 count and is at risk for opportunistic infections: Implement

Answer 15

-private room
-reverse isolation
RN wears gowns, googles, mask when in directed contacted with blood or body fluids

Question 16

What are the teaching points for parents who have a child with HIV?

Answer 16

• clean up body fluids/blood with 10:1 water/ bleach ratio
• get all immunization except

1. MMR,
2. Varicella,
3. oral poliovirus because these are live immunization

• high calories, high protein diet
• gloves when changing diapers