Chapter 14: Communicable and Infectious Disease Risks

A nurse is assisting an employer who has hired an individual who has been recently diagnosed with HIV. Which of the following interventions would be most appropriate for the nurse to implement? a. Educate about how to reduce the risk of breaching the employee's confidentiality b. Explain how to inform coworkers about avoiding HIV transmission c. Facilitate obtaining medical insurance coverage for the HIV-infected employee d. Describe the early signs and symptoms of HIV infection

A Nurses frequently work in the education role, and employers may need assistance in dealing with HIV-infected employees. Disclosing a worker's infection to other workers, terminating employment, and isolating an infected worker are examples of situations that have led to litigation between employees and employers. Thus, the priority will be to protect the employer from litigation.

A nurse is examining a child in the early stages of HIV infection. Which of the following would the nurse expect to find? a. Failure to thrive and developmental delays b. Kaposi's sarcoma and developmental delays c. Toxoplasmosis and oral candidiasis d. Fatigue and shortness of breath

A Early symptoms of pediatric HIV infection include failure to thrive and developmental delays. Kaposi's sarcoma and oral candidiasis are common opportunistic diseases later in the disease process. Fatigue is a symptom seen with hepatitis and TB.

HIV transmission can occur through: a. exposure to blood. b. insect bites. c. sharing of school supplies. d. toilets.

A HIV can be transmitted through exposure to blood. HIV is not transmitted by insect bites, sharing of school supplies, or toilets.

Which type of hepatitis would likely be found where sanitation is inadequate? a. A b. B c. C d. D

A Hepatitis A would likely be found where sanitation is inadequate. Hepatitis B and C are spread through blood and body fluids. Hepatitis D can only exist in people who are already infected with Hepatitis B.

A nurse is uncomfortable discussing such topics as sexual behavior and sexual orientation when counseling clients and avoids this topic with clients. Which of the following is the most likely outcome of this avoidance? a. Potential risks and risky behaviors will not be identified. b. Transmission of STDs will remain unchanged. c. Clients will develop a trusting relationship with health care providers. d. The nurse will be violating the laws in several states.

A It is important that nurses be able to discuss these topics to help prevent and control STDs. Without discussion of these topics, it is possible that clients will not be aware that they have an STD and may transmit it to others. Thus, the transmission of STDs may increase. A trusting relationship with a health care provider may or may not develop and is not dependent on whether these issues are discussed. There are not laws that mandate nurses to discuss sexual behavior and sexual orientation with clients.

A public health nurse (PHN) is reviewing Healthy People 2020 to determine where to prioritize programming for the county health department. Based on Healthy People 2020, which of the following areas would the nurse most likely plan to implement programming? a. Reduce the rate of HIV transmission among adults and adolescents b. Eliminate sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) from developed countries c. Reduce deaths from gonorrhea d. Increase awareness about HIV in lesbian females

A One of the Healthy People 2020 objectives is reducing the number of cases of HIV infection among adults and adolescents. Eliminating STDs from developed countries, reducing deaths from gonorrhea, and increasing awareness about HIV among lesbian females are not addressed by Healthy People 2020.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a common complication of: a. gonorrhea. b. syphilis. c. chlamydia. d. herpes.

A PID is a common complication of gonorrhea. PID is not a common complication of syphilis, chlamydia, or herpes.

A nurse screens blood products, donor organs, and tissues for the hepatitis C infection. Which of the following best describes this nursing action? a. Primary prevention b. Secondary prevention c. Tertiary prevention d. Health promotion

A Primary prevention refers to those interventions aimed at preventing the occurrence of disease, injury, or disability. Screening blood products, organs, and tissues for infection protects the population from exposure to hepatitis C, which prevents them from contracting the disease. Secondary prevention includes screening for diseases to ensure their early identification, treatment, and follow-up with contact to prevent further spread. Tertiary prevention focuses on chronic care and rehabilitation. Health promotion focuses on the primary prevention activities to promote health and prevent disease.

A nurse counsels a client to have the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA) test. Which of the following best describes the rationale for this test? a. To indicate the presence of the antibody to HIV b. To reveal whether or not the client has AIDS c. To isolate the HIV virus d. To confirm HIV after having a positive Western blot

A The EIA is used to indicate the presence of the antibody to HIV. To minimize false positive results, the Western blot is used as a confirmatory test to verify the results. The EIA does not isolate the virus, nor does it reveal whether the individual has symptomatic AIDS.

The nurse is counseling a female who has recently tested positive for HIV. Which of the following will the nurse educate that the client is responsible for? (Select all that apply.) a. Have regular medical evaluations and follow-ups b. Donate blood and plasma to others who are positive for the disease c. Inform health care providers about the HIV infection d. Consider the risk of perinatal transmission e. Disclose her HIV infection to her employer

A, C, D A person who is infected with HIV should have regular medical evaluations and follow-up appointments; not donate blood or plasma; inform health care providers about the HIV infection; and consider the risk of perinatal transmission and follow-up with contraceptive use.

A nurse is examining the route of HIV transmission for a newly diagnosed HIV client. Which of the following would most likely be discovered by the nurse? a. Having contact with an HIV-positive individual who is coughing b. An infant receiving breast milk from an HIV-positive mother c. Receiving a mosquito bite while in Africa d. Being near an HIV-positive individual who is sneezing

B HIV can be transmitted through breast milk. HIV is not transmitted by coughing, sneezing, or mosquito bites.

In comparison with HIV infection in adults, HIV infection in infants and children: a. has the same signs and symptoms. b. has a shorter incubation period. c. has a longer survival period. d. is detected by using the same tests.

B HIV infection in infants and children has a shorter incubation period. The physical signs and symptoms in children are different and include failure to thrive, unexplained persistent diarrhea, developmental delays, and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis (TB) and severe pneumonia. Detection is made through different tests in infants of infected mothers than from those who are over 18 months. The effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy in pregnant women and newborns in preventing transmission from mother to fetus or infant has made pediatric HIV rates decline sharply; thus, these children are less likely to contract the virus.

A nurse is teaching a client diagnosed with gonorrhea how to prevent reinfection and further spread. Which of the following describes the action taken by the nurse? a. Primary prevention b. Secondary prevention c. Tertiary prevention d. Primary health care

B Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt treatment of disease, injury, or disability. Primary prevention refers to those interventions aimed at preventing the occurrence of disease, injury, or disability. Tertiary prevention focuses on chronic care and rehabilitation. Primary health care refers to the first line of care provided to patients typically by a physician or other health care provider.

A nurse is utilizing the provisions created by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act. Which of the following interventions is the nurse most likely performing? a. Increasing AIDS awareness in the community b. Determining available health care services for HIV-infected individuals c. Preventing the transmission of AIDS to children from their mothers d. Allowing persons in the final stages of HIV to die with dignity

B This act provides emergency services, services for early intervention and care, and drug reimbursement programs for HIV-infected individuals.

A nurse is educating intravenous (IV) drug users about sharing equipment. Which of the following information would be appropriate for the nurse to include in this education? a. Tell the clients to throw away their equipment after one use b. Educate the clients on using full-strength bleach on their drug paraphernalia for 30 seconds c. Suggest limiting the number of people who share the equipment d. Provide clean needles and syringes to whoever wants them

B Using bleach on the needles and syringes is a way to decrease cross-contamination. This is the last-resort option. People who inject drugs are difficult to reach for health care services, so providing them education is important so that they can protect themselves and others as they most likely will not throw away their equipment, or be selective about whom they share their equipment with. Providing needles and syringes does not provide the appropriate education to prevent the spread of disease.

Which part of the immunological system suffers the greatest damage as a result of HIV infection? a. Dendrite cells b. CD4+ T-lymphocytes c. Macrophages d. Monocytes

B When HIV enters the body, a person may experience a mononucleosis-like syndrome, referred to as a primary infection, which lasts for few weeks. This may go unrecognized. The body's CD4 white blood cell count drops for a brief time when the virus is most plentiful in the body. The dendrite cells, macrophages, and monocytes are not as severely damaged as the CD4 cells.

A person diagnosed with syphilis presents with signs and symptoms of rash, sore throat, and muscle and joint pain. Which of the following stages of syphilis is the client most likely experiencing? a. Congenital b. Primary c. Secondary d. Tertiary

C A person with signs and symptoms of a rash, sore throat, and muscle/joint pain is experiencing the secondary stage of syphilis. Primary syphilis occurs when the bacteria produce infection in the form of a chancre at the site of entry. Tertiary syphilis usually occurs several years after initial infection and is rare in the United States because the disease is usually cured in its early stages with antibiotics. Congenital syphilis is transmitted transplacentally.

A community health nurse visits a homeless shelter to provide directly observed therapy (DOT) to several clients who have been diagnosed with TB. Which of the following best describes the rationale for this nursing intervention? a. Homeless clients do not care about their health. b. Homeless clients do not have access to medications. c. Poor adherence can result in drug resistance. d. These medications are so powerful, clients must be observed for reactions.

C Poor adherence has led to antibiotic resistant strains. These clients may care about their health but may have difficulty adhering to the treatment regimen. Medications to treat TB are available to the homeless population. The concern with the antimicrobial treatment is with non-adherence, not with side effects.

The nurse teaches the family of an AIDS client about managing symptomatic illness by preventing deteriorating conditions, such as diarrhea, skin breakdown, and inadequate nutrition. Which of the following best describes the action taken by the nurse? a. Primary prevention b. Secondary prevention c. Tertiary prevention d. Primary health care

C Tertiary prevention includes those interventions aimed at disability limitation and rehabilitation from disease, injury, or disability. Primary prevention refers to those interventions aimed at preventing the occurrence of disease, injury, or disability. Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and prompt treatment of disease, injury, or disability. Primary health care refers to the first line of care provided to patients typically by a physician or other health care provider.

The most chronic blood-borne infection in the United States is: a. hepatitis A. b. hepatitis B. c. hepatitis C. d. HIV.

C The most chronic blood-borne infection in the United States is hepatitis C. Hepatitis A virus is most commonly transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Sources may be water, food, feces, or sexual contact. The hepatitis B virus (HBV) is spread through blood and body fluids and, like HIV, is a blood-borne pathogen. HIV is transmitted through exposure to blood, semen, transplanted organs, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. Although hepatitis B and HIV are both blood-borne pathogens neither are the most chronic infection like hepatitis C.

A nurse is caring for a client who is HIV positive. Which of the following roles of the nurse would be the most important for the nurse to implement? a. Advocate, lobbying for AIDS research b. Counselor, discussing implications of future sexual activity c. Role model, providing supportive care d. Policy maker, addressing laws governing privacy rights of HIV-positive persons

C The priority role of the nurse should be role model, as nurses must be role models because many HIV-positive patients are stigmatized. The need to be an advocate and policy maker does not address the individual needs of the client. The nurse is able to counsel the client while providing supportive care.

A nurse is caring for a client who has been diagnosed with a bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI). Which of the following infections does this client most likely have? a. Trichomonas b. HIV c. Syphilis d. Genital warts

C Trichomonas, HIV, and genital warts are caused by viruses. Syphilis is caused by bacteria.

A nurse is working in a public health center. A patient who has been newly diagnosed as HIV positive comes for counseling. By law, which of the following actions must be taken by the nurse? a. Give antiviral medications to the patient b. Ask the person to name all of his or her sexual contacts c. Refer the patient to the social worker as someone possibly needing case management d. Report the HIV-infected person to the state health department

D It is mandatory to report HIV cases by name in all states, although not all states require viral load and CD4 counts. There are not laws in place that mandate administration of medications, naming of sexual contacts, or referral to case management.

The case rate of new TB is highest among which ethnicity in the United States? a. African American b. Native American c. White American d. Asian American

D Of the new cases, 59% are foreign-born persons living in the United States, with Asians and Hispanics being the most common ethnic groups, representing 30% and 28% of national TB cases. The TB rates for African American, Native American, and White American are lower than the Asian and Hispanic populations.

The most common reportable infectious disease in the United States is: a. gonorrhea. b. syphilis. c. herpes. d. chlamydia.

D The most common reportable infectious disease in the United States is chlamydia. Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease. Syphilis and herpes are not among the most common reportable infectious diseases in the United States.

Which of the following groups would be most likely to receive an injection of prophylactic immune globulin for possible exposure to hepatitis A? a. Persons who have had direct contact with blood b. Those who ate at the same restaurant as the person with hepatitis A c. All health care workers d. All those who had household or sexual contact with persons with hepatitis A

D Those who have been in close contact with persons who develop hepatitis A should receive immune globulin. The other groups do not describe populations in direct contact with the person who has hepatitis A.