HIV/AIDS Practice Questions
Which microorganism is known to cause retinitis in people with HIV/AIDS?
Cytomegalovirus
A woman infected with HIV comes into the clinic. What symptoms may be the focus of a medical complaint in women infected with HIV?
gynecological problems such as abnormal results of Papanicolaou tests, genital warts, pelvic inflammatory disease, and persistent vaginitis
The period from infection with HIV to the development of antibodies to HIV is known as which of the following?
primary infection
A client in a late stage of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) shows signs of AIDS-related dementia. Which nursing diagnosis takes highest priority?
risk for injury
Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) medications should be started within __________ after exposure, but no longer than __________, to offer any benefit. It must be taken for __________.
1 hour; 72 hours; 4 weeks
A client taking fosamprenavir reports "getting fat." What is the nurse's best action?
Teach the client about medication side effects.
A client has discussed therapy for his HIV-positive status. What does the nurse understand is the goal of antiretroviral therapy?
bring the viral load to a virtually undetectable level
A client who is HIV positive is experiencing severe diarrhea. Which laboratory test result would the nurse expect to find?
hypokalemia
A client receiving antiretroviral therapy reports "not urinating enough." What is the nurse's best action?
Assess blood urea nitrogen and creatinine.
What intervention is a priority when treating a client with HIV/AIDS?
Assessing fluid and electrolyte balance
Which stage of HIV infection is indicated when the results are more than 500 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm?
CDC category A: HIV asymptomatic
A client is suspected of having an immune system disorder. The physician wants to perform a diagnostic test to confirm the diagnosis. What test might the physician order?
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
A nurse is working in a support group for clients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Which point is most important for the nurse to stress?
Following safer-sex practices
The nurse is reviewing the medical record of a client who is positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The nurse notes that the client is classified as HIV asymptomatic based on which CD4+ T lymphocyte count?
Greater than 500/mm3
Which stage of HIV infection is indicated when the results are more than 500 CD4+ lymphocytes/mm?
HIV asymptomatic (latent stage)
A nurse is preparing to administer an antiretroviral medication to a client who is positive for HIV. The nurse identifies the drug as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI). Which drug might this be?
Lamivudine (Epivir)
A client is receiving ganciclovir as part of his treatment for cytomegalovirus retinitis. The nurse would monitor the results of the client's laboratory tests for which of the following?
Neutropenia
Which nursing action is essential before an EIA test is performed?
Obtaining a general consent for medical care from the client
A client with AIDS is exhibiting shortness of breath, cough, and fever. The nurse most likely would suspect infection with which of the following?
Pneumocystis jiroveci
A client who is HIV positive has been prescribed antiretroviral drugs. The nurse explains the action of each antiretroviral drug and develops a schedule for the client's self-administration, including strong emphasis about rigidly adhering to the dosage, time and frequency of the administration of the drugs. Why is it important to adhere to the schedule of drug dosing developed for this client?
To avoid resistance to the drugs
When do most perinatal HIV infections occur?
after exposure during delivery
Which condition is an early manifestation of HIV encephalopathy?
headache
A patient had unprotected sex with an HIV-infected person and arrives in the clinic requesting HIV testing. Results determine a negative HIV antibody test and an increased viral load. What stage does the nurse determine the patient is in?
primary infection
A patient is diagnosed with pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). What medication does the nurse anticipate educating the patient about for treatment?
TMP-SMZ (Bactrim)
The nurse is gathering data from laboratory studies for a client who has HIV. The clients T4-cell count is 200/mm³, and the client has been diagnosed with pneumocystis pneumonia. What does this indicate to the nurse?
the client has converted from HIV infection to AIDS
When assisting the client to interpret a negative HIV test result, the nurse informs the client that the results mean that
the body has not produced antibodies to the AIDS virus.
What test will the nurse assess to determine the client's response to antiretroviral therapy?
viral load
The nurse is discussing sexual activity with a patient recently diagnosed with HIV. The patient states, "As long as I have sex with another person who is already infected, I will be okay." What is the best response by the nurse?
"You should avoid having unprotected sex with a person who is HIV positive because you can increase the severity of the infection in both you and your partner.
A patient is on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment of HIV. What does the nurse know would be an adequate CD4 count to determine the effectiveness of treatment for a patient per year?
50 mm3 to 150 mm3
The nurse identifies a nursing diagnosis of ineffective airway clearance related to pneumocystis pneumonia and increased bronchial secretions for a client with AIDS. Which of the following would be appropriate for the nurse to include in the client's plan of care?
Assist with chest physiotherapy every 2 to 4 hours.
The term used to define the amount of virus in the body after the initial immune response subsides is
viral set point
