AIDS Case Study
Client Profile: Mr. Thomas is a 42 year old man admitted to the hospital with complaints of shortness of breath, fever, fatigue and oral thrush. The health care provider reviews the laboratory and diagnostic tests with Mr. Thomas and informs him he has pneumonia and is HIV positive. Mr. Thomas believes that he contracted HIV while involved in an affair with another woman three years ago. He is afraid to tell his wife, knowing she will be angry and that she may leave him.
Case Study: The nurse assigned to care for Mr. Thomas reads in the medical record (chart) that he learned two days ago he was HIV positive. There is a note in the record that indicates that Mr. Thomas has not told his wife the diagnosis. To complete a functional health pattern assessment, the nurse asks Mr. Thomas if he may ask him a few questions. Mr. Thomas is willing and in the course of their conversation shares with the nurse that he believes that he contracted the HIV during an affair with another woman. He states, “How can I tell my wife about this? I am so ashamed. It is bad enough that I had an affair, but to have to tell her in this way – I just don’t think I can. She is not sick at all. I will just say I have pneumonia and take the medication my health care provider gave me. I do not want my wife of anyone else to know. If she begins to show signs of not feeling well, then I will tell her. I just can’t tell anyone. What will people think of me if they know I have AIDS?” 1. Briefly discuss how the HIV is transmitted and how it is not. How can Mr. Thomas prevent the transmission of HIV to his wife and others?
In infected people, infectious HIV is present only in cells and in some bodily fluids. HIV can be isolated easily from blood, semen and vaginal/cervical secretions (including menstrual fluids). Blood and semen are the cells that are most likely to carry HIV. HIV has also been isolated from breast milk. With much greater difficulty, the virus has on
Case Study: The nurse assigned to care for Mr. Thomas reads in the medical record (chart) that he learned two days ago he was HIV positive. There is a note in the record that indicates that Mr. Thomas has not told his wife the diagnosis. To complete a functional health pattern assessment, the nurse asks Mr. Thomas if he may ask him a few questions. Mr. Thomas is willing and in the course of their conversation shares with the nurse that he believes that he contracted the HIV during an affair with another woman. He states, “How can I tell my wife about this? I am so ashamed. It is bad enough that I had an affair, but to have to tell her in this way – I just don’t think I can. She is not sick at all. I will just say I have pneumonia and take the medication my health care provider gave me. I do not want my wife of anyone else to know. If she begins to show signs of not feeling well, then I will tell her. I just can’t tell anyone. What will people think of me if they know I have AIDS?” 1. Briefly discuss how the HIV is transmitted and how it is not. How can Mr. Thomas prevent the transmission of HIV to his wife and others?
In infected people, infectious HIV is present only in cells and in some bodily fluids. HIV can be isolated easily from blood, semen and vaginal/cervical secretions (including menstrual fluids). Blood and semen are the cells that are most likely to carry HIV. HIV has also been isolated from breast milk. With much greater difficulty, the virus has on
References: 1) Conner, Ross F., & Fan, Hung Y., & Vilarreal, Luis P. Aids, Science and Society, Sixth Edition, 2011, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC 2) http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/11/6 3) www.mayoclinic.com 4) www.avert.org 5) www.cdc.org 6) www.aids.org 7) Smeltzer, Suzanne C., & Hinkle, Janice L., & Bare, Brenda G., & Cheever, Kerry H. Brunner & Suddarth’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing, (2010), Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins