HIV/AIDS NCLEX Questions
A 25-year-old male patient has been diagnosed with HIV. The patient does not want to take more than one
antiretroviral drug. What reasons can the nurse tell the patient about for taking more than one drug?
A. Together they will cure HIV.
B. Viral replication will be inhibited.
C. They will decrease CD4+ T cell counts.
D. It will prevent interaction with other drugs - ansB. Viral replication will be inhibited.
The major advantage of using several classes of antiretroviral drugs is that viral replication can be inhibited in
several ways, making it more difficult for the virus to recover and decreasing the likelihood of drug resistance
that is a major problem with monotherapy. Combination therapy also delays disease progression and
decreases HIV symptoms and opportunistic diseases. HIV cannot be cured. CD4+ T cell counts increase with
therapy. There are dangerous interactions with many antiretroviral drugs and other commonly used drugs.
A 52-year-old female patient was exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 2 weeks ago through
sharing needles with other substance users. What symptoms will the nurse teach the patient to report that
would indicate the patient has developed an acute HIV infection?
a. Cough, diarrhea, headaches, blurred vision, muscle fatigue
d. Night sweats, fatigue, fever, and persistent generalized lymphadenopathy
c. Oropharyngeal candidiasis or thrush, vaginal candidal infection, or oral or genital herpes
d. Flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, nausea, or diarrhea - ansd. Flu-like
symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, nausea, or diarrhea
Clinical manifestations of an acute infection with HIV include flu-like symptoms between 2 to 4 weeks after
exposure. Early chronic HIV infection clinical manifestations are either asymptomatic or include fatigue,
headache, low-grade fever, night sweats, and persistent generalized lympadenopathy. Intermediate chronic
HIV infection clinical manifestations include candidal infections, shingles, oral or genital herpes, bacterial
infections, Kaposi sarcoma, or oral hairy leukoplakia. Late chronic HIV infection or acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS) includes opportunistic diseases (infections and cancer).
,A 62-year-old patient has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and the viral load is reported as
undetectable. What patient teaching should be provided by the nurse related to this laboratory study result?
a. The patient has the virus present and can transmit the infection to others.
b. The patient is not able to transmit the virus to others through sexual contact.
c. The patient will be prescribed lower doses of antiretroviral medications for 2 months.
d. The syndrome has been cured, and the patient will be able to discontinue all medications. - ansa. The patient
has the virus present and can transmit the infection to others.
In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, viral loads are reported as real numbers of copies/μL or as
undetectable. "Undetectable" indicates that the viral load is lower than the test is able to report.
"Undetectable" does not mean that the virus has been eliminated from the body or that the indivi
A client is diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The nurse prepares a care plan for
the client, knowing that HIV is primarily a condition in which:
a) immunosuppression occurs and is indicated by a T4 lymphocyte count of less than 200/mm3
b) bacterial infection occurs, causing weakness
c) fungal infection occurs, causing a rash and pruritus
d) protozoan infection occurs, causing a fever and nonproductive cough - ansA
- HIV infection causes immunosuppression and is indicated by a T4 lymphocyte count of less than 200/mm3.
Although bacterial, fungal, and protozoal infection can occur, these occur as opportunistic infections as a result
of the immunosuppression.
A client is diagnosed with late stage human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the client and family are
extremely upset about the diagnosis. The priority psychosocial nursing intervention for the client and family is
to:
a) tell the client and family to stop smoking because it will predispose the client to respiratory infections
b) tell the client and family that raw or improperly washed foods can produce microbes
, c) encourage the client and family to discuss their feelings about the disease
d) advise the client to avoid becoming pregnant because of the risk of transmission of the infection - ansC
- The priority psychosocial nursing intervention for the client and family is to encourage the client and family to
discuss their feelings about the disease. Options A, B, and D identify physiological not psychosocial concerns.
A client is diagnosed with oral candidiasis. Nurse Tina knows that this condition in AIDS is treated with:
A. Trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole
B. Fluconazole
C. Acyclovir
D. Zidovudine - ansB
Oral candidiasis usually responds to topical treatments such as clotrimazole troches and nystatin suspension
(nystatin "swish and swallow"). Systemic antifungal medication such as fluconazole or itraconazole may be
necessary for oropharyngeal infections that do not respond to these treatments.
A client who was tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after a recent exposure had a negative result.
During the post-test counseling session, the nurse tells the client which of the following?
a) the test should be repeated in 6 months
b) this ensures that the client is not infected with the HIV virus
c) the client no longer needs to protect himself from sexual partners
d) the client probably has immunity to the acquired immunodeficiency virus - ansA
- A negative test result indicates that no HIV antibodies were detected in the blood sample. A repeated test in 6
months is recommended because false-negative test results have occurred early in the infection. Options B, C,
and D are incorrect.
A client with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has a nursing diagnosis of Imbalanced nutrition: less
than body requirements. The nurse plans which of the following goals with this client?
A 25-year-old male patient has been diagnosed with HIV. The patient does not want to take more than one
antiretroviral drug. What reasons can the nurse tell the patient about for taking more than one drug?
A. Together they will cure HIV.
B. Viral replication will be inhibited.
C. They will decrease CD4+ T cell counts.
D. It will prevent interaction with other drugs - ansB. Viral replication will be inhibited.
The major advantage of using several classes of antiretroviral drugs is that viral replication can be inhibited in
several ways, making it more difficult for the virus to recover and decreasing the likelihood of drug resistance
that is a major problem with monotherapy. Combination therapy also delays disease progression and
decreases HIV symptoms and opportunistic diseases. HIV cannot be cured. CD4+ T cell counts increase with
therapy. There are dangerous interactions with many antiretroviral drugs and other commonly used drugs.
A 52-year-old female patient was exposed to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 2 weeks ago through
sharing needles with other substance users. What symptoms will the nurse teach the patient to report that
would indicate the patient has developed an acute HIV infection?
a. Cough, diarrhea, headaches, blurred vision, muscle fatigue
d. Night sweats, fatigue, fever, and persistent generalized lymphadenopathy
c. Oropharyngeal candidiasis or thrush, vaginal candidal infection, or oral or genital herpes
d. Flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, nausea, or diarrhea - ansd. Flu-like
symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen lymph glands, nausea, or diarrhea
Clinical manifestations of an acute infection with HIV include flu-like symptoms between 2 to 4 weeks after
exposure. Early chronic HIV infection clinical manifestations are either asymptomatic or include fatigue,
headache, low-grade fever, night sweats, and persistent generalized lympadenopathy. Intermediate chronic
HIV infection clinical manifestations include candidal infections, shingles, oral or genital herpes, bacterial
infections, Kaposi sarcoma, or oral hairy leukoplakia. Late chronic HIV infection or acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome (AIDS) includes opportunistic diseases (infections and cancer).
,A 62-year-old patient has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and the viral load is reported as
undetectable. What patient teaching should be provided by the nurse related to this laboratory study result?
a. The patient has the virus present and can transmit the infection to others.
b. The patient is not able to transmit the virus to others through sexual contact.
c. The patient will be prescribed lower doses of antiretroviral medications for 2 months.
d. The syndrome has been cured, and the patient will be able to discontinue all medications. - ansa. The patient
has the virus present and can transmit the infection to others.
In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, viral loads are reported as real numbers of copies/μL or as
undetectable. "Undetectable" indicates that the viral load is lower than the test is able to report.
"Undetectable" does not mean that the virus has been eliminated from the body or that the indivi
A client is diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The nurse prepares a care plan for
the client, knowing that HIV is primarily a condition in which:
a) immunosuppression occurs and is indicated by a T4 lymphocyte count of less than 200/mm3
b) bacterial infection occurs, causing weakness
c) fungal infection occurs, causing a rash and pruritus
d) protozoan infection occurs, causing a fever and nonproductive cough - ansA
- HIV infection causes immunosuppression and is indicated by a T4 lymphocyte count of less than 200/mm3.
Although bacterial, fungal, and protozoal infection can occur, these occur as opportunistic infections as a result
of the immunosuppression.
A client is diagnosed with late stage human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the client and family are
extremely upset about the diagnosis. The priority psychosocial nursing intervention for the client and family is
to:
a) tell the client and family to stop smoking because it will predispose the client to respiratory infections
b) tell the client and family that raw or improperly washed foods can produce microbes
, c) encourage the client and family to discuss their feelings about the disease
d) advise the client to avoid becoming pregnant because of the risk of transmission of the infection - ansC
- The priority psychosocial nursing intervention for the client and family is to encourage the client and family to
discuss their feelings about the disease. Options A, B, and D identify physiological not psychosocial concerns.
A client is diagnosed with oral candidiasis. Nurse Tina knows that this condition in AIDS is treated with:
A. Trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole
B. Fluconazole
C. Acyclovir
D. Zidovudine - ansB
Oral candidiasis usually responds to topical treatments such as clotrimazole troches and nystatin suspension
(nystatin "swish and swallow"). Systemic antifungal medication such as fluconazole or itraconazole may be
necessary for oropharyngeal infections that do not respond to these treatments.
A client who was tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after a recent exposure had a negative result.
During the post-test counseling session, the nurse tells the client which of the following?
a) the test should be repeated in 6 months
b) this ensures that the client is not infected with the HIV virus
c) the client no longer needs to protect himself from sexual partners
d) the client probably has immunity to the acquired immunodeficiency virus - ansA
- A negative test result indicates that no HIV antibodies were detected in the blood sample. A repeated test in 6
months is recommended because false-negative test results have occurred early in the infection. Options B, C,
and D are incorrect.
A client with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has a nursing diagnosis of Imbalanced nutrition: less
than body requirements. The nurse plans which of the following goals with this client?
