HIV/AIDS NCLEX Questions Test Bank | Verified
Practice Questions with A+ Answers | Final Exam Guide
FOR 2025/2026 (the most recent quizzes)
The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with human immune deficiency virus. The clients
CD4+ cell count is 399/mm3. What action by the nurse is best?
a. Counsel the client on safer sex practices/abstinence.
b. Encourage the client to abstain from alcohol.
c. Facilitate genetic testing for CD4+ CCR5/CXCR4 co-receptors.
d. Help the client plan high-protein/iron meals. - Answer A ~ This client is in the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention stage 2 case definition group. He or she remains highly
infectious and should be counseled on either safer sex practices or abstinence. Abstaining from
alcohol is healthy but not required. Genetic testing is not commonly done, but an alteration on
the CCR5/CXCR4 co-receptors is seen in long-term nonprogressors. High-protein/iron meals are
important for people who are immunosuppressed, but helping to plan them does not take priority
over stopping the spread of the disease.
Define ANERGY - Answer Absence of the normal immune response to a particular antigen or
allergen
The nurse is presenting information to a community group on safer sex practices. The nurse
should teach that which sexual practice is the riskiest?
a. Anal intercourse
b. Masturbation
c. Oral sex
d. Vaginal intercourse - Answer A ~ Anal intercourse is the riskiest sexual practice because the
fragile anal tissue can tear, creating a portal of entry for human immune deficiency virus.
What is the NORMAL CD4+ cell count lab value? - Answer 500 to 1,500
,The nurse providing direct client care uses specific practices to reduce the chance of acquiring
infection with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) from clients. Which practice is most
effective?
a. Consistent use of Standard Precautions
b. Double-gloving before body fluid exposure
c. Labeling charts and armbands HIV+
d. Wearing a mask within 3 feet of the client - Answer A ~ According to The Joint
Commission, the most effective preventative measure to avoid HIV exposure is consistent use of
Standard Precautions. Double-gloving is not necessary. Labeling charts and armbands in this
fashion is a violation of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Wearing a mask within 3 feet of the client is part of Airborne Precautions and is not necessary
with every client contact.
What is dexamethasone? - Answer A corticosteroid similar to a natural hormone produced by
your adrenal glands. It often is used to replace this chemical when your body does not make
enough of it. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat
certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders (e.g., colitis);
severe allergies; and asthma.
A client with human immune deficiency virus is admitted to the hospital with fever, night sweats,
and severe cough. Laboratory results include a CD4+ cell count of 180/mm3 and a negative
tuberculosis (TB) skin test 4 days ago. What action should the nurse take first?
a. Initiate Droplet Precautions for the client.
b. Notify the provider about the CD4+ results.
c. Place the client under Airborne Precautions.
d. Use Standard Precautions to provide care. - Answer C ~ Since this clients CD4+ cell count
is low, he or she may have anergy, or the inability to mount an immune response to the TB test.
The nurse should first place the client on Airborne Precautions to prevent the spread of TB if it is
present. Next the nurse notifies the provider about the low CD4+ count and requests alternative
testing for TB. Droplet Precautions are not used for TB. Standard Precautions are not adequate in
this case.
, A nurse is talking with a client about a negative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
test for human immune deficiency virus (HIV) antibodies. The test is negative and the client
states Whew! I was really worried about that result. What action by the nurse is most important?
a. Assess the clients sexual activity and patterns.
b. Express happiness over the test result.
c. Remind the client about safer sex practices.
d. Tell the client to be retested in 3 months. - Answer A ~ The ELISA test can be falsely
negative if testing occurs after the client has become infected but prior to making antibodies to
HIV. This period of time is known as the window period and can last up to 36 months. The nurse
needs to assess the clients sexual behavior further to determine the proper response. The other
actions are not the most important, but discussing safer sex practices is always appropriate.
A client with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) has had a sudden decline in status with a
large increase in viral load. What action should the nurse take first?
a. Ask the client about travel to any foreign countries.
b. Assess the client for adherence to the drug regimen.
c. Determine if the client has any new sexual partners.
d. Request information about new living quarters or pets. - Answer B ~ Adherence to the
complex drug regimen needed for HIV treatment can be daunting. Clients must take their
medications on time and correctly at a minimum of 90% of the time. Since this clients viral load
has increased dramatically, the nurse should first assess this factor. After this, the other
assessments may or may not be needed.
A client is hospitalized with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. The client reports shortness of
breath with activity and extreme fatigue. What intervention is best to promote comfort?
a. Administer sleeping medication.
b. Perform most activities for the client.
c. Increase the clients oxygen during activity.
d. Pace activities, allowing for adequate rest. - Answer D ~ This client has two major reasons
for fatigue: decreased oxygenation and systemic illness. The nurse should not do everything for
the client but rather let the client do as much as possible within limits and allow for adequate rest
in between. Sleeping medications may be needed but not as the first step, and only with caution.
Practice Questions with A+ Answers | Final Exam Guide
FOR 2025/2026 (the most recent quizzes)
The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with human immune deficiency virus. The clients
CD4+ cell count is 399/mm3. What action by the nurse is best?
a. Counsel the client on safer sex practices/abstinence.
b. Encourage the client to abstain from alcohol.
c. Facilitate genetic testing for CD4+ CCR5/CXCR4 co-receptors.
d. Help the client plan high-protein/iron meals. - Answer A ~ This client is in the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention stage 2 case definition group. He or she remains highly
infectious and should be counseled on either safer sex practices or abstinence. Abstaining from
alcohol is healthy but not required. Genetic testing is not commonly done, but an alteration on
the CCR5/CXCR4 co-receptors is seen in long-term nonprogressors. High-protein/iron meals are
important for people who are immunosuppressed, but helping to plan them does not take priority
over stopping the spread of the disease.
Define ANERGY - Answer Absence of the normal immune response to a particular antigen or
allergen
The nurse is presenting information to a community group on safer sex practices. The nurse
should teach that which sexual practice is the riskiest?
a. Anal intercourse
b. Masturbation
c. Oral sex
d. Vaginal intercourse - Answer A ~ Anal intercourse is the riskiest sexual practice because the
fragile anal tissue can tear, creating a portal of entry for human immune deficiency virus.
What is the NORMAL CD4+ cell count lab value? - Answer 500 to 1,500
,The nurse providing direct client care uses specific practices to reduce the chance of acquiring
infection with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) from clients. Which practice is most
effective?
a. Consistent use of Standard Precautions
b. Double-gloving before body fluid exposure
c. Labeling charts and armbands HIV+
d. Wearing a mask within 3 feet of the client - Answer A ~ According to The Joint
Commission, the most effective preventative measure to avoid HIV exposure is consistent use of
Standard Precautions. Double-gloving is not necessary. Labeling charts and armbands in this
fashion is a violation of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Wearing a mask within 3 feet of the client is part of Airborne Precautions and is not necessary
with every client contact.
What is dexamethasone? - Answer A corticosteroid similar to a natural hormone produced by
your adrenal glands. It often is used to replace this chemical when your body does not make
enough of it. It relieves inflammation (swelling, heat, redness, and pain) and is used to treat
certain forms of arthritis; skin, blood, kidney, eye, thyroid, and intestinal disorders (e.g., colitis);
severe allergies; and asthma.
A client with human immune deficiency virus is admitted to the hospital with fever, night sweats,
and severe cough. Laboratory results include a CD4+ cell count of 180/mm3 and a negative
tuberculosis (TB) skin test 4 days ago. What action should the nurse take first?
a. Initiate Droplet Precautions for the client.
b. Notify the provider about the CD4+ results.
c. Place the client under Airborne Precautions.
d. Use Standard Precautions to provide care. - Answer C ~ Since this clients CD4+ cell count
is low, he or she may have anergy, or the inability to mount an immune response to the TB test.
The nurse should first place the client on Airborne Precautions to prevent the spread of TB if it is
present. Next the nurse notifies the provider about the low CD4+ count and requests alternative
testing for TB. Droplet Precautions are not used for TB. Standard Precautions are not adequate in
this case.
, A nurse is talking with a client about a negative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
test for human immune deficiency virus (HIV) antibodies. The test is negative and the client
states Whew! I was really worried about that result. What action by the nurse is most important?
a. Assess the clients sexual activity and patterns.
b. Express happiness over the test result.
c. Remind the client about safer sex practices.
d. Tell the client to be retested in 3 months. - Answer A ~ The ELISA test can be falsely
negative if testing occurs after the client has become infected but prior to making antibodies to
HIV. This period of time is known as the window period and can last up to 36 months. The nurse
needs to assess the clients sexual behavior further to determine the proper response. The other
actions are not the most important, but discussing safer sex practices is always appropriate.
A client with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) has had a sudden decline in status with a
large increase in viral load. What action should the nurse take first?
a. Ask the client about travel to any foreign countries.
b. Assess the client for adherence to the drug regimen.
c. Determine if the client has any new sexual partners.
d. Request information about new living quarters or pets. - Answer B ~ Adherence to the
complex drug regimen needed for HIV treatment can be daunting. Clients must take their
medications on time and correctly at a minimum of 90% of the time. Since this clients viral load
has increased dramatically, the nurse should first assess this factor. After this, the other
assessments may or may not be needed.
A client is hospitalized with Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. The client reports shortness of
breath with activity and extreme fatigue. What intervention is best to promote comfort?
a. Administer sleeping medication.
b. Perform most activities for the client.
c. Increase the clients oxygen during activity.
d. Pace activities, allowing for adequate rest. - Answer D ~ This client has two major reasons
for fatigue: decreased oxygenation and systemic illness. The nurse should not do everything for
the client but rather let the client do as much as possible within limits and allow for adequate rest
in between. Sleeping medications may be needed but not as the first step, and only with caution.
