Evolement of nursing care for HIV patients.

Evolvement of nursing care for HIV patients

I . Introduction

Since acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS ) was first recognized 20 years ago , remarkable progress has been made in improving the quality and duration of life of persons with HIV infection . During the first decade , this progress was associated with recognition of opportunities disease processes , more effective therapy for complications of prophylaxis against common opportunistic infections (OIs

HIV infection is an infectious disease , it is important to understand how HIV integrates itself into a person 's immune system and how immunity plays a

role in the course of infection . This knowledge is also essential for understanding drug therapy and vaccine development Viruses are intracellular parasites . HIV belongs to a group of viruses known as retroviruses . These viruses carry their genetic material in the form of ribonucleic acid (RNA ) rather than deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA HIV consists of a vital core containing the viral RNA that is surrounded by an envelope consisting of glycoproteins (gp ) that protrude . For HIV to enter the targeted cell , the membrane of the viral envelope must be fused with the plasma membrane of the cell , a process mediated by the envelope glycoproteins of HIV (Wyatt , 2004

The HIV life cycle is complex and consists of a number of steps . First the HIV GP120 and GP41 attach to the uninfected CD4 cell surface (receptor ) and fuse with the cell membrane . Second , the viral core contents are emptied into the host cell , a process known as uncoating Third , HIV enzyme reverse transcriptase copies the viral genetic material from RNA into double-stranded DNA . Fourth , double-stranded DNA is spliced into the cellular DNA by the action of another HIV enzyme integrase . Fifth , using the integrated DNA or provirus as a blueprint the cell makes new viral proteins and viral RNA . Sixth , HIV protease cleaves the new proteins (polyproteins . Seventh , the new proteins join the viral RNA into new viral particles . Finally , new viral particles bud from the cell and start the process all over (Porth , 2002

The purpose of this study is to know the evolvement of nursing care for HIV patients

II . Discussion

A . Emotional and Ethical Concerns

Nurses in all settings will be called to provide care for patients with HIV infection . In doing so , they encounter not only the physical challenges of the epidemic but also emotional and ethical concerns . The concerns raised by health care professionals involve issue such as fear of infection , responsibility for giving care , values clarification , and confidentiality , development stages of patients and caregivers , and poor prognostic outcomes

Many patients with HIV infection have engaged in stigmatized behaviors . Because these behaviors challenge some traditional religious and moral values , nurses may feel reluctant to care for these patients In addition , health care providers may still have fear and anxiety about disease transmission despite education concerning infection control and the low incidence of transmission to health care providers . Nurses are encouraged to examine their personal beliefs and use the process of values clarification to approach controversial issues . The American...