Question: A patient is presenting with signs of the flu. During the history, the patient discloses engaging in recent unprotected sex with multiple partners. As his nurse, you recognize the increased risk of HIV from the engagement in risky behaviors and flu-like symptoms. An HIV antibody test is recommended and accepted by the patient. However, the results come back negative for HIV antibodies. What is your top priority for patient teaching? (Click one of the options below.)
- Educate the patient on the risks involved with engaging in unprotected sex.
- Educate the patient on the risk of HIV transmission even with a negative HIV antibody test and recommend retesting 3 months later.
- Inform the patient, s/he is HIV negative and provide education on the risks of HIV transmission and unprotected sex.
Good job! #2 is correct.
HIV antibody tests may be negative because the body has not yet undergone seroconversion (antibody development), although the virus is present in the body if infection has already occured. The risk of transmission is the highest at this time because of the spike in the viral load (amount of virus in the blood). Back to question.
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