Today, the nursing profession is faced with many different risks and adversities; but somehow, nursing seems to persevere, while developing new techniques all the time. Some of the techniques they acquire include treating patients with threatening illnesses, including illnesses related to HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has played a major role in almost all medical fields, but nursing is probably one of the most affected fields. Nurses interact with the patients more than anyone else, and while interacting with the patients, there are certain illnesses they learn to recognize and treat. This article demonstrates some of the illnesses nurses have to encounter on a day to day basis with HIV/AIDS patients. .
Throughout nursing care, nurses are faced with chronic, progressive illnesses. Learning to recognize and treat these illnesses is an advantage to nurses, because HIV/AIDS related illnesses are treated in the same manner. As HIV progresses to become AIDS, (and it does in almost every case, if not all cases), a client's immunity decreases. This is when extra precautions need to be made because the client is more vulnerable to opportunistic illnesses. TB, pneumonia, and other STD's are very likely to come into play with HIV/AIDS patients due to the fact these are examples of opportunistic illnesses.(this makes nursing more difficult because you are having to deal with more than one illness.) Although, most patients know they have acquired HIV, some are unaware of their illness. There are some signs that may indicate HIV/AIDS which include: chronic diarrhea, generalized itching rash, or even enlarged lymph nodes. HIV patients are at higher risk to contract TB, as a result of lowered immunity. HIV patients have fifty percent higher chance of getting TB than the rest of the population. Although, these illnesses are threatening, most can be treated, if not cured. That is why it is a necessity for nurses and midwifes to be able to recognize illnesses and understand treatments.
