Week 3: HIV

Encourage the patient and family to reconnect with his or her faith.

Assist the patient in reconciling with his or her God or higher being.

Facilitate emotional and spiritual acceptance of the finite nature of life.

Schedule an appointment for the patient with the facility's faith provider.

"I am feeling very fatigued in the evenings."

"I am sleeping six to eight hours per night"

"I have had a steady weight loss over the past several months."

"I am experiencing feelings of helplessness and hopelessness."

"Have you ever had oral thrush?"

"Have you ever been hospitalized?"

"Have you ever had a blood transfusion?"

"Have you ever had unprotected sexual intercourse?"

"Have you ever had a sexually transmitted infection?"

Encourage the patient to each three high-protein meals each day.

Educate the patient about the importance of adherence to drug therapy.

Plan an exercise regimen for the patient to adhere to three times per week.

Obtain a prescription for the patient to take antibiotics prophylactically to prevent infection.

"I can't contract HIV unless there's an opportunistic infection present."

"I can't contract HIV unless there's an opportunistic infection present."

"Using a condom with spermicide will reduce my risk of contracting HIV."

"Kaposi sarcoma is one of the first opportunistic infections to show up in someone with HIV."