A nurse is working in a public health center. A patient who has been newly diagnosed as HIV positive comes for counseling. By law, what must the nurse do?
A) Give antiviral medications to the patient
B) Ask the person to name all of his or her sexual contacts
C) Refer the patient to the social worker as someone possibly needing case management
D) Report the HIV-infected person to the state health department

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

By law, healthcare providers are required to report all newly diagnosed cases of HIV to their state health department. This ensures that necessary public health interventions such as partner notification, prevention education, and other support services can be provided to prevent further spread of the disease. Antiviral medication may or may not be indicated depending on the stage of the disease and other factors, and it is not appropriate for the nurse to inquire about the patient's sexual contacts without their consent. Referring the patient to the social worker may be appropriate, but reporting the case to the health department takes precedence.

A Nurse Is Working in a Public Health Center