Question

The nurse is caring for a patient who is HIV-positive and has been receiving antiretroviral therapy for several months. The nurse experiences a needlestick injury resulting in exposure to the patients blood. The nurse asks the Occupational Health nurse if treatment is necessary. How will the Occupational Health nurse respond?

a. No treatment is necessary since the patient is receiving antiretroviral therapy.
b. We will treat you if the patients VL is > 20 copies/mL.
c. You will require 4 weeks of antiretroviral therapy.
d. You will undergo HIV testing and will be treated if you are positive.

Answer 1

Upon experiencing a needlestick injury with exposure to HIV-positive blood, the nurse should undergo HIV testing and may need to receive 4 weeks of antiretroviral therapy as a post-exposure prophylaxis, regardless of the patient's viral load.

Step-by-step explanation:

Necessity of Treatment After Needlestick Injury for a Nurse:

The nurse is caring for a patient who is HIV-positive and has been receiving antiretroviral therapy for several months. The nurse experiences a needlestick injury resulting in exposure to the patient's blood and inquires about the need for treatment. The Occupational Health nurse would assess the situation based on the patient's current viral load and the current hospital protocols for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Even if the patient is on antiretroviral therapy the nurse will likely need to undergo HIV testing immediately, and a course of antiretroviral drugs may be initiated for PEP. This course is usually recommended to last for 4 weeks and should start as soon as possible after the exposure. The decision to treat is not solely based on whether the patient is on therapy or the patient's viral load, but on the risk associated with the exposure.