Primary Healthcare Nursing Roles in Prevention of HIV/AIDS

Running Head: NURSING
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Nursing community
5/8/2019

NURSING
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The essay brings about the discussion on the topic ‘primary healthcare nursing roles
in prevention of HIV/AIDS for the population at risk’, and the related aspects. The concept of
primary healthcare (PHC) is a principle-based, comprehensive approach that is intended to
provide care services to the individual from birth to death across the continuum of care. The
nursing role across the primary health care or health settings can differ depending on a
number of aspects, i.e. position, population, knowledge, and skills of the nurse. In this
assignment, the primary care nursing roles will be discussed for the prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Therefore, it can be stated that a nurse plays a vital role in the diagnosis, treatment, and
management of the health condition or illness of the patients. In the later part of the essay, the
discussion will also determine the symptoms, functional status, and the risks of the
population affected or living with the HIV/AIDS. Interventions will be determined in the
discussion to prevent or reduce the risk or impact on the person, and family members.
HIV/AIDS
Human Immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV) and Acquired Immune deficiency
syndrome (AIDS) refers to the spectrum of conditions that is caused due to the infection with
the virus (HIV). About 1.1 million people living in the US are suffering with the problem of
HIV, and it raises every year, more than 38,000.
In the case of HIV, as the infection increases or progresses, it creates risk for the
immune system of the body and increasing the risk for other common diseases such as
tuberculosis, and tumour. There is no cure for the illness of HIV, but the use of medicines can
help a person stay healthy for a period of time. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, and it
hampers an important kind of cell in the immune system i.e. CD4 cells or T cells (Günthard
et al., 2016).
The signs and symptoms of HIV is determined through the aspects of acute infection,
and the stage of clinical latency. As the initial period, that follows the contraction of HIV is
called as acute HIV, primary HIV or retroviral syndrome. Symptoms are observed in 40-
90% of the cases and commonly include fever, rashes large tender lymph nodes, headache,
tiredness, and sores of the mouth/genitals. The initially reported symptoms are then followed
through a clinical latency period, or chronic HIV, and without treatment the illness of HIV
can last up to three years. the practices related t the drug use or involvement into unsafe sex
is one prominent factor in HIV/AIDS. The research on the topic, has stated well that the gay
or bisexual men are the most seriously affected group or population (Estes et al., 2017).

NURSING
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Discussing the transmission of HIV it has been found that a person gets HIV through unsafe
sex or unprotected sex with their partners. It may also spread through sharing of the needles,
or syringes for shooting drugs, and tattoos.
The above diagram from the recent yeas, has stated the ratio between male and female
in context to the cause, and medium of transmission of HIV from one person to another.
Moreover, it has been found that the youth or young people are at a high risk of
developing HIV/AIDS infection. Therefore, in a concise manner the mode of transmission of
HIV infection is observed, from mother-to-child, body fluids or semen, and sexual contact .
Therefore, the medium of transmission of the infection through HOV/AIDS has been
described well. Now, the further section of this essay will the assessment of the nursing roles
available for management of ill-health of the person (Cohn et al., 2016).
Discussing the roles and responsibilities of the community health nurse, or public
health nurse is vital to their practice, and treatment. This also includes the factor of education
which is equally important for the individuals, families, and carers. it has been found that the
primary care in nursing can support the aspect of HIV prevention by providing a well-
targeted HIV testing of the people at risk. after the testing, when a HIV positive patient
receives a diagnosis, the nurse in the healthcare initiates their process of HIV treatment as
early as possible. As early treatment of the people at risk of HIV will benefit the patients,
and also help in reducing the risk of passing HIV to others (Bekker et al., 2015).