A nurse is admitting a patient with an immunodeficiency to the medical unit. In planning the care of this patient, the nurse should assess for what common sign of immunodeficiency?

• Chronic diarrhea

A nurse is caring for a patient who has an immunodeficiency. What assessment finding should prompt the nurse to consider the possibility that the patient is developing an infection?

• Persistent diarrhea

The nurse is applying standard precautions in the care of a patient who has an immunodeficiency. What are key elements of standard precautions? Select all that apply.

• Using appropriate personal protective equipment

• Using safe injection practices

• Performing hand hygiene

A home health nurse is reinforcing health education with a patient who is immunosuppressed and his family. What statement best suggests that the patient has understood the nurse's teaching?

• “My family needs to understand that I'll probably need lifelong treatment.”

The nurse is preparing to administer IVIG to a patient who has an immunodeficiency. What nursing guideline should the nurse apply?

• Administer pretreatment medications as ordered 30 minutes prior to infusion.

A nurse has created a plan of care for an immunodeficient patient, specifying that care providers take the patient's pulse and respiratory rate for a full minute. What is the rationale for this aspect of care?

• These patients' blunted inflammatory responses can cause subtle changes in status.

A nurse is providing health education regarding self-care to a patient with an immunodeficiency. What teaching point should the nurse emphasize?

• The need for thorough oral hygiene

A patient's primary immunodeficiency disease is characterized by the inability of white blood cells to initiate an inflammatory response to infectious organisms. What is this patient's most likely diagnosis?

• Hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome

A nurse is working with a patient who was diagnosed with HIV several months earlier. The nurse should recognize that a patient with HIV is considered to have AIDS at the point when the CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count drops below what threshold?

• 200 cells/mm3 of blood

A patient has been diagnosed with AIDS complicated by chronic diarrhea. What nursing intervention would be appropriate for this patient?

• Obtain a stool culture to identify possible pathogens.

An 18-year-old pregnant female has tested positive for HIV and asks the nurse if her baby is going to be born with HIV. What is the nurse's best response?

• “It's possible that your baby could contract HIV, either before, during, or after delivery.”