A nurse manager notices that a staff member spends minimal time with a patient diagnosed with AIDS who is terminally ill. The patient says, Im having intense emotional reactions to this illness. Sometimes I feel angry, but other times I feel afraid or abandoned. The nurse manager can correctly hypothesize that the most likely reason for the staff members avoidance is:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Many nurses tend to be more comfortable with meeting physical needs than in focusing on complex emotional needs. Standard precautions are necessary for all patients. The patients lifestyle is irrelevant.