foundation of nursing questions and answers Related

Review foundation of nursing questions and answers related questions and content

A patient has come into the free clinic asking to be tested for HIV infection. The patient asks the nurse how the test works. The nurse responds that if the testing shows that antibodies to the AIDS virus are present in the blood, this indicates what?

  • A. The patient is immune to HIV.
  • B. The patients immune system is intact.
  • C. The patient has AIDS-related complications.
  • D. The patient has been infected with HIV.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: The patient has been infected with HIV. Antibodies to the AIDS virus in the blood indicate a past or current infection with HIV. This is because the body produces antibodies in response to the presence of the virus.

A: The patient is immune to HIV is incorrect because antibodies indicate exposure, not immunity.
B: The patient's immune system is intact is incorrect because the presence of antibodies does not necessarily reflect the overall functionality of the immune system.
C: The patient has AIDS-related complications is incorrect because the presence of antibodies does not directly indicate the presence of AIDS-related complications.