Aids

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Do you consider AIDS to be a terminal illness??

Thanks, Anniekins :pinkheart

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Specializes in ER.

I know that is not what you are asking, but there are breakthroughs in treatment options for HIV now that no one considered 5 or 10 years ago. There are those who have lived with the disease for many, many years and lead healthy lives. There are always those who beat the odds. Personally, I hope to never contract it, and take all precautions I can at work, but no one knows the future. If I knew of someone who was diagnosed with AIDS, yes, my first thought would be that they were probably going to die of something related to it, but nothing is certain. But, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or any number of major illnesses, it ain't over till it's over.

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I asked b/c I admitted a NEWLY diagnosed AIDS patient (never been dx w/ HIV) w/ a CD4 count of 6!!!!! So one of my nursing diagnoses for him was ineffective individual coping r/t newly diagnosed terminal illness.....

A Dr. read this........ (made me feel good they read our nursing notes LOL :chuckle ) but went to my head nurse so I could be corrected AIDS is no longer considered a terminal illness.

I consider it, especially under these circumstances terminal. If thats not terminal than WHAT IS??? :o

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
AIDS is no longer considered a terminal illness.

Oh really? Seems like the doc might have his head in the sand on this one.

Maybe he could say that about being HIV+ but I disagree that fullblown AIDS is not terminal.

What's this doc's specialty?

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SURGERY! i don't know why he even read this pts chart!!!

I felt so bad!!!!!!!! I initially copied this care plan for my little folder we keep........so much for that :rolleyes:

yeah this caught me off guard!!!!

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
SURGERY! i don't know why he even read this pts chart!!!

I felt so bad!!!!!!!! I initially copied this care plan for my little folder we keep........so much for that :rolleyes:

yeah this caught me off guard!!!!

I wouldn't lose that nursing dx so quickly though. It's how that individual VIEWS the illness, not whether or not the illness will kill them physically that's the whole point of the dx. Besides, AIDS is certainly chronic, debilitating and life-changing even with the most optimistic viewpoint.

I don't know anyone who wouldn't have some adjustment problems with a dx like that. Do you?

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Is there proof (besides what that doc said ) that AIDS isn't a terminal illness?

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I recently read an article that discussed a shift in thinking from considering AIDS a terminal illness to a managable, chronic condition.

I understand both points of view. Clearly, AIDS is a fatal illness. But with early diagnosis of HIV infection (before full-blown AIDS), and medical management that allows patients to lead healthy lives, the article stressed the importance of helping patients to view their condition much like a patient with diabetes. With meticulous daily care, they can keep full-blown illness at bay, and live long, healthy, productive lives, much like Magic Johnson.

Perhaps this doctor's point was that the idea of a terminal illness should be approached when (and if) the patient's health begins to decline and his illness progresses to full-blown AIDS. Or then again, that may never happen. How many older men with prostate cancer die of something else long before their cancer reaaches the terminal phase?

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

I agree with Jolie...maybe coping related to chronic illness? But if his labs and such were that horrid, then yeah, terminal.

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That's just politics working its way into medicine. Yes, now patients with HIV can lead much longer lives, but since it can not be kept at bay forever, I do consider it to be a terminal illness.

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We're being taught that AIDS itself is not a terminal illness. The fact that is allows opportunistic infections to set in is what really ends up killing them.

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Z'splaya, have you seen the movie Collateral? Tom Cruise shoots this guy and he falls out a window and dies. So he says he didn't kill the man, the bullet and the fall did. Sort of the same as the AIDS vs opportunistic illnesses debate:)

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