Nursing management of adults in the hospital

This chapter has provided an overview of the nursing process from the initial assessment to discharge planning in the care of the adult AIDS patient. The psychosocial aspects have not been addressed since they are discussed in the article by Govoni. The emotional support required by the patient may be as great as the physical nursing care needed. The AIDS patient may be experiencing social isolation related to discrimination, rejection or isolation by employers, society, family, friends, and even health care workers. It is important not to isolate the patient but to establish a therapeutic relationship. This may be accomplished by being professional, knowledgeable about the issues, nonjudgmental, understanding, and, lastly, sensitive to the patient's needs, fears, and concerns. Patients may be going through the stages of grieving as they try to come to terms with their prognosis. Caring for the adult AIDS patient is both complex and challenging for the nurse as the primary care provider. The nurse can help the patient to cope through the very difficult periods of the disease, even if it means to help the patient have a peaceful and dignified death.