As a patient of HIV for 12 years, Ms. Hunt has not understood the condition adequately hence her tendency to avoid medication. Consequently, the most important intervention on the patient is educated on the disease. Education should include the basics of HIV/AIDs, including the stages of infection, and how treatment reduces the progression of the disease ( Parker, 2018) . Education should also include opportunistic infections and co-infections. Nutritional education and counseling are also necessary for the patient who has challenges with weight management. Finally, education on where to seek social support, including joining Ms. Hunt to a group is also necessary.
Starting antiretroviral therapy is necessary for Mss. Hunt has seen by the high viral load and low CD4 count. Antiretroviral drugs help keep the level of HIV in the body low hence allowing the immune system to recover and stay healthy ( Günthard et al., 2016) . I would recommend a combination of TDF, 3TC, and EFV for the patient. Also, Ms. Hunt presents symptoms of infection, such as fever, fatigue, and diarrhea. Consequently, the patient will require a prescription of antibiotics to manage the symptoms. Nutrition support through supplementary food and diet prescription is also necessary.
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The patient will require several referrals to enhance her ability to recover. Several specialists are needed for the collaborative approach to the treatment of the disease. Cross-referrals increase the collaboration between specialists and enhance the quality of care provided to patients in a hospital ( Günthard et al., 2016) . First, the patient will require to be referred to the clinical psychologists who will seek to understand the underlying factors behind Ms. Hunts reluctance to follow her treatment plan. Possibly, social support is required for Ms. Hunt to follow up at home and to reduce stigmatization chances. Secondly, the patient should visit the nutrition department for assessment of dietary practice and deal with the challenges with appetite.
Ms. Hunt will require lab monitoring to assess her system for the possible cause of the recent illness. A blood sample should be acquired for testing the presence of systemic infections. Also, the patient’s sputum is taken for TB test. Finally, a sample of patient's stool is necessary to determine if there is an infection in her alimentary canal such as esophageal candidiasis. The Lab results should guide the type of medication that the patient will be prescribed and level of caution to treat the patient within the case of a future problem.
Confidentiality is key in the management of patients of HIV/AIDs. Due to the potential of discrimination from people on finding out that an individual is HIV/AIDs positive, maintaining the confidentiality of their information is key to management ( Masquillier et al., 2018) . However, seeing that the management of HIV/AIDS is a multi-agency work, information may need to be shared with close relatives, other professionals, and social workers. Confidentiality is maintained by ensuring that information is shared with a third party only on the need to know basis.
With HIV/AIDs being infectious, it is necessary that the patient’s close contacts be managed to prevent cases of infection. Education on possible methods of contacting the disease, including through sex, blood, and other fluid body contact and other measures. The use of a condom, maintaining a low viral load, and ensuring the safety of sharp objects is necessary for the prevention of close contacts.
Ms. Hunt seems not to have come to terms with her HIV/AIDs condition and the need for constant management to slow its progression and reduce the negative consequences. Ms. Hunt requires an HIV/AIDs counseling and follow-up services if she is to develop a positive attitude towards the management of her condition. This should also include social support for home-based care to ensure the collaboration of all persons in her environment in creating a quality background for disease management.
References
Günthard, H. F., Saag, M. S., Benson, C. A., Del Rio, C., Eron, J. J., Gallant, J. E., ... & Gandhi, R. T. (2016). Antiretroviral drugs for treatment and prevention of HIV infection in adults: 2016 recommendations of the International Antiviral Society–USA panel. Jama , 316 (2), 191-210.
Masquillier, C., Wouters, E., Sommerland, N., Rau, A., Engelbrecht, M., Kigozi, G., & van Rensburg, A. J. (2018). Fighting stigma, promoting care: a study on the use of occupationally-based HIV services in the Free State province of South Africa. AIDS Care , 30 (sup2), 16-23.
Parker, C. D. R., (2018). African American MSM and HIV/AIDS–Why It's Not Just Behavior: A Literature Review, Examining the Institutional and Structural Causes of HIV/AIDS Prevalence Among African American MSM, Situated by Social Theories.
