Institute for Continuing Education

HIV/AIDS Update

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

• Define HIV and AIDS.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Epidemiology, Immunology, Transmission, and Universal Precautions.
• Describe the most common HIV test
• Assess their own attitudes and behaviors when confronted with HIV positive patients and respond appropriately.
• Describe how the measurement of viral burden assists in the management of HIV disease.
• List two types of reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
• Describe how Protease inhibitors work.
• Describe the clinical significance of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
• Discuss the CDC recommendations for the administration of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after contact with HIV-contaminated blood.

Course Information

The threat of exposure to HIV has been a concern of healthcare workers for some time now; and not without reason. There are numerous documented cases of persons working in a variety of healthcare settings becoming infected as a result of their day to day work.

As an example, according to the Exposure Prevention Information Network, between 1993 and 1995 there were 664 needlesticks and sharps injury cases reported by healthcare workers employed at 77 hospitals:

a. Nurses were by far the largest group of workers represented in the total figure,
with 49 percent of the needlesticks;
b. Physicians, including interns, accounted for 16 percent;
c. Phlebotomists for eight percent;
d. Paramedics for one percent; and
e. Respiratory therapists and housekeeping staff for three percent each.

The good news is that post-exposure prophylaxis for healthcare workers has shown some success in reducing HIV transmission rates among those with occupational exposure to HIV-infected blood.