An adolescent patient is taking combination retroviral therapy for HIV infection. He is not responding as expected. Which action by the nurse is most appropriate?
A.
Asking why he does not take the medications
B.
Assessing the patient for noncompliance
C.
Consulting a pediatric social worker
D.
Starting a simpler drug regimen for the HIV
ANS: A
Adolescents are notorious for wanting to fit in with their peers, even at the cost of their health, and are frequently noncompliant with medication regimens. This is compounded by the very complex nature of multi-drug therapy for HIV. The nurse needs to assess for noncompliance first. Asking "why" questions often puts people on the defensive and may not lead to a truthful response. Consulting a social worker may be needed, but not as the first step. Unfortunately, simple drug regimens for HIV do not exist.
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