The nurse accidentally sticks herself with a needle after starting an intravenous (IV) line on a client with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The nurse tells the supervisor about the accident. What is the best initial response by the supervisor to decrease anxiety in the nurse?

Question

1. "If you are started on medications soon, it will decrease the severity of the disease."
2. "Workers compensation will cover the cost of your illness and medications."
3. "Did you use the hospital protocols for starting intravenous (IV) lines on a client with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)?"
4. "Fortunately, the chances of you contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after the stick are very small."

Answer 1

4
Rationale 1: Telling the nurse to start on medication will not reduce anxiety.
Rationale 2: If the nurse did contract human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), workers compensation would cover the cost, but this response will not reduce anxiety.
Rationale 3: Asking the nurse if she used protocols is very non-therapeutic at this point and will most likely increase anxiety.
Rationale 4: There have been very few cases of client-to-health care worker transmission; the risk is very small.
Global Rationale: There have been very few cases of client-to-health care worker transmission; the risk is very small. Telling the nurse to start on medication will not reduce anxiety. If the nurse did contract human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), workers compensation would cover the cost, but this response will not reduce anxiety. Asking the nurse if she used protocols is very non-therapeutic at this point and will most likely increase anxiety.