Care of Patients with HIV/AIDS for Florida Nurses

The first cases of illness that would later be termed AIDS were reported in the United States in June 1981. Today, there are now more than 1.2 million people living with HIV infection in the United States. Persons with HIV infection are living longer with the disease, due to early detection and significant advancements made in the treatment of HIV and associated infections. Still, significant numbers of persons are diagnosed with HIV in the United States annually (34,800 in 2019 alone) and 5,000 people died of HIV/AIDS-related issues in that same year.

The HIV virus remains a fatal infection with no known cure. The final terminal stage of HIV is AIDS. The improvements in early detection and treatment have changed the landscape of HIV from an acute terminal disease to that of a chronic, long-term medical condition. Treatments for HIV infection require medication, frequent monitoring, improved nutrition, and ongoing oversight by multidisciplinary care teams.

The goal of this continuing education program is to update healthcare providers with the clinical knowledge to care for HIV/AIDS patients. The program will also highlight Florida-specific legislative rules regarding HIV testing, laws regarding confidentiality, and patient rights associated with access to medical care.

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