Palliative Home Nursing Interventions for People With HIV/AIDS: A Pilot Study

AIDS-related deaths have declined; however, AIDS prevalence has increased. People with advanced HIV/AIDS often require home health nursing care, yet little is known regarding the character and frequency of the nursing interventions required. Demographic, symptom, and nursing care data were collected on 26 HIV-positive patients receiving palliative home health services. Patients were taking an average of 33 pills daily, not including as-needed medications. They rated an average of 16 symptoms as moderate or severe. Content analysis of nurses’ narrative descriptions of their interventions revealed that care is concentrated around physiologic monitoring and adapting the home care environment to assist patients to manage their medications.