Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 93%
Simulated
A nurse is caring for a client with HIV. Which laboratory test would be used to assess the effectiveness of therapy?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
Viral load count is the primary test used to assess the effectiveness of HIV therapy by measuring the amount of HIV RNA in the blood, indicating how well the treatment is controlling the virus. The Western blot is used as a confirmatory test for HIV diagnosis rather than monitoring therapy effectiveness. The Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test is used for initial HIV screening but does not measure viral load or therapy effectiveness. Platelet count can be affected in HIV infection, especially with advanced disease, but it does not directly measure the effectiveness of HIV therapy.