Nursing research focuses on the creation and promotion of increased levels of standards of care related to higher quality of life during chronic illnesses and to help in the promotion of healthy lives and decrease complications that may cause a decrease in the quality of life (Leeton, 2006). According to the CDC there is an estimated value of more than one million cases of people living with HIV in the United States with new cases of infection rates and deaths increasing to a high estimated level of 56,300. Nursing research plays a major role in the nursing care of patients with HIV.
Nursing research on the topic of HIV is very critical for a vast variety of reasons. With the development of new forms of medication and complex treatment regimen programs the life expectancy for patients with HIV is better and growing. Along with the research and creation of new medication and treatments nursing research of HIV helps to also create advancements in nursing practice. It is important that nurses know and understand how to identify risk factors and chronic symptoms that can decrease the quality of life of these patients.
Nursing research provides a knowledge base on the disease and its effects and the proper therapeutic regiment necessary to provide safe and effective care to the patient with HIV (Anderson, 2008). Nursing research of HIV is important in the advancement of nursing practice. Research is responsible for a lot of medical advancements for patients with HIV. Although there is currently no cure for the HIV infection, there have been increased changes in quality of life for patients with this illness. Research has provided identification of risk factors and improvement of diagnostic tests that have led to an earlier detection of the virus.
With early detection research has also led to early treatment and the development of treatment regimens that slow the growth of the virus such as antiretroviral agents such as zidovudine (ZDV) and dideoxyinosine (ddI). With the advancements made in the patients with HIV nurses need a comprehensive knowledge base of HIV in order to work as part of a health care team to help diagnose, treat, and follow up on any complications or adverse reactions. Nursing research has helped to provide knowledge regarding medication and their side effects, preventing and recognizing factors related to infection caused by any opportunistic pathogens.
Nursing research also allows for increased knowledge of nutrition requirements, patient teaching on activities of daily living, disease management, and other supportive therapies (Nixon, 2008). Several nursing research has been put together to help increase nursing knowledge on providing care for the patient with HIV. The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), created and put together a program of research as part of the Division of Intra-mural Research (DIR). The DIR was created to in order to advance and create research programs to create healthcare advances in nursing practice.
This program was responsible for many of the advancements in HIV research and put together HIV symptoms management research (Hench, 2006). The NINR provided research studies to help nurses receive information that best meets the needs of the HIV patients and provide quality care. This program reviewed current knowledge, research and observed clinical interactions to develop research on changes in nutrition as a result of HIV treatments. Nutritional changes were found to be very common due to decreases in appetite, changes in metabolism, altered digestion and absorption and lack of food intake.
A second research study that was conducted addressed myopathy which was discovered by nurses after assessing that several patients receiving zidovudine (ZDV) treatment had experiences with muscle wasting and weakness. This research helped nurses to create plans of care to help patients meet there nutritional needs and avoid side effects due to their medical treatments (Hench, 2006). According to Burton (2005), nursing research provides the nurse with the means to meet the changing health care needs of the HIV patient. The nurse in collaboration with the healthcare team plays a major role in the care of the HIV patient.
With the help of research the nurse works close with the HIV patient to promote health maintenance and the importance of the adherence of medical treatments. The nurse must be able to recognize changes in patient normal function and understand the disease process. The patient’s physical, social, and emotional needs must all be addressed as part of the HIV treatment regimen. Nursing practice includes the prevention of the spread of the disease and teaching healthy living practices. One of the major goals of research of HIV is early prevention and to help in recognizing symptoms and side effects of HIV.
The symptoms are different for each person and can be physical, social, emotional and even cognitive in nature. Symptoms may include anorexia, nausea, fatigue, fever, dyspnea, anxiety, depression and coping difficulties when dealing with society and talking to family and friends (Chales, 2005). Nursing research in the study of HIV is an important component and helps to develop and create new changes in the long term care of patients with HIV and can be used to provide the most optimum level of care (Kurt, 2007).
Nursing research of HIV is important in the advancement of nursing practice. The health care field faces changes and new advances every day. With the help of nursing research these new advances can be implemented thru therapies, nursing care, and treatments that will aid in the wellness and quality of life of the HIV patient. Advances in nursing practice through the research of HIV has provided advancements in the form of decreases in the spread of the virus, fewer complications, more vaccines and treatments and a better and longer quality of life (Adams, 2003).