Family-centered nursing care of the perinatally infected mother and child living with HIV infection.
OBJECTIVE
The cohort of children with perinatally transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is now entering young adulthood. One issue for nurses caring for this group living with a treatable chronic illness is the need to provide services that both prevent mother-to-child transmission and support antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. Using a case composite, this article describes the care of the perinatally HIV-infected woman and her child with HIV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
A multigenerational family-centered nursing approach to HIV care both facilitated a mother accepting care and treatment for herself and her child and improved the adherence of the family to their individual ARV treatment regimens.


CONCLUSIONS
Care of the family with multigenerational perinatally transmitted HIV infection requires that nurses build on their expertise in chronic illness, expand their interventions, and remain flexible.
Weglarz
Mary
M
François-Xavier Bagnoud Center, University Hospital, Newark, NJ, USA. weglarmt@umdnj.edu
Boland
Mary
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003657:Decision Making; D022143:Family Nursing; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents