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Nursing Management Of Anxiety In Hiv Infection, Kenneth D. Phillips, J. Morrow

Kenneth D. Phillips

Anxiety is a universal problem for individuals with AIDS because the disease creates uncertainty and disruptions in every aspect of their lives. Nurses have a wide variety of holistic interventions to help persons living with AIDS (PLWAs) manage anxiety. Orem’s self-care theory of nursing provides a framework for assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care for an HIV-infected person experiencing anxiety. This article presents an overview of anxiety, the nature of anxiety in HIV-infected individuals, and psychological, pharmacological, and holistic interventions to assist the client in self-care of anxiety.