Which statement about HIV transmission prevention by health care workers is correct?

Which statement about HIV transmission prevention by health care workers is correct?

• A. HIV infection requires exclusion from all clinical practice.
• B. Health care workers should never reuse invasive equipment.
• C. If a worker has exudative lesions, they should not perform direct client care.
• D. HIV status must be disclosed to all patients before procedures.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is protecting patients through proper infection-control practices and health-worker health management. If a health-care worker has exudative lesions, they should not perform direct client care because open lesions can shed infectious material and create a risk for patients. This aligns with the precaution that any active skin lesions or wounds that can exposure blood or body fluids should be managed by avoiding direct care or using appropriate barriers until healing. HIV status itself does not require excluding a worker from clinical practice, since standard precautions and safe-care procedures protect patients. Confidentiality is also essential, so health information about HIV status is not disclosed to patients as a routine before procedures. Reusing invasive equipment is governed by sterilization and device-use guidelines, so it is not accurate to say equipment should never be reused; many devices are designed for reuse after proper cleaning and sterilization or are disposable when appropriate.

The main idea here is protecting patients through proper infection-control practices and health-worker health management. If a health-care worker has exudative lesions, they should not perform direct client care because open lesions can shed infectious material and create a risk for patients. This aligns with the precaution that any active skin lesions or wounds that can exposure blood or body fluids should be managed by avoiding direct care or using appropriate barriers until healing.

HIV status itself does not require excluding a worker from clinical practice, since standard precautions and safe-care procedures protect patients. Confidentiality is also essential, so health information about HIV status is not disclosed to patients as a routine before procedures. Reusing invasive equipment is governed by sterilization and device-use guidelines, so it is not accurate to say equipment should never be reused; many devices are designed for reuse after proper cleaning and sterilization or are disposable when appropriate.