STI & HIV/AIDS: NCK Exam Questions & Revision
STI and HIV/AIDS nursing covers prevention, testing, treatment and ongoing care. Expect questions on HIV counselling and testing, antiretroviral therapy, CD4 and viral-load monitoring, PrEP and PEP, PMTCT, opportunistic infections and the management of common sexually transmitted infections.
High-yield topics
The areas that come up most often in sti & hiv/aids questions.
Sample exam questions
The CD4 count in a person living with HIV is used mainly to:
- A. Confirm the HIV diagnosis
- B. Assess the degree of immune suppression
- C. Measure the amount of virus in the blood
- D. Detect drug resistance
Why: CD4 count reflects immune status, while viral load measures the amount of virus. A falling CD4 indicates worsening immunosuppression.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after possible HIV exposure should be started:
- A. As soon as possible, within 72 hours
- B. After one week
- C. Only after a positive HIV test
- D. After one month
Why: PEP is most effective when started as soon as possible and within 72 hours of exposure, then continued for 28 days.
In the event of accidental exposure to body fluids and potential HIV infection due to a needle stick injury, what is the appropriate sequence of actions to take?
- A. Wash the wound under running water with soap, take emergency ARVs, undergo HIV test.
- B. Take emergency ARVs, wash the wound under running water with soap, undergo HIV test.
- C. Wash the wound under running water with soap, undergo HIV test, take emergency ARVs
- D. Undergo HIV test, wash the wound under running water with soap, take emergency ARVs.
Why: Option A is correct because the immediate action after a needle stick injury is to wash the wound under running water with soap to reduce the viral load at the site of injury. This is followed by taking emergency antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) as soon as possible to prevent HIV infection. Finally, an HIV test is conducted to establish the baseline status of the healthcare worker. Option B is incorrect because taking ARVs before washing the wound does not address the immediate risk of infection at the site. Option C is incorrect because delaying ARV administration after testing can reduce the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylaxis. Option D is incorrect because undergoing an HIV test before washing the wound delays the critical initial step of reducing viral exposure.
According to the World Health Organization, what is the recommended treatment for uncomplicated Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection?
- A. Benzyl penicillin 3g intramuscularly as a single dose.
- B. Ofloxacin 400 mg orally as a single dose.
- C. Ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly as a single dose.
- D. Azithromycin lg orally as a single dose.
Why: The World Health Organization recommends ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly as a single dose for the treatment of uncomplicated Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection due to its high efficacy and low resistance rates. Benzyl penicillin is not recommended due to widespread resistance. Ofloxacin is not preferred because of increasing resistance. Azithromycin is often used in combination with ceftriaxone to cover potential co-infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, but it is not the primary treatment for gonorrhea alone.
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Revision tips
- Practise with real past-paper questions, not just notes — recognition is not the same as recall.
- Always read the rationale, even when you answer correctly, so you learn why the other options are wrong.
- Revise little and often using spaced repetition rather than cramming the night before.
- Track your weak topics and spend most of your time there, not on what you already know.