Her abdomen is soft and nontender, and bowel sounds are present in four quadrants. She has no extremity edema, and pedal pulses are strong and equal. She has been admitted to the hospital with complaints of fatigue, low-grade fever, night sweats, and a persistent cough. She suspects that she contracted influenza from her former boyfriend about 4 weeks ago and fears that she had developed pneumonia. She relates a history of frequent episodes of diarrhea over the past few days and sore, white patches in her mouth.
Assessment reveals a well-nourished client who appears fatigued.
The client coughs frequently but is having difficulty expectorating anything. The client is a writer who works from home and has a large network of supportive family members and friends. The home health nurse visits twice weekly to assess the client's physical status and help with his numerous medications. In addition to antiretroviral drugs, the client takes herbal supplements and smokes marijuana to stimulate his appetite. During a routine visit, the nurse notices a dry cough and hears crackles in both lung bases.