Characterization of patients with HIV/AIDS by nursing staff according to the Virginia Henderson model

Introduction: the human immunodeficiency virus is one of the main causes of death each year in Latin America and the world. The number of accumulated cases and new cases each year places it among the main current health problems. Nursing staff plays a fundamental role in the care and monitoring of these patients. The objective was to characterize the health status of HIV/AIDS patients.Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with 7 patients admitted to the OrphAids Foundation, Santo Domingo, Ecuador. A survey was applied, structured in two parts, the first one for sociodemographic data and the second structured by 102 questions with polytomous responses based on Virginia Henderson's 14 needs.Results: patients were predominantly male, non-working and single. 85,7 % were sexually inactive, 71,4 % had been diagnosed in the last five years, 57,1 % reported problems concentrating, only 14,3 % reported respiratory symptoms, 28,6 % had abdominal pain and weight fluctuations, and only one patient reported constipation, sleep problems, anxiety and communication problems.Conclusions: the patients admitted to the foundation have an adequate state of health according to the clinical and psychological characteristics investigated. The eight needs identified as affected, presented a slight degree of alteration.