Why are nursing personnel at a low risk of contracting HIV from an HIV positive patient?

The correct answer highlights the importance of universal precautions, which are designed to protect healthcare workers from exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including HIV. Universal precautions treat all patients as potentially infectious and require the use of protective measures such as gloves, masks, eye protection, and gowns when there is a risk of exposure to bodily fluids. By consistently applying these precautions, nursing personnel significantly reduce their risk of contracting HIV, even when treating patients who are known to be HIV positive.

The other options do not accurately reflect the realities of working in healthcare settings. For instance, personnel do not only work with non-infected patients; they may encounter a variety of patients with differing health statuses. Additionally, while it is true that HIV does not survive long outside the body, the actual risk during clinical procedures is minimized more effectively through the application of universal precautions than by relying on the environmental stability of the virus. Lastly, there is currently no vaccine available for HIV, which further emphasizes the necessity of universal precautions as a key strategy for infection control in healthcare environments.