A mother presents to the nurse practitioner with her 14-year-old son for a wellness check and a flu shot. The mother inquires about a sign she saw in the waiting room regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing. She is surprised that adolescents need to be tested for HIV. The NP’s most appropriate response is:

Choice A reason: This response could be interpreted as accusatory or judgmental and does not provide educational value. Choice B reason: Testing recommendations are not solely based on sexual activity; universal testing guidelines exist for adolescents to identify HIV early. Choice C reason: CDC guidelines recommend routine HIV screening for individuals aged 13–64 at least once, regardless of perceived risk, making this the most accurate and informative response. Choice D reason: Minimizing the information with a vague reassurance fails to educate the parent and could lead to misunderstanding the purpose of testing.