[jzzy88]

Not HIV+, but I am truly inspired by your strength and courage!
blessings,
J

Originally Posted by herecomestrouble

Is this a new forum? or one I just never noticed before?
I know there are nurses working with disabilities,why are there no threads?
If it's a new forum I'll start out,I am an LPN and I am HIV+,was dx'ed with AIDS a few years ago,CD4 count of 5, and PCP.I have been hoping to get in contact with any other + nurses.
Is there anybody out there?

[lorster]

Hello all. I am just curious. Were any of you with HIV or HCV infected at work?

[sharona97]

Originally Posted by lorster

Hello all. I am just curious. Were any of you with HIV or HCV infected at work?

I was infected with HCV at work. My quantitative value was at 18 million 2 years ago. Today it 668,000. I feel better. Have not received treatments, but do become easily fatigued and at times exhausted.

I am planning to further my education, but at this point because of the fatigue I am not positive I can work at my own standard let alone the school's, which is full steam ahead. What will be,will be.

HCT: Do your lectures involve CEU's? Curious if you have authored anything from your own expereince. You appear to be quite the trooper. I really admire that.

Sharona

[herecomestrouble]

No I was infected through unprotected sex,definitely outside of work.

Sharona,no CEU's wish I could offer them but I don't even know how to go about it.Actually you've given me something to think about.I'm supposed to do an interview at thebody.com,I'll let you know when it's done.I hope your health improves so you can go to school.I know it's rough some days...or weeks...or months
Terry

[delvenia]

Originally Posted by herecomestrouble

No I was infected through unprotected sex,definitely outside of work.

Sharona,no CEU's wish I could offer them but I don't even know how to go about it.Actually you've given me something to think about.I'm supposed to do an interview at thebody.com,I'll let you know when it's done.I hope your health improves so you can go to school.I know it's rough some days...or weeks...or months
Terry

i dont know that much about AIDS. I know tat you aid you are not too worried about getting sick from patients, but do you ever worry that you might infect a patient if you accidently prick yourself and they have an open wound or something of the sort? What kind of precautions are taken to prevent that from happening?

[caymen]

Certainly we DO have to protect ourselves from our patients as they are more of a threat to us than we are to them. In order to infect them we must stick ourselves and stick them with the same needle. Do you really think that will happen???

For most of us because of this disease our immunities are compromised and because of that we are more susceptible to catching anything that is in the air.

Donna

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by delvenia

i dont know that much about AIDS. I know tat you aid you are not too worried about getting sick from patients, but do you ever worry that you might infect a patient if you accidently prick yourself and they have an open wound or something of the sort? What kind of precautions are taken to prevent that from happening?

Good question. There is no such thing as a question that shouldn't be answered seriously and your question is probably one patients and others have as well. It's a chance for us to educate and a chance for you and others to learn. Please always feel free to ask questions.

Universal precautions are fine. HIV is actually a very difficult virus to spread. Remember HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids. An HIV infected nurse caring for a patient does not exchange bodily fluids with patients, so the chance of infecting a patient is zero. I suppose in your wildest imagination you can come up with some sort of scenerio where it's possible, but the chances are so low, to nearly impossible that's it's not a valid concern for patients.

Any nurse with any kind of wound would have it covered at work. Having an open wound, that isn't protected and caring for patients is not an option for any of us. I can say with assurance there are no documented cases of a nurse with a wound infecting a patient with HIV...again remember an exchange of bodily fluids must occur.

[herecomestrouble]

Thank you Cayman and Tweety.
Actually it's because of that type of fears that I am careful not to talk about having HIV while I'm working.I have no problem educating people but don't have time to sooth the fears of each and every patient I take care of.And then theres the worry that one of them is positive and doesn't know it yet,I can hear the thinking when they find out,"well I had that one nurse who's positive,she gave it to me" Don't have the time or money for a lawsuit.

[delvenia]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Good question. There is no such thing as a question that shouldn't be answered seriously and your question is probably one patients and others have as well. It's a chance for us to educate and a chance for you and others to learn. Please always feel free to ask questions.

Universal precautions are fine. HIV is actually a very difficult virus to spread. Remember HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids. An HIV infected nurse caring for a patient does not exchange bodily fluids with patients, so the chance of infecting a patient is zero. I suppose in your wildest imagination you can come up with some sort of scenerio where it's possible, but the chances are so low, to nearly impossible that's it's not a valid concern for patients.

Any nurse with any kind of wound would have it covered at work. Having an open wound, that isn't protected and caring for patients is not an option for any of us. I can say with assurance there are no documented cases of a nurse with a wound infecting a patient with HIV...again remember an exchange of bodily fluids must occur.

thank you for the information. i had tried to do a little research online and came accross a case that occured in Paris in year 2000. they said they weren't sure exactly how the nurse transmitted this to her patient, but the nurse wasn't aware that she was HIV positive until they found out that the patient got it from her. I really appreciate you taking your time to give me a little info on this matter.....

[Silverdragon102]

Originally Posted by herecomestrouble

Thank you Cayman and Tweety.
Actually it's because of that type of fears that I am careful not to talk about having HIV while I'm working.I have no problem educating people but don't have time to sooth the fears of each and every patient I take care of.And then theres the worry that one of them is positive and doesn't know it yet,I can hear the thinking when they find out,"well I had that one nurse who's positive,she gave it to me" Don't have the time or money for a lawsuit.

Sometimes it is better to blame someone else than themselves. I remember how big a drive we had in the eighty's here in the UK on HIV and Aids and trying to educate people then it disappeared and ignorance seems to be rising. I hope things go well for you