AIDS and your patients

[Sabr, BSN, RN]

Hi Nurses!

Would like to know if any of you have worked solely with patients who are members of the AIDS population and how did you handle the anxiety/fear of mistakenly sticking yourself. I am contemplating accepting a position where I solely care for Aids patients and want some input/advice on what to expect. Of course regardless of each patient's status, I treat all my patients with dignity, respect, and compassion. Thanks

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Hello, there. . .

Your post has been moved to the Nurse Colleague / Patient Relations forum with the ultimate goal of attracting responses. Good luck with your new position!

[generalRN2008]

Chances are very slim of getting it from a stick. Always observe needle use safety for all patients

[bagladyrn, RN]

Remember that ANY patient on ANY unit is potentially a "member of the AIDS population". Yours simply are already identified. You should use the same precautions that you would use with any other patient. Realize that AIDS is much more difficult to contract than many other diseases - hence the need for intimate contact or direct blood/body fluid to nonintact skin to even have a chance of contracting it.

Try to keep it in perspective.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

HIV positive status is now a chronic disease to be managed. I don't work exclusively with HIV positive patients, but many of my patients have the virus as part of their medical history and I note it as such. You mention AIDS patients, but my advice is the same: You simply observe standard precautions and needle safety as you would for any other patient.

[Sabr, BSN, RN]

Thanks everyone.