care assistnt without hep b injection

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Hello, hope you can help with this.... I am starting as a care assistant with an agency. I only recently had my first hep b injection and the nurse informed me that my second hep b will protect me about 98%, thats fine. However the agency says they have people who begin work without a hep b injection and that my one injection is sufficient. Is this correct?

I will mainly be working in nursing homes to begin with and later hospitals.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Hello, hope you can help with this.... I am starting as a care assistant with an agency. I only recently had my first hep b injection and the nurse informed me that my second hep b will protect me about 98%, thats fine. However the agency says they have people who begin work without a hep b injection and that my one injection is sufficient. Is this correct?

I will mainly be working in nursing homes to begin with and later hospitals.

to build immunity you need the full course of 3 injections, don't listen to what your agency says but get yourself adequately covered, your at risk not them :angryfire

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Specializes in Multiple.

I don't think you will find an exact answer as each person will react differently to the immunisation - some people don't even get full protection after the full course.

If you want further information - can I suggest you follow this link?

http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hepatitis_b/occupational.htm

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thank you very much- I was really surprised when the agency said it was ok to work with one injection and that they had care assistants working who had'nt the hep b injection. And even more concerning is the agency director who informed me of this was once a nurse!

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Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

i cant get immune and ive had three courses!

i had to make my manager aware of this and be as careful as possible at work.

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Specializes in Multiple.

That's my point exactly english_nurse - I got immunity after 2 jabs - we are all very different and have to be guided by the tests to see if we need further immunisations...

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Hiya i am also one of those folks who has had two full courses and never gained any immunity.. I had to show documentation that i had gone through the two courses and never converted(showed immunity),before the agency i work for would let me work..

Kaylesh

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So as long as I am careful i can begin work? I have my next injection early march.

Had my Nursing interview yesterday, it was very stressful and at one point during the interview I lost my train of thought, after a few seconds of silence they asked me another question. Amazing how nerves can affect your performance!

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Specializes in renal,peritoneal dialysis, medicine.

i had some advice from occ health regarding what to do if there was a problem, ie if i had a needlestick injury or contact with blood etc

contact them to get the advice to decide whether you want to start work or not

after all if anything happens and you know how to act you are forewarned

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hi, I'm a care assistant and recently found out 1 of our residents has hep b, am i at risk and should my employer have informed me of this information?

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Specializes in Operating Theatre and Occ. Health.
Hello, hope you can help with this.... I am starting as a care assistant with an agency. I only recently had my first hep b injection and the nurse informed me that my second hep b will protect me about 98%, thats fine. However the agency says they have people who begin work without a hep b injection and that my one injection is sufficient. Is this correct?

I will mainly be working in nursing homes to begin with and later hospitals.

In theory your antibodies will start being produced after the first shot but they won't be up to speed until the third. However, the risk of exposure in the 'normal' nursing setting is minimal.

Those most at risk are EPP workers (exposure prone practitioners) like surgeons, obstetricians, dentists, theatre staff, midwives and ER personnel - in other words, those who are using sharp instruments and may put their fingers into body cavities where they will be out of sight and adjacent to those sharp objects or to shards of bone or tooth.

hi, I'm a care assistant and recently found out 1 of our residents has hep b, am i at risk and should my employer have informed me of this information?

Not necessary if you are folowing all the recommended protocols about personal protective equipment and not getting body fluids on your skin where you have a cut or other open wound (which should be covered anyway). After all, there could be other, undiagnosed people and you should always work on that assumption.

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