HIV positive nurses

[nursingstudents]

We are a group of nursing students who are interested in other people's opinions about nurses that are HIV+ and are involved in direct patient care. We as students feel, these nurses should wear gloves whenever having direct patient contact. Does anyone think there are any procedures that they should not be involved in because of risk to the patient?

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

No, it's not the same..... Let's say your a nurse who has HIV. You are more likely to catch something from your sick patient because of your immunodefiency. Your patient is much less likely to get HIV from you, a medical professional. :)

[MassED, BSN, RN]

No, it's not the same..... Let's say your a nurse who has HIV. You are more likely to catch something from your sick patient because of your immunodefiency. Your patient is much less likely to get HIV from you, a medical professional. :)

that clarifies it better, gottcha. That is assuming you're talking about Pneumonia, that kind of thing, not a nurse exposing body fluids to a patient so that they are at increased risk of contracting HIV.

[LilgirlRN, ADN, RN]

"that clarifies it better, gottcha. That is assuming you're talking about Pneumonia, that kind of thing, not a nurse exposing body fluids to a patient so that they are at increased risk of contracting HIV. "

EXACTLY!

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

We are a group of nursing students who are interested in other people's opinions about nurses that are HIV+ and are involved in direct patient care. We as students feel, these nurses should wear gloves whenever having direct patient contact. Does anyone think there are any procedures that they should not be involved in because of risk to the patient?

i think you should go and do some research

there are issues over any health professional with active blood borne dieeases particuarly HIV and HepC doing surgical procedures and working in midwifery / OB settings

if the nurse ( or any other individual with HIV has intact skin then there is no greater risk than anyone ele, obviously relatively fresh wounds and skin conditions on the part of the provider raise different issues

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

where can you see the date of this post, or any post for that matter?

At the top left of the post, right above the posters name. Its a solid bar that has the date on it. It also has the number of the post on the right hand side. My bar happens to be yellow, not sure what color yours might be as its dependant on the color layout you have on allnurses

[Sandy_dfw]

It is interesting to note the original post was made at Oct 01, 1998, 04:02 PM .

[MassED, BSN, RN]

It is interesting to note the original post was made at Oct 01, 1998, 04:02 PM .

why wouldn't the post be closed by now? You know they're students no longer!

[sml1970]

Hi ,I realize this is an old thread. However, I have concerns with HIV , as I am currently in school for CNA . Then hoping to get into LPN school in 2009. I am 37 and have 2 children ages 14 and 17.I am concerned because Im not sure what the chances of contracting this desease are considering , I will have a lot of pt contact. Can anyone give me a bit f advice? This whole discussion is very scary!Do nurses really contract HIV or any other life altering desease by doing thier jobs??? Much thanks , please exuse my lack of knowledge , as I have only begun my education of nursing=].

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Don't be afraid of HIV+ folks. Per the CDC, even with a needlestick (exposed to blood) your chance of seroconversion is 0.3% - you stand a much better chance of getting in a car accident!

[VegRN]

Don't be afraid of HIV+ folks. Per the CDC, even with a needlestick (exposed to blood) your chance of seroconversion is 0.3% - you stand a much better chance of getting in a car accident!

Yup, this statistic made me feel much more at ease when I started caring for HIV+ patients. Of course I use universal precautions but now I understand that the risk is very small (though not nil).