Ethics: Does knowledge of a patient's blood borne pathogen change your care?

CountryMomma, ASN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

Are you a nursing student or an RN? I completely disagree. It is not always necessary to wear gloves when changing a pillowcase. If they are THAT immunocompromised then we should wear gloves when handing them a glass of water. That's ridiculous.

Actually I glove up any time I change bedding, boost a patient, or even fluff a pillow. People (including me) drool in their sleep, or hawk loogies onto the bedding, or have drainage. If it's warm, wet, and not mine, I glove.

And I'm an RN. One who'll hug an AIDS patient.

CountryMomma, ASN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

To add to how appalled some of you are that I would not hug an HIV+ pt, I don't generally hug my pt's period. What do yall do? Just go around loving on strangers with diseases? I don't hug patients hardly ever unless they reach out to hug me then certainly I hug them back and show a caring shoulder.

I missed this while typing out my last response. Yes, I love on my patients if they need it. A very cantankerous gentleman with septic gangrene was in my care recently. Not only were nurses gloving and gowning like crazy d/t the suppurating mess (for no reason - he didn't have a contagious infection), they were avoiding his room d/t the smell. I sat down at the end of my shift, held his hand w/o gloves or gown, and gave him a hug. It brought him to tears.

Sometimes therapeutic touch is a real thing.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

I have had a pt that was cured of Hep C, I have been vaccinated against Hep A/B, they are making great strides in HIV treatment. I think the scariest one for me is shingles! I got the vaccine as soon as my insurance approved it (50). I don't treat anyone different. I may be more careful cleaning up after a c.diff pt; I tell the aides that have direct care.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

No. Because I am trained to treat each and every patient , as they HAVE a blood borne pathogen.

It's called Standard Precautions.

Dranger · Sep 10, 2015

Considering every other patient I have has Hepatitis C...

It's all universal precautions but I do take some extra care with known blood borne pathogen carriers and suspected carriers.

Anyone who doesn't take just a little more caution with these patients is lying. I wear gloves with everything which includes using the computer in the room, programming IV pumps and even moving beds. The Hepatitis virus is virulent and can live on surfaces for days and I don't take chances with any patient.

AlwaysLearning247, BSN · Sep 10, 2015

I have had many patients with blood borne pathogens. I do not treat them any differently at all. I just am sure to be extra cautious with blood/injections (although I am with any patient, we don't know who has what). I would let the CNA's know for sure too.

AuDDoc · Sep 10, 2015

The hospitals I did nursing rotations at when I was going through my RN program were in an area that had a lot of IV drug use so I just always practiced universal precautions with everyone and just assumed everyone had HIV, Hep A, B, and C, since the majority of our patient population did.

Never treated anyone differently, but always protected myself because at the end of the day I value my health and my family's health over anyone else's.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

There'd be no difference in my care as I treat everyone as if they had HIV, Hep, etc., and follow universal precautions all the time. I work in psych, where Hep C in patients is rather common.

I would let my techs know because there is a chance that we may have to be hands-on the patient during a code, including the possible administration of emergency IMs. Also, patients may be assaultive towards staff, including biting and spitting at them. IMO, the techs need to know upfront, rather than waiting until they were spit in the face by an HIV positive patient (and this HAS happened) before I mentioned it.

f1j1nurse · Sep 10, 2015

This is all I deal with all day everyday so no...

hawaiicarl, BSN, RN · Sep 10, 2015

Nope, I treat all patients the same, like they all have cooties. They used to call it universal precautions, I think the new terminology is "standard" precautions. Not only may the patient in that room be infective, but the previous room, or the following room you enter may be. None of which you want to bring home to your family.

No glove no love!

Cheers

ixchel · Sep 10, 2015

To add to how appalled some of you are that I would not hug an HIV+ pt, I don't generally hug my pt's period. What do yall do? Just go around loving on strangers with diseases? I don't hug patients hardly ever unless they reach out to hug me then certainly I hug them back and show a caring shoulder.

I think you're trying to create a scandal where there is none. No one has bashed you or expressed that they are appalled.

ready2baRN · Sep 10, 2015

For every ONE patient that you know is HIV positive, how many healthcare providers do you think care for patients that are HIV+ (Nurses, doctors, etc...) should we treat our positive healthcare providers any different because of their status? NO! So we shouldn't treat patients any differently.

Unless you are planning on having unprotected sex and sharing needs with the patients the provider has VERY LITTLE chance of exposure if proper precautions are taken.

This is 2015 not 1985. HIV is still a a very serious health concern but not the death sentence it use to be. It has also been downgraded by the CDC from a fatal disease to a chronic illness. Plus as healthcare professionals we are SUPPOSE to be more educated on the subject and know how to protect ourselves accordingly.

It pains me to hear about people in healthcare still discriminating against someone for having HIV or any other chronic illness. It's called HEALTHCARE for a reason. Jezzus take the wheel!