HIV positive graduate

[Harrison]

I am a new graduate that has been HIV posive for 20 years. I am wondering about disclosure to a new employer. Does anyone have any ideas or feedback that is in simular situation. I did not have any problems with the school or with clinicals. I did disclose to my teachers, and they have been very suportive of me and my goals. I did not disclose to the hospital when I was working as a nurse tech this past year. I personaly feel that with universal precausions in place that my HIV status is not any body busness but mine.

[happystudent, RN]

I feel that as long as you are taking care of yourself and following universal precautions, you should be okay.

I also feel that it s a personal decision whether you should disclose you health status.

My questions to you is, when your immune system is down, aren't you especially suseptable (sp?) to illnesses?

And if so, how would you handle that situation.

(just asking for my own enlightnin' :) )

[Kyriaka]

I had to look into this issue somewhat because I have Babesiosis and Lyme. They are infectious diseases (however, without the stigma).

From what I read to a be nurse (at least in this area) I have to be in a registry but no one can discriminate against me. This fell just within "infectious diseases". I would assume this also included HIV and Hept.

[mjamesRN]

If being HIV+ required disclosure, we would all be tested for it as a mandatory requirement to employment. It's nobody's business. And if you do disclose it, say, to your employer and there are negative repercussions, they would be in violation of discrimination and the privacy act. I agree with the previous post that you should be more concerned with the pathogens YOU may be subjected to if your counts are low.

[Chaya, ASN, RN]

Can you think of any instance in which your HIV status would alter the way you carried out any of your duties? There's no reason for disclosure.

[Kyriaka]

Are you required to reveal that you are Hept. +? I think you do.

And I have to reveal that I have Babesiosis (the Lyme I am not sure about).

Why would HIV be any differant.

Personally, I believe my employer has the right to know if I am infected with an infectious disease. However, on the other hand the diseases that I have do not carry a stigma in our society.

[lady_jezebel]

Only certain infectious diseases need to be disclosed to the employer, and these differ by state. I don't believe that HIV is necessarily one of these diseases, per federal regulation regarding employment discrimination. Check into your state's laws.

I would not volunteer the information. However, if you ever get a needle stick or are exposed to a pt's body fluids somehow & need to be seen by Employee Health, they will test you for HIV and HepB in order to determine your status (they will provide prophylactic treatment if you are found to be baseline negative). This is confidential info, however. If they ever leaked your medical info to anyone else in the hospital, you could sue.

By the way, are you planning on working with HIV+ clients? Just wondering, for I bet you could make a huge impact in their lives through teaching and in simply providing compassionate/understanding care. Regardless, there are HIV+ clients in almost any setting now.

Best of luck to you in your career!

[PCGrad06]

i think you should. i was told you need to have blood drawn if you are "poked" with a needle when it happen and every so often for i think a year to be sure you do not get hiv though work. you should let it be known you have it if only for this reason. wouldn't this affect your insurance as well? they ask about health problems you have at the time of getting it. they consider pregnancy pre condition if you are already preg. when you begin coverage. it will not pay for any of the the drs etc because you had it before coverage began. i would be up front about it if not they may think you are trying to "hide" it. what ever you decide to do i wish you well and take care.