Hello anybody out there? HIV+ Nurses

Nurses Disabilities

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Is this a new forum? or one I just never noticed before?

I know there are nurses working with disabilities,why are there no threads?

If it's a new forum I'll start out,I am an LPN and I am HIV+,was dx'ed with AIDS a few years ago,CD4 count of 5, and PCP.I have been hoping to get in contact with any other + nurses.

Is there anybody out there?

Specializes in Home Health, Med/Surg.
No I was infected through unprotected sex,definitely outside of work.

Sharona,no CEU's wish I could offer them but I don't even know how to go about it.Actually you've given me something to think about.I'm supposed to do an interview at thebody.com,I'll let you know when it's done.I hope your health improves so you can go to school.I know it's rough some days...or weeks...or months

Terry

i dont know that much about AIDS. I know tat you aid you are not too worried about getting sick from patients, but do you ever worry that you might infect a patient if you accidently prick yourself and they have an open wound or something of the sort? What kind of precautions are taken to prevent that from happening?

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Certainly we DO have to protect ourselves from our patients as they are more of a threat to us than we are to them. In order to infect them we must stick ourselves and stick them with the same needle. Do you really think that will happen???

For most of us because of this disease our immunities are compromised and because of that we are more susceptible to catching anything that is in the air.

Donna

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
i dont know that much about AIDS. I know tat you aid you are not too worried about getting sick from patients, but do you ever worry that you might infect a patient if you accidently prick yourself and they have an open wound or something of the sort? What kind of precautions are taken to prevent that from happening?

Good question. There is no such thing as a question that shouldn't be answered seriously and your question is probably one patients and others have as well. It's a chance for us to educate and a chance for you and others to learn. Please always feel free to ask questions.

Universal precautions are fine. HIV is actually a very difficult virus to spread. Remember HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids. An HIV infected nurse caring for a patient does not exchange bodily fluids with patients, so the chance of infecting a patient is zero. I suppose in your wildest imagination you can come up with some sort of scenerio where it's possible, but the chances are so low, to nearly impossible that's it's not a valid concern for patients.

Any nurse with any kind of wound would have it covered at work. Having an open wound, that isn't protected and caring for patients is not an option for any of us. I can say with assurance there are no documented cases of a nurse with a wound infecting a patient with HIV...again remember an exchange of bodily fluids must occur.

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

Thank you Cayman and Tweety.

Actually it's because of that type of fears that I am careful not to talk about having HIV while I'm working.I have no problem educating people but don't have time to sooth the fears of each and every patient I take care of.And then theres the worry that one of them is positive and doesn't know it yet,I can hear the thinking when they find out,"well I had that one nurse who's positive,she gave it to me" Don't have the time or money for a lawsuit.

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Specializes in Home Health, Med/Surg.
Good question. There is no such thing as a question that shouldn't be answered seriously and your question is probably one patients and others have as well. It's a chance for us to educate and a chance for you and others to learn. Please always feel free to ask questions.

Universal precautions are fine. HIV is actually a very difficult virus to spread. Remember HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids. An HIV infected nurse caring for a patient does not exchange bodily fluids with patients, so the chance of infecting a patient is zero. I suppose in your wildest imagination you can come up with some sort of scenerio where it's possible, but the chances are so low, to nearly impossible that's it's not a valid concern for patients.

Any nurse with any kind of wound would have it covered at work. Having an open wound, that isn't protected and caring for patients is not an option for any of us. I can say with assurance there are no documented cases of a nurse with a wound infecting a patient with HIV...again remember an exchange of bodily fluids must occur.

thank you for the information. i had tried to do a little research online and came accross a case that occured in Paris in year 2000. they said they weren't sure exactly how the nurse transmitted this to her patient, but the nurse wasn't aware that she was HIV positive until they found out that the patient got it from her. I really appreciate you taking your time to give me a little info on this matter.....

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Thank you Cayman and Tweety.

Actually it's because of that type of fears that I am careful not to talk about having HIV while I'm working.I have no problem educating people but don't have time to sooth the fears of each and every patient I take care of.And then theres the worry that one of them is positive and doesn't know it yet,I can hear the thinking when they find out,"well I had that one nurse who's positive,she gave it to me" Don't have the time or money for a lawsuit.

Sometimes it is better to blame someone else than themselves. I remember how big a drive we had in the eighty's here in the UK on HIV and Aids and trying to educate people then it disappeared and ignorance seems to be rising. I hope things go well for you

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HCT,

We have spoke privately before. I just want to update you. I have finally finished school:yeah:. I am currently applying to sit for boards. When I filled out the medical portion of the questionaire I did not include my HIV status because my doctor told me that that is not what the question asked. The question was..."Have you in the last 5 years been diagnosed or treated for a physical impairment?" My doctor said that my status is not an impairment but a disease process and if they deny my application for that she would go to bat for me. My doctor informed me that my HIV status is protected under the Disabilty Act. Thank you for your support. Sorry I haven't been in touch but this last semester was tough. Hope to hear from you and others soon.

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

:balloons::anpom:Congratulations,I knew you could do.Most of the HIV docs are great and willing to go the extra mile to help us out.OK so now go out and GET A JOB!!Good luck in your career,I'm sure you have a bright future ahead of you

Terry:anpom::balloons:

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:redbeathe:nurse:I am an LPN, HIV+ , Diagnosed 10 1/2 years ago w/ PCP, CD4 was 96, viral load >100,000. Went on disability for a while. I battled a long time with myself as to whether I was fit to be a nurse anymore. I, too was most likely infected by unprotected sex.

I don't tell anyone my status. Only my best friends and my husband and my parents know. I don't talk about it much, I once heard someone say "there's nothing like attention that makes the virus grow". Don't know if it's true or not, but feels right to me. I never dwell on it, I only think of it when I take my meds or when I'm on the web (The Body is a great resource).

I'm very happy to have found this site and so glad You started this thread, Herecomestrouble.

I have had some difficulty when getting pre-employment physicals, my family doctor wasn't going to say yes to the question: Is patient is free of communicable disease? I got really angry, but kept my cool and said if you have a problem with that question, leave it blank, and she did. I filled it in later.

After years of struggling inside, I have come to realize that I am more careful on the job than a lot of other nurses with Universal precautions and handwashing and i know I don't pose a threat to anyone. If anything I am more careful, knowing my status. I went back to work full time last year, and I will be finishing my RN in 1 year.

It is amazing however, that so much sterotyping and stigma still goes along with this illness especially in the medical community. This is why I keep silent about my status.

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

I love the Body and the BB there.Have you tried poziam.com ?Another great source of support,friendship and info.

Take care

Terry

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I may sound stupid but what is HCV I know HIV but never heard of the other.

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I may sound stupid but what is HCV I know HIV but never heard of the other.

hepatitis c virus.

leslie

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