I spoke to an MD the other day who told me that Hepatitus C was the SINGLE biggest...

Published

threat facing health care workers today. He said that he personally knew two doctors that had been infected through their jobs. Thus, he told me that there was NO WAY that he would subject himself to the risk of Hep. C for nursing pay. Do you know ANYONE who has contracted Hepatitus C from their jobs? Is there any progress being made in developing and effective vaccine? I know that this virus has a high degree of genetic drift, and antigentic variation, but so does influenza and we can make vaccines for influenza (even if we miss the strains some years). If you do get this bug, are you "released" by most hospitals?

Naomi Judd aquired Hep C working as an RN. She went on the most current treatment and her viral load shows zero. Time to put a better spin on this.

It isn't all liver transplants and funerals.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Maybe someone with more knowledge can clarify this, but it was my understanding that it's really rare to have Hep C transmitted with sexual contact, unless that contact involved the exchange of blood. I'm pretty sure that almost all, if not all, Hep C cases are transmitted via blood.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't know much about this.....it wasn't really brought up in my first year of school and since I left at the end of that year I"m not up on the research or risks etc..

but CAN tell you "our story" ... my dh gave blood about 3 yrs ago. About 6 wks later we got the letter. He was Hept C positive....and couldn't give ever again.

Well....I don't THINK so. He doesn't work in healthcare but is in construction and cuts and such are just part of the job etc (see I don't even know much about how it's 'transferred')...and I sure know that he wasn't wandering on me....

Since I was pregnant I was FREAKING out. I called my OB who told me not to worry about it..since I was tested as part of my OB work up and that the test results done at the blood bank aren't always correct.

To be honest I never gave it another thought since then til now.

but my FIL ALSO got the letter....and went and had further testing etc and was found NOT to have hept C.

While my dad....who worked as a Surg Tech back when I was kid DID contract it and is fine now....in fact I just asked my mom about it recently and she said if he ever needed a liver transplant it would be because he was a lush (divorced now obviosly) and not because of Hept C and that she was never warned about it etc...

so I don't know...

maybe I need to get dh to get some more testing done just to be sure?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

I was wondering if it really helps to prevent transmission to double glove? Some of the nurses who I have worked with did this practice. I was also under the impression regarding transmission that Hep C can't be transmitted sexually.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

Hubby has/had Hep C he was treated with Interfuron and had a liver transplant. His liver docs told me it was highly unlikely I could catch it from him thru sex, but get tested every now and again just to make sure I have been with DH for 20 years and still don't have it. It has to be transmitted via blood.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
Hubby has/had Hep C he was treated with Interfuron and had a liver transplant. His liver docs told me it was highly unlikely I could catch it from him thru sex, but get tested every now and again just to make sure I have been with DH for 20 years and still don't have it. It has to be transmitted via blood.

Me too, infact I went to school for nursing after my transplant. It is illegal to discriminate against a person having HCV. Yes, you can work wherever you want. For me to transmit it to a patient, I would have to stick myself with a needle and then use the same needle on a patient. You don't even have to disclose the fact you have HCV at a physical. I disclose only because I wish to be honest and it has never stopped me from getting a job.

As far as sexual transmission, yes, it can happen if you have bloody sex. My husband of 16 years is negative. He was not allowed to donate blood because of my condition for about 10 years, but Red Cross has relaxed the rules somewhat and he can now be a blood donor. And why not, he is negative!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Can you really not ask medical questions until after a person is hired? Where I work, I have to tell all the staff I am offering positions too that passing the pre employment physical is a condition of employment and that if they fail the physical they will not be hired.??? I'm so confused.

The only thing I can't ask, according to HR is their religion, nationality, if they have children or are married, their sexualy orientation and how old they are. I can ask if they are above or below a certain age, for insurance reasons with our vehicles, and if they are legally permitted to work in the US, but not if they are US citizens.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.
Can you really not ask medical questions until after a person is hired? Where I work, I have to tell all the staff I am offering positions too that passing the pre employment physical is a condition of employment and that if they fail the physical they will not be hired.??? I'm so confused.

The only thing I can't ask, according to HR is their religion, nationality, if they have children or are married, their sexualy orientation and how old they are. I can ask if they are above or below a certain age, for insurance reasons with our vehicles, and if they are legally permitted to work in the US, but not if they are US citizens.

In healthcare you can say that the applicant must pass the physical. That is fine. At the physical you don't have to disclose you have AIDS; you don't have to disclose you have HCV; you don't have to disclose anything you don't want to. What you are federally mandated to disclose is your vaccination info or titers. You are not tested for HCV at physicals, neither are you tested for AIDS.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had a good friend of mine who was diagnosed with Hep C when she went to another hospital to work and had to take her physical there. They hired her anyway and she went through PEG interferon therapy and has cleared the virus. I currently work with 2 nurses who also have the virus and current therapy has not cleared them. Hep C should not be a deterrent to getting a position. Unfortunately there may be times, even with precautions you could be exposed to blood and body fluids.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion