Mandatory Hep B testing

[jimmy_hat]

i am a travel rn. on most jobs i have to either accept hep b vacination, prove previous vacinnation/titer, or document that i decline the vacine. i know that this is an osha requirement. in essense my job is require to offer it to me. that is my understanding of teh law. i have a positive titer so it has never been an issue. my latest assignemnt wants not only a positive titer but a neg hep b surface antigen titer and a neg hep b core antibody. the only uses for these tests is documenting a lack of an active or resolving hep b infection.

the only way to pass hep b to a patient i am taking care of is through me expossing them to my blood or having sexual contact with my patient. neither are a reality. it seems alot like mandatory hiv testing for employment (which i was pretty sure was illegal).

i contacted the us equal oppurtunity employment agency. they started that is is legal as long as they test all new employes with my job description. i guess it is not descrimination if they do it to everyone.

i do not have hep b and have an active immunity. just seems very illegal. any ideas or better contacts about this woudl be appreciated. next step is talking to aclu. i think they might know.

jimmy

[GardenDove]

I think you should take it to the ACLU. I don't believe in forced vaccinations, period, and I believe healthcare workers should have a total right to make their own choices about their own healthcare, just like everyone else.

[jimthorp]

It's further testing they're after not getting vaccination.

[GardenDove]

Why would someone's Hep B status be relevent? Pt's aren't starting IVs on nurses, it's the opposite. Rather, they should start testing pts then! We are not a threat to0 them with bloodborne disease, the opposite is true.

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Wow, Jimmy you might be on to something big here. The travel company must not not realize they're requiring. They're no way they need to hep B status. I'm sure... Anyway, ACLU can clear it up. I think the EOE is off base. Would they then that if the company checked EVERYONE for HIV it's OK???

Keep us posted.