Newly Admitted Nursing Student - Is there no hope??

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Hi.

I just got accepted to my school's nursing program! I'm supposed to be celebrating but I can't. I recently found out that I am a hepatitis b carrier. It is absolutely heart-breaking finding this out right now because my nursing program requires that I get blood titers done for hepatitis. So is there no hope? Is it absolutely positive that I won't pass this blood titer screening and they will have to kick me out of the program? What can I do?? I'm at a loss..

YEP! you'll just show immunity on the titer.

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Is it possible that you misunderstood and carry Hep C? not Hep B.

It feels like that would make more sense given your concerns and discussion with your Dr.

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Nurses are not immune from disease, illness, or virus. You should not be denied entrance from your schools program based on your health status and if you are that is probably considered discrimination... Many health care professionals carry things such as herpes, hepatitis, even HIV which is another great reason to practice universal precautions. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

Schools don't require vaccines and/or titers to disqualify students. They do it so that they know you will not BECOME infected (or that you've consciously waived the protection). Proper use of universal precautions will protect patients from anything you may carry and protect you from anything patients may carry.

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Thanks everyone! I feel better. I'll let you know how everything goes this august!

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No I'm positive it is hep b not c. SO absolutely last question to clear up all my confusion. When I get my titer done for hepatitis, the antibodies will show up and say I'm immune, though technically I'm not cause I already have it?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not think a person can be a carrier of Hep B and also show immunity. I believe over 80% of those exposed to Hep B, end up clearing the virus and then they will show immunity with positive Hep B surface antibody. I do not think someone can be antigen positive and antibody positive at the same time. If you you are antigen positive, you are a carrier and it is a chronic condition that may need meds like interferon. If you are antigen positive, perhaps you recently were exposed to Hep B and your body has not fought it off yet. How long ago do you think your exposure was? If you are antibody positive that means your body has fought it off, you do not have it nor carry it, and you have immunity. Hep B surface antibody will show positive in those who once had hep B and then fought it off, and those who were given vaccinations. Hep B core positive is indicative of past exposure to the virus.

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

I just copied portions of a report I had to do on Hep B this summer in Micro. Hope this helps.

The hepatitis B virus primarily interferes with the functions of the liver by replicating in liver cells. During HBV infection, the host immune response causes both hepatocellular damage and viral clearance. The immune response contributes to most of the liver injury associated with HBV infection.

Signs and symptoms of the disease include: jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and joint pain. Of the population that carries the disease, 30% have no signs or symptoms, and in children signs and symptoms are less common than in adults.

Transmission occurs when blood from an infected person enters the body of a person who is not infected. through needle sticks or sharps exposures on the job, through unprotected sex, and through vertical transmission from mother to child during childbirth.

Hepatitis can be considered acute or chronic. If the condition lasts longer than six months it is considered chronic. Treatment for chronic HBV is limited and not curative. Persons with self-limiting infection clear the infection spontaneously within weeks to months. Children are less likely than adults to clear the infection. More than 95% of people who become infected as adults or older children will stage a full recovery and develop protective immunity to the virus; however, only 5% of newborns that acquire the infection from their mother at birth will clear the infection. Up to 10% of those infected become chronic carriers themselves.

Worldwide there are 450 million carriers of hepatitis. An estimated 1.25 million Americans are chronically infected. The highest rate of the disease occurs in 20-49-year-olds. The number of new infections per year has declined from an average of 260,000 in the 1980s to about 60,000 in 2004. The greatest decline has happened among children and adolescents due to routine hepatitis B vaccination which is the best known protection against Hepatitis B. Other ways to prevent Hepatitis B are: wear a condom during sexual contact, do not inject drugs or share needles, and do not share personal care items that might have blood on them such as razors or toothbrushes. Infants born to HBV-infected mothers should be given HBIG (hepatitis B immune globulin) and vaccine within 12 hours after birth. Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) is a blood plasma product that can prevent hepatitis B if given within 14 days of an exposure.

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Thanks jillpaige. That's what I was very confused about. I am a carrier of hep b and cannot show immunity. I've been exposed to hep b for longer than 6 months now and my body has not yet cleared it. I am antigen positive and cannot be antibody positive at the same time. Therefore, when I take my blood test for a hepatitis titer, it will be negative cause I do not have any antibodies.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I'm a bit mixed up...is the OP saying that she received the complete series of the HBV vaccines and now the titers are showing antibodies?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I believe the OP is saying that she did have the vaccination series, but prior to this had already been exposed to Hep B. After giving blood, she was notified of positive Hep B (probably both core and antigen). Therefore, she is antigen positive and does not have positive surface B antibody. I believe even if you have the vaccination series, if you are already Hep B positive then the titer will show negative antibody--no immunity. My question to her was how recently she was exposed because her body could be still in the process of ridding the virus. The surface antibody I believe is the last antibody to show on blood panel. A positive surface core would show proof of past or present disease. OP-- does your doctor think you are in the process of clearing this? Either way, you can still be a nurse. There are nurses out there that have Hep B.

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Hi everyone. I found out I was positive for hep b almost a year ago, but my doctor and I do not know how long I've had it. If I had not tried to donate blood, I would still be clueless today. My boyfriend is the only one I've been with and he is negative. My doctor looked at my lab results and say the numbers are so low that maybe my body is in the process of clearing it. It's just been past 6 months so technically a chronic condition.

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