pregnant nurses and AIDS pts?? question

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

I am a RN, 7 mo pregnant and I work in LTC - the subacute medicare hall. I just heard that they are going to be admitting an end stage AIDS patient to my unit this weekend.

I don't know what the current research is, but I remember hearing that pregnant women shouldn't care for AIDS pts. b/c of the cytomegalovirus (AIDS pts. often carry it)- it can harm the fetus. i can't seem to find much info on this on the internet.

I can't really refuse the assignment, so to speak, since I work at night and there is no one else. Also, what I was told was this pt. has huge open wounds and needs drsg. changes.

I know this is a touchy subject - I am not against taking care of AIDS pts, just don't want to harm the baby. I was thinking about just going on maternity leave. Any advice?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Use precautions and take care of the patient. If everyone who was pregnant or trying to get pregnant couldn't take care of infectious patients it would rule out half the nursing staff.

[babynurselsa, RN]

Universal precautions will cover you. If he has draining wounds gown and glove (just so you do not get anything on your clothing. CMV is shed in teh urine also. Again just use common sense precautions.

Just do some reading un CMV.

I got really upset with my 3rd child as I had been caring for an infant that I had been told TORCH titers were neg only to later discover that she was infact CMV +. What I found was that daycare providers have a higher rate of transmission than nurses.

[all4schwa]

i believe cmv is tertatogenic in the first trimester

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

That's why you use precautions.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Here's what the CDC says: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cmv.htm

There is info. regarding pregnancy.

Usually, AIDS patients carry no risk to the healthy pregant nurse who isn't immocompromised that uses universal precautions. It's usually the other way around, AIDS patients die from things that don't bother us a bit.

Best wishes during your pregnancy and beyond.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

Here's what the CDC says: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cmv.htm

There is info. regarding pregnancy.

Usually, AIDS patients carry no risk to the healthy pregant nurse who isn't immocompromised that uses universal precautions. It's usually the other way around, AIDS patients die from things that don't bother us a bit.

Best wishes during your pregnancy and beyond.

Thanks for the link - good idea. In nsg. school, I think my instructor overdramatized it - it looks like there are only very small risks

[LPN1974, LPN]

A daughter of a close friend of mine contracted this virus while she was pregnant. I'm sure it was this virus....they didn't tell me the name of what she contracted but everything she told me describes this same virus. I read the article that was posted on the link and it sounds the same.

The doctor told her she could have contracted it anywhere. Said she could have got it while in Walmart shopping.

However, she must have contracted it during the first trimester, because the baby was born with many birth defects, and mental retardation. The little girl was very well taken care of by mother and family, and she lived to be about 6-7 y/o.

If the baby gets the virus with resulting defects, it is devastating.

I have no objection to taking care of aids pts, as universal precautions will cover, but if I were pregnant I think I would take my maternity leave if I had to go on it without pay.

I wouldn't risk it.

You can't be positive that every person who goes/comes out of that room has used precautions and washed their hands.

Doorknobs and equipment carry all sorts of germs.

Of course, if this is the same virus my friends daughter contracted, it could easily be contracted ANYwhere. But the risk might be higher if you are taking care of a patient who has it. JMHO

Talk to your OB and see what she/he advises.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

CMV is tetarogenic during the first trimester of pregnancy. According to your post you are in the last trimester of pregnancy, so the risk to the baby is mininal. The risk to the baby will be virtually zero if you utilize standard precautions when caring for every patient, including the end-stage AIDS client.

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

Now, I am not looking this up, but I have heard multiple times that most people pick up CMV just along the way and that it is only bad in the first trimester.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/cmv.htm

Just use standard precautions and you should be fine. Most likely, you won't be having your FIRST CMV infection now... and even if you did, you'd be safe. Ask your OB if you are unsure.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

I am a RN, 7 mo pregnant and I work in LTC - the subacute medicare hall. I just heard that they are going to be admitting an end stage AIDS patient to my unit this weekend.

I know this is a touchy subject - I am not against taking care of AIDS pts, just don't want to harm the baby. I was thinking about just going on maternity leave. Any advice?

And what did you do about all of the AIDs infected people you took care of, that you just didn't know that they had AIDs???????

How about all those that went shopping and used the cart before you did or sits in Church next to you or is working in the local restaurant or renting the same videos or using the same public bathroom?