Protecting the patient already died does not make any sense!

Nurses General Nursing

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My patients was HIV+ and he died during a central line insertion...

It is tragic...but that is another story.

What upset me the most is....his future wife came to the unit and she is pregnant. We the nurses are not allowed to share that confidential information with his future wife.... It does not make any sense at all.

What do you think about this....Does it make any sense to you at all?

Shouldn't we let that girl know that her future husband was HIV+....

Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.

Um. When you find out you are pregnant, don't they do blood tests and stuff to make sure you don't have diseases such as HIV, etc.? I know they need to know all the Rh+, Rh- stuff... If they've done these tests, if she is seeking standard OB appts, wouldn't she find out if she has contracted HIV?

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
Um. When you find out you are pregnant, don't they do blood tests and stuff to make sure you don't have diseases such as HIV, etc.? I know they need to know all the Rh+, Rh- stuff... If they've done these tests, if she is seeking standard OB appts, wouldn't she find out if she has contracted HIV?

I can't speak for other states, but in CA they test you for Rh factor, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia and I believe hepatitis B. You have to specifically request an HIV test and most patients don't. Some OBs, such as my own, recommended testing at an anonymous site so that it didn't show up in my medical records and red flag me to some insurance company. I had no reason to believe I'd been exposed, but Magic Johnson announced his positive status when I was expecting and there was a flurry of media stories about people who were getting dxed years later after one night stands and such. Magic being positive didn't worry me since I haven't slept with thousands of people, but a story about a woman who found out her status in the course of applying for life insurance did. She traced it back to her high school prom date. Of course, I knew then and know now that those stories make the news precisely because they are so unusual, but it still seemed like a good idea to have the test.

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Um. When you find out you are pregnant, don't they do blood tests and stuff to make sure you don't have diseases such as HIV, etc.? I know they need to know all the Rh+, Rh- stuff... If they've done these tests, if she is seeking standard OB appts, wouldn't she find out if she has contracted HIV?

You would think...but apparently not all OB's do the HIV testing...and depending on when he was infected...the CDC website says that it can take anywhere from a minimum of between 3 and 6 months for HIV to show up on a blood test.

I would seriously doubt that he was recenty infected...especially if his doctor knew he was HIV positive and she just recently found out she was pregnant...that would be a rare set of circumstances.

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Chuck- I don't understand why you posted asking if the girl should be told but then when anyone posts someting you seem to be belittling them for their comments?

I understand you were venting your frustration, but please don't take it out on people who are offering advice, opinions and solutions when you asked.

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.
Chuck- I don't understand why you posted asking if the girl should be told but then when anyone posts someting you seem to be belittling them for their comments?

I understand you were venting your frustration, but please don't take it out on people who are offering advice, opinions and solutions when you asked.

Don't take it personal.....

But when you assuming that this girl has already found out about it....Your implication is to not doing anything...

My priority is the welfare of this girl and her unborn...

I don't really care the one that already die...

Just put yourself into a bigger picture...

Think of this girl as your own sister...

The sooner she gets the treatment...the better...is that a common sense.

Assuming she already know that she might have been exposed is very irresponsible. The consequence is fatal....

I just don't want to see her being sickening by the disease...and she will become one of my patients in the future.

Good luck!

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There you go again....Maybe you should read ALL my posts on this thread before you assume that I am assuming anything. Please don't call me irresponsible when you haven't even taken the time to read my position on this entire subject.

Maybe this thread should be closed if nobody has anything that you consider worthwhile to say on this subject and you continue to belittle people who respond- even belittling those who agree with you!!

Don't take it personal.....

But when you assuming that this girl has already found out about it....Your implication is to not doing anything...

My priority is the welfare of this girl and her unborn...

I don't really care the one that already die...

Just put yourself into a bigger picture...

Think of this girl as your own sister...

The sooner she gets the treatment...the better...is that a common sense.

Assuming she already know that she might have been exposed is very irresponsible. The consequence is fatal....

I just don't want to see her being sickening by the disease...and she will become one of my patients in the future.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.
There you go again....Maybe you should read ALL my posts on this thread before you assume that I am assuming anything. Please don't call me irresponsible when you haven't even taken the time to read my position on this entire subject.

Maybe this thread should be closed if nobody has anything that you consider worthwhile to say on this subject and you continue to belittle people who respond- even belittling those who agree with you!!

That is true...I almost wrote down...if I had the power, I would close it...

But since I had no power...forget it....

I did not say it was you...I did not even say you are irresponsible...I am so sorry that you are so sensitive and takes thing so personal....when I say "you"...I don't mean kukukajoo....I meant the ones that keep on assuming that this poor girl might have found out about it....

It is good thing if she has found out...

What happened if she did not....

Assuming something is just like flapping a coin just to get the result...the unfortunately thing is the coin does not always give you the positive result.

One last thing...this one is for the Allnurses Administration...

PLEASE CLOSE THIS THREAD FOR GOOD.

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Chuck- please don't be like that there is absolutely no reason for your behavior on here. When you type something while quoting my post and say "you" and "your" just how am I supposed to read your mind and know that you mean all the others on here and not me? Sorry I haven't taken ESP 101 yet and don't plan on it. Then again, maybe I should be thinking about enrolling in Thicker Skin 101, eh?

Your apology is not that at all, it is an insult and completely uncalled for as well as inappropriate. You appear to be in a fowl mood and seem to be taking it on anyone and everyone for no apparent reason. Is this really necessary?

For those that have been wondering about HIV testing when pregnant- it is not mandated in any state yet, but here is an article where NJ is trying to make it a mandate. I have to say with the advances in HIV and AIDS treatment that I agree- the stigma is not there so much and early detection does save lives and can prevent transmission from mother to child.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070512/ap_on_he_me/mandatory_hiv_testing;_ylt=ApY77_Pqo14wREyqPdCyIZjMWM0F

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.

I am going to take Thicker Skin 101...you want to come!

Hey...this time I mean you....kukukajoo...

Have a good night sleep!

I do believe you are a person with a good nature.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

This topic is very sensitive. What is the ethically and morally and legally correct thing to do in a situation such as this? Crisis of conscious.........

The thread has contained some great conversation(s) on these three issues when dealing with HIV status and the rights of the deceased and any third party involvement regarding disclosure.

Let's not start creating issues with each other. Just stick to the topic and not make it personal.;)

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OK, I have posted earlier on this thread and found this topic very interesting. But I think that this freakin thread put the jinx on me!

At work last night I was receiving report about a pt who did not want his wife or family to know he was HIV+. The outgoing nurse got the chart to show me some new orders that had just been written. They included a dc'd med and a new med starting. I said to her "hey whats that new med for Mr. Smith, I am not familiar with that one" she stated LOUDLY, "oh, that is a HIV med". Yup you guessed it, the wife had just approached the nurses station and I am unsure if she grasped the conversation or not.

She walked away slowly and met with family members in the hall briefly.

I feel terrible about it. The other nurse didn't seem concerned. Sigh, I might be in handcuffs soon. Protecting rights is difficult in the current hospital setting!

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Specializes in Nurses who are mentally sicked.

By law, she did the wrong thing...

Speaking for my conscience, I will give her a "Purple Heart."

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