URGENT Help needed to Nurse-To-Be!!!

Speculating · Jan 17, 2004

Originally posted by tai_ngau
I have moved to a new town (city, actually) with the hope of studying to become a RN, but the irony is that I have recently been diagnosed to be a Hepatitis B carrier... Have called relevant people i.e. no problem with State licensing, alright with nursing schools (some said might have problems finding clinical sites), but everybody has doubt about my getting a job upon graduation. I am really lost now....and can really use any good advice I can get from my "seniors" out there, who are practising RNs or related.

This has been troubling me a lot....Please help!

Tai_ngau, I imagine you will run into some obstacles, but I don't believe they'll be insurmountable. Whether your hepatitis B positive or not generally isn't a question asked in the initial interview. Normally you're hired then you go through the health questionnaire. So, it might be quite difficult for a corporation to duck at that point. Legally they can get in trouble if they use hepatitis B+ as a reason not to hire you. Of course, we all know if they don't wish to hire you then they will find a way to deny you a position. Don't offer information for free to HR just because you're a nice person unless the question is directly put to you. Under no circumstances lie. From this point on you have a huge responsibility not to pass this disease on. You'll be taking care of some very sick people who don't need their illness compounded by hepatitis B we're all in this business for one reason to cure people not to bring harm to them.

PJMommy · Jan 17, 2004

Yesterday, I had pre-employment physical for first position as new grad. I swear I didn't see a single question about HepB (or A or C...) on the form. She didn't ask either. The biggies they were concerned about were TB and a drug screen.

tai_ngau · Jan 20, 2004

Thank you both for taking the time to reply! Will I have problems with clinicals (before getting my degree), though?

KARRN3 · Jan 20, 2004

I think that it's interesting that as health care providers, we take care of people that could have any range of communicable disease. We are told to use universal precautions and that that will keep us safe. I don't know why the same wouldn't be true for you in your case. A nurse frequently is unaware of a patients HIV or Hepatitis status, it is your business-keep it that way unless directly asked.Good luck.