Devastated (long)

[RadioNate]

Radionate - the stuff you said is pretty much spot on.

To be honest I think they gave me the hep-b shot to shut me up. But they wouldn't give me the shot they give to people who had come into a situation when they were at risk of HIV - they didn't feel I was in that position at all.

Ok, now that I'm on the same page. I'm a worrier too. While I wouldn't classify it as an anexiety disorder, I do worry and work myself up about things.

I think the nurse was a little insensitive. Do I think she was horribly out of line, no but I do think her bedside manner probablly needs a lot of work. I do think the nurses should do a bit of hand holding and leave the 'expert opinions' to the Drs.

That said I think she was right, there was risk, yes it was extreamly minimal but still there. I don't think however that she should have freaked you out about. There should have been some 'cues' she picked up on that let her know that you weren't in to discussing it with her. Next time I'd simply decline to answer and tell the nurse that you'll be discussing any questions/concerns with the doctor.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

irishboxfan,
You are another breath of sunshine you know that. Link the source. It doesn't say how many people were involved in the study. And this has nothing to do with the OPs circumstances.

Jenny, I feel for you, I really do.

I'm not trying to be mean just stating the facts--you'll also notice before the quotes I put down that since the OP was exposed while offering aid to an injurued male who no one can be assured was HIV negative then the %ages offered would correlate to her case.

 

[RadioNate]

I'm not trying to be mean just stating the facts--you'll also notice before the quotes I put down that since the OP was exposed while offering aid to an injurued male who no one can be assured was HIV negative then the %ages offered would correlate to her case.

I don't think the OP was offering first aid. OP lent a cell phone. I didn't get the impression that s/he was attending to bleeding wounds or giving CPR.

 

[Mermaid02]

I work in a hospital and am in contact daily with patients that I know are HIV positive or have AIDS.... I worry more about giving something TO THEM than catching HIV from them. HIV is a scary thing- and frankly it brings out the worst in many people.

The nurse was insensitive, I would ask my chart be noted that I don't wish to have any further contact with her and WHY I don't want any further contact with her.

 

[mispatatas]

Ok, I will give the full story, so that people understand why I managed to STOP worrying before I saw this nurse, and why I am worrying again now.

A month ago I was stopped by a guy in the street who was bleeding profusely from a fight. He asked to use my phone.

I didn't touch him directly but the phone was passed between us. There were (near invisible) traces of blood on my phone when I looked at it later.

I had a scab on my knuckle and a paper cut on the hand I DIDNT handle my phone with. Both were about 3 days old and not deep at all. I know rationally there is no way the blood could have touched them.

I had a total panic attack over this - I went to ER the following day WITH the guy (who I then found out had just got out of jail) he had a blood test and I had a hep b shot - but was told I had nothing to worry about at all.
I spoke to several other doctors who told me the same thing - but nothing would placate me.
His blood test came back negative.

I had a lot of support from my family and friends and with their help managed to recover from the panic 100% and believe what the doctors had told me- until today!

Today the nurse made me go through the whole situation again and her reaction was to negate what the doctors had told me. So of course it is her comments that stand out in my head, not all of the other things that helped me get over it in the first place.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I'm not trying to be mean just stating the facts--you'll also notice before the quotes I put down that since the OP was exposed while offering aid to an injurued male who no one can be assured was HIV negative then the %ages offered would correlate to her case.

She was not offering aid. She did not deal with this man in a first responder manner. Even if she was, this would not be a signficant exposure.

Perhaps you should take a blood-born pathogens class.

 

[mispatatas]

I should also add that the reason I considered complaining about this nurse is not because she didn't have a right to tell me the risks, but:

a) she made me discuss something I clearly DID NOT want to discuss - I told her I had an anxiety issue and that was why I was so worried. I also told her I was OVER my anxiety about it now

b) she knew I had been to ER about it, so why was it necessary for her to start discussing the risks with me? Did she think they wouldn't have done that there. I had already told her I'd been told there was NO risk! Yet she proceeded to tell me why there WAS a risk.

c) She dealt with it as if we were discussing whether or not I might have potatoes for dinner, not as whether or not I was at risk of contracting I deadly disease!

 

[lilstint]

irishboxfan,
You are another breath of sunshine you know that. Link the source. It doesn't say how many people were involved in the study. And this has nothing to do with the OPs circumstances.

Jenny, I feel for you, I really do.

My sentiments exactly! I took a course in college called "Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics." It made me look at these type of studies very differently to be sure. I think irishboxfan should stop trying to frighten the OP. It's the last thing she needs right now.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

If you told her you were OVER your anxiety, then I would think she wouldn't have guessed this was a subject that you didn't want to talk about

Yes, nurses can be know it all ninnys, but she wasn't being mean..she was doing her job and yes...if you saw cases like this everyday...it would be like discussing dinner.

 

[mispatatas]

Well my exact words to her were -

'I had a panic attack over it, I am prone to them because I have suffer from anxiety - but the doctors reassured me I wasn't at risk (then went on to say his blood didn't touch my cuts etc) - so I'm thankfully over the panic'

And THEN...she went on to tell me why I might be at risk.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

She was not offering aid. She did not deal with this man in a first responder manner. Even if she was, this would not be a signficant exposure.

Perhaps you should take a blood-born pathogens class.

Ok first I have taken blood born pathogen classes and know better than most about the transmission of HIV--Second if she had dealt with him in a first responder manner and was in contact with his blood it would be exposure whether you believe it to be significant or not.
And if you actually read and understood the link I posted you would know a little more about the prevalance of HIV/AIDS in our society.
I was in the nursing field when Aids was still a new form of cancer and noone knew how or why it was here or how and to who it was going to next and we had to be in full Universal precautions to include mask,goggles,gown and double gloves to today where we know how it can be transmitted and who are most at risk--That being said anyone who can be cavalier towards the transmission of it knowing the risks are doing more harm than good

 

[mispatatas]

Irishbosox fan...you are petrifying me. Please don't make it any worse than it is.

I have had doctors examine the cuts I had (only possible route of transmission) and tell me that HIV cannot get through cuts like that.

I also know that he did not get any of his blood directly on me. If he got any on my phone and it touched me, it not visible to me.

(you are probably wondering why, if I know this, I am still worried - unfortunately that is the nature of anxiety - I have the knowledge that should reassure me but I'm unable to apply it)

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Ok first I have taken blood born pathogen classes and know better than most about the transmission of HIV--Second if she had dealt with him in a first responder manner and was in contact with his blood it would be exposure whether you believe it to be significant or not.
And if you actually read and understood the link I posted you would know a little more about the prevalance of HIV/AIDS in our society.
I was in the nursing field when Aids was still a new form of cancer and noone knew how or why it was here or how and to who it was going to next and we had to be in full Universal precautions to include mask,goggles,gown and double gloves to today where we know how it can be transmitted and who are most at risk--That being said anyone who can be cavalier towards the transmission of it knowing the risks are doing more harm than good

How could I read the link when you didn't post a link? You took a snippet of some study that didn't give all of the study's information.

Amazing how now suddenly you are an expert.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

All that being said I was not trying to frighten the Op but judging by her later posts that wouldn't take much---

If all she did was hand this guy her phone and in no way attempted to help him out other than that and he didnt hand her back her phone dripping with blood then she needs to get over it--She came on like she was sure to be infected then after her newer posts we find she was in no danger at all then I believe she is here because she has nothing better to do today and needed someone to talk to

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

It was not like a first responder (which my DH is )...A first responder would have been gloved and may have had eye protection (depending on protocol)..she DID come into contact with blood...MINIMAL, but contact

I will still say that you shouldn't complain...I had surgery in January where the Nazi Nurse was withholding my pain medications because she didn't think I needed them..she was nasty and wouldn't get my DH when I was admitted...my surgeon overheard her talking to me and reported the nurse to the director...I didn't find this out until I filed my own complaint...THAT was a nurse worth reporting!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Also Irishboxfan, you have your birthday listed as 1972. Wow you were a young nurse if you were a nurse back before we knew what HIV/AIDS really was.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite-KB-ref.jsp?page=kb-07-02-08-01&rf=1-13

she did post the link

 

[Miss Jasmine]

she did post the link

I missed that post, thanks.

Still wondering how someone who was born in 1972 was a nurse during the discovery years of HIV/AIDS.

 

[irishbosoxfan]

i said I as in the nursing field--I received my CNA/CHHA in 1989 and that was during the "Holy crap it's AIDS phase" so yes I know what I'm talking about-second as you could see from above I did post the link and it is at the bottom of page 4

 

[mispatatas]

Irishbosox fan - you are right, it doesn't take much to frighten me.

I really came on here to ask about whether her behavior was appropriate in the medical profession, you'll notice I didn't even go into any detail about what had happened in the first post. I was also wondering if anyone else had dealt with anxiety.

Believe me I have trawled every webpage that exists trying to find out if I'm at any risk - I am as informed as I could possibly be.