To Divulge Or Not To Divulge Your Status To A Prospective Employer? Espcially Those In The Medical Profession.
As I am a nurse, I am particularly interested in hearing from other people in the medical field. I have had trouble finding anything online for my state about guidelines concerning HIV positive medical people. When I lived in the UK, they had very clear and sensible guidelines, although I did still run into some trouble when the hospital there did not want me to work in the ER because of my status, despite the guidelines saying to the contrary. the UK said as long as your hands were always… read more
I work with Hospice in Florida, USA. I have never divulged my status, when I ask my care team they gave me a CDC handout. It was clear that being undetectable placed no limits on the care I could provide. They were far more concerned about what I might become exposed to and mainly just test me every 6 months for TB. I keep up on my vaccinations, and make sure I practice all of the proper protocols for handling bodily fluids and serialization and proper hand care for myself and all I come in contact with. The CDC has a great website in the USA for any details one may want.
Most of the time I would suggest just not saying anything. Is it legal to ask even? I worked in the food industry for many years and was never asked about being HIV+. It was a couple of years ago that I got my current part time job and I was asked if I had anything that would limit my ability or special needs to be considered to do my job.
Being in the medical field, wow, I would think that there would be a need for nurses in the HIV+ field. We have the IDC clinic in Cincinnati at the University of Cincinnati that handles HIV+ people. My doctor is gay and I never thought of asking him if he was HIV+ or the nurses.
I think it would be illegal to not hire you because of being HIV+, but when I was in management and owned my own company, you can fire people for many reasons that are legal to work around the ones that are illegal.
I know I did not answer your question. I am sorry. I guess I would say don't lie, but you don't have to tell the total unasked truth either. I mean unless they ask directly about being HIV+ don't tell.
My employee health department knows and they told me more people have it then you would think. I work in a major hospital and I worry more about the pt giving me something like TB or flu.
Are you becoming an assistant? Registered Nurse? LPN?
Regardless, it is illegal for anyone to ask for information about your health status. You do not need to divulge. However, being in the Heath profession, I would highly suggest that you are up to date on all and any vaccination and are undetectable on your medication and have yearly follow up and lab work with your primary care provider.
Every state is different
As well as boards of nursing and legislation concerning healthcare providers and HIV diagnoses.
There were a lot of laws or directives out on the books shortly after he height of the aids epidemic and some of those laws and directives have not been updated or changed despite the advances that have been made in treatment over the last forty years.
Your medical history is your business alone, along with your health inisrance provider and primary care provider.
The same for me and I keep up on Labs every 5 months now and TB test also. I can control, by proper protocols, most exposures. I practice all the safe handling of bodily fluids and proper hand sanitation procedures!
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