ATTN all Healthcare workers, law enforcement ect - Page 3

[Max'sMama]

Originally Posted by zoesmummy

For me, the differnce in vaccinating myself was that *I* was consenting to it, I did the research, and I decided what I could live with.

: If my field was healthcare I would get the hepb shot.

[Gitti]

Originally Posted by Artisan

I believe one of the studies of the safety of HepB was done on nurses, because they were an available vaccinated adult population. They found that the nurses had much higher rates of autoimmune disease after getting the vax. I'll see if I can find the study.

It was MS.



http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=...=1&oi=scholart


http://nvic.org/Diseases/hepbnlr.htm


.

[Ceinwen]

I think I should commit now to ALWAYS bring a change of clothes/shoes in a plastic bag to work ( or school for when Im at clinicals) as to not bring anything home to my family!

This is really, really important, and key to preventing transmission of really icky things home to the kiddoes. Especially if they throw themselves at you the way mine does.

We're allowed to wear our scrubs to the hospital, shoes in a separate bag, street clothes for home in a school bag. After some days I'd like to just light the bag on fire when I get home.

Thanks for the articles Gitti, off to read!

[paquerette]

I'd be more worried about HIV than HepB. But you can't vaccinate for that. So what does the industry have to say about that? Probably something like "follow universal precautions and hope for the best", eh? But they want you to take a different attitude regarding diseases that have vaccines available.

[Deborah]

Originally Posted by paquerette

I'd be more worried about HIV than HepB. But you can't vaccinate for that. So what does the industry have to say about that? Probably something like "follow universal precautions and hope for the best", eh? But they want you to take a different attitude regarding diseases that have vaccines available.

In this particular case, where exposure is more likely, getting a vax isn't so irrational. It would be nice if more accurate risk/benefit info were commonly available though. As it is, it is damned hard for someone to figure out:

how effective the vax actually is

how likely severe reactions might be

how likely chronic health problems might be

The current situation is a long ways from informed consent.:

[Ms.Doula]

Amen Deborah! That the problem here! :

[kittywitty]

I did work in healthcare...
I would get titers first (luckily one of my jobs offered it when I couldn't find my records), and get the Hep B if you are going to be in DIRECT contact with blood. Nowadays, I would be super careful with it. I know a lot of employers will NOT hire you if you do not have proof of hep B immunity and a TB test for liabilty reasons.

However, I believe I was vax-damaged by my multiple hep B vaxes, and wish I could go back and take them back sometimes. And I think all of us healthcare workers are most definitely MRSA positive for just about everything. It is spreading everywhere, so the scary thing is that it's really becoming the norm.

Protect your immune system the very best you can, and I wish you the best!

[Deborah]

Ya know, the other thing I'm getting out of this thread is that going to a hospital is really dangerous--for the patients. Here you are, with a serious health problem, and you will be going into an environment where various diseases are running around the place unchecked. Yikes. Hopefully not all hospitals are that challenging.

I haven't personally needed to go to a hospital in a few years. Last time was an ER visit for a horrendous bout of stomach flu (what is the proper name for that illness, since it ain't flu?) and luckily I survived both the stomach pain and the hospital visit. Only real problem was sorting out my Canadian Health Insurance stuff, cause I was living in Canada going to graduate school and spending the summer in the U.S. to do internships. Sorry, way OT

[Ceinwen]

Here you are, with a serious health problem, and you will be going into an environment where various diseases are running around the place unchecked. Yikes. Hopefully not all hospitals are that challenging.

Not to be O/T (again!) but it's less that the viruses/diseases are running around the place unchecked (at least where I'm working); it's just that the vast majority of patients/visitors aren't aware of the precautions staff take (understandably) and are sometimes (not always) the key to bringing infection into the hospital, or passing it between patients.

When I was on L&D during winter semester, we had families coming in to visit recent postpartum mums and babes - while they were sick with the flu, or some other godforsaken respiratory disease... despite *very* obviously posted signage clearly stating (at the entrances to the hospital and on every floor) to please, please stay out of the hospital (to visit!) if you were ill.

It goes on and on from there...

[Empress]

Originally Posted by paquerette

I'd be more worried about HIV than HepB. But you can't vaccinate for that. So what does the industry have to say about that? Probably something like "follow universal precautions and hope for the best", eh? But they want you to take a different attitude regarding diseases that have vaccines available.

HIV isn't as communicable as HepB, nor does it live as long on contaminated surfaces as HepB. You're more likely to be infected by HepB then HIV if you're exposed.

[kittywitty]

Originally Posted by zoesmummy

Not to be O/T (again!) but it's less that the viruses/diseases are running around the place unchecked (at least where I'm working); it's just that the vast majority of patients/visitors aren't aware of the precautions staff take (understandably) and are sometimes (not always) the key to bringing infection into the hospital, or passing it between patients.

When I was on L&D during winter semester, we had families coming in to visit recent postpartum mums and babes - while they were sick with the flu, or some other godforsaken respiratory disease... despite *very* obviously posted signage clearly stating (at the entrances to the hospital and on every floor) to please, please stay out of the hospital (to visit!) if you were ill.

It goes on and on from there...

I agree. It was an everyday occurence on my med/surg floor to have Isolation patients with MRSA or worse and have visitors refuse to wear masks or other protective wear and then walk the halls passing out goodness knows what to everyone. Especially when you are down the hall with someone with leukemia or post-surg, it always made me FUME. We would lecture, beg, try to get admin. involved to no avail.

Workers were *always* careful about germs, handwashing, isolation, etc. on my floor. We were probably too paranoid, actually. It's people who don't care/don't know better that are the ones spreading the MRSA or meningitis down the hall.

[snangel]

I work in mental health (FWIW the highest of the high risk catagories) I have not nor will ever get a vax for hep b or anything else for that matter.

[Ms.Doula]

What does MRSA stand for?

[KJoslyn78]

Originally Posted by Ms.Doula

What does MRSA stand for?

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

[Ceinwen]

Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Just seeing it written out gives me the willies... : :

[formerluddite]

mrsa is a problem in terms of getting RID of it when someone has it, because it is resistant to the antibiotic methicillan. but it is not a "superbug," ie it has no more virulance than the usual staph aureus that the lysol ads were forever warning us about.

now, c-dif (clostridum difficile for you students...) is a different ball game. like some of the e-coli that have been killing meat and spinach eaters over the past few years, it IS evolving into more virulent forms, and can live through "cleaning" procedures, even supposedly isn't killed by the alcohol hand cleaners (foams, gels) that many hospitals keep available. THAT'S the one i hope not to bring home to the family. (and, as i said before, scabies, ick, itch, ick).

OTOH, the more we are exposed to pathogens, the more prepared we are to fight the next one. personally i'd be interested to see if anyone has researched health care workers' immune systems. in general the "dirtier" one's environment is, the stronger that person's immune system (and less likely to go haywire and turn on itself with autoimmune disorders), because the FULL immune system is being used: including the complement system, leukocyes, etc. i personally jump at the chance to work with shingles patients, since i know this will give me chance to "boost" my immunity, and lessen my own risk of shingles.

btw, have you seen this tribe: Nurses, Student Nurses, Pre-req takers? for your further questions in your journey...

[karpat2006]

I work in Healthcare and I have been vaccinated for Hep B. Since I was a traveller, I had to go through health screenings and TB tests every couple of months. I finally had titers drawn and had all of my records together. I was unaware that you had the right to refuse such vaccines. If you refuse, can't they refuse employment?
Kara

[hilseb]

HPV? For nursing school?

I have to get Hep B for med school, and I am going to opt to get it. I am a little worried about exposing my non vaccinated kids to my reaction to the vaxs. Anyone heard anything about this?

[GooeyRN]

Oh yes, the yucky c-diff. We have 4 patients with it on our floor right now. Sometimes patients do not comply with treatment and hand washing. We have one man right now who leaves his room (which is allowed) but then uses the toilet in the activities room. Then of course, touches the door, sink, etc. He was told multiple times to only use the toilet in his room, but he doesn't listen. Last week he was found wandering around in the hospital kitchen. Who knows what he was touching and if he washed his hands well. (its spread fecal-oral route) So yes, there probably is c-diff floating around where it doesn't belong right now in the hospital where I work. The main thing is to always wash your hands well after touching ANYTHING (even the buttons in the elevator!) in a hospital. Sorry, off topic!