2 replies to this topic

[NawlinsGirl]

By Jessica Fargen
Boston Herald Health & Medical Reporter
Monday, June 11, 2007 - Updated: 06:42 AM EST

One second, ER nurse Ellen MacInnis was inserting an IV into the arm of a drunken, HIV-positive patient. The next second, she was tasting the woman’s blood in her mouth.
“I opened my eyes, and all I could see was red blood,” said MacInnis, a 47-year-old Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Hospital nurse who was exposed to HIV and hepatitis C when the patient swung at her from a hospital bed in July, dislodging the IV and splashing blood everywhere. “It was just spewing out.”
MacInnis, like several nurses interviewed for this story, pressed charges against her patient, something that nursing experts said was uncommon even 10 years ago but has become necessary for frontline caregivers dealing with an increasingly violent and addicted population.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional...ticleid=1005826

ONCE YOU READ THE ARTICLE PLEASE ANSWER THE POLL AND ELABORATE ON YOUR ANSWER.


THANKS,

NAWLINSGIRL

[blazes49]

Some particular disease processes make people unpredictable in behaviour that quite often wasn't their original demeanor before the disease took hold. I do understand that if it is a patient that is just behaviourally "naughty" especially drug users/abusers and drunks, etc. but maybe we need to take further precautions too, as these types of patients aren't going to change due to a lawsuit (generally because they have most likely already been in trouble before- and I know I'm generalising here) so if people have a known disease like HIV, AIds, hep c, etc then we need to be wearing masks, etc. I know it doesn't stop us from being hit, but it will help with contracting an unwanted lethal disease!

[NawlinsGirl]

HI,

I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD TAKE ALL THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT OURSELVES BUT WE ALL KNOW SOMETIMES THAT JUST ISNT ENOUGH. I REALIZE THAT SOME PATIENTS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, BUT SOME ARE. THOSE ARE THE ONES I FEEL SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR THEIR ACTIONS.