Essay - AIDS Testing for Health Care Workers This is a Paper...

AIDS Testing for Health Care Workers

This is a paper that gives an argumentative essay on the whether health care workers such as nurses, doctors, and dent*****ts should be tested for AIDS. There is *****e reference used for this *****.

Introduction

***** the number of AIDS cases constantly increasing, it is imperative to find ways to prevent the spread of this deadly disease. Many health care pr*****essionals are now required to be ***** for this virus. Though some who feel this is an invasion of a person's privacy, most people ***** *****se tests are necessary since health c***** workers are at a gre*****ter r*****k of exposure to the disease.

***** Measures

In 1992, New Yo***** approved rules concerning m*****atory infection control training for health care workers. ***** are subject to professional disciplinary action if *****y do not follow procedures that are meant to protect patients from the spread of any infectious disease by the health care provider (Colen 39). Unfortunately, *****y ***** not require workers to ***** tested for AIDS, but instead ask those who think they may be infected ***** "voluntarily have themselves tested (Colen 39)." The worker be barred from caring for patients only ***** he or s***** develops effects ***** the *****, ***** as dementia or tremors. These rules, which are ***** to protect patients, ***** actually inadequate ***** a large ***** of ***** can ***** ***** be*****e any action is taken against the health care worker.

Invasive Procedures

Another argument in favor ***** ***** testing centers around the way the ***** is transmitted. ***** health care workers perform invasive procedures, where ********** are exposed to a v*****riety of body fluids, putting the patient at r*****k for *****.

***** a worker is cut with a scalpel or stuck with a needle during a surgic*****l procedure, ***** p*****ient ***** be infected ***** the virus through the open incision.

A patient can also be exposed to AIDS if ***** health care ***** has an open wound on his or her hand and doesn't observe proper technique while changing the *****'s dressing. Dentist can have their *****s nicked ***** bitten while cleaning a patient's teeth and if the pers*****'s gums are bleeding, the conditions are optimal for the patient to be infected.

Unsuspecting Victims

When doctors or dentists are allowed to practice without being tested for *****/HIV, their patients unwittingly become innocent victims of this disease. Sadly, some ***** the smallest victims are newborn babies delivered by ***** doctors.

Though ***** health ***** community tries to calm the public's fears by stating ***** chance of infection is extremely rare, there have been several reports of patients becoming infected by health care workers, providing more evidence ***** health care providers ***** be tested for this *****.

Conclusion

Although ***** worry about a person's right to privacy, it is obvious that for the safety of all patients, health care professionals should be required to have routine AIDS/HIV tests. Hopefully, by forcing workers to have these *****, ***** will ***** fewer new cases