Safety

Changes in HIV screening improve worker safety

OSHA Healthcare Connection, September 26, 2006

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Routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among patients will provide essential information for healthcare workers in the event of an occupational exposure, according to a CDC document released September 22.

Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant Women in Healthcare Settings states:

"Unless recent HIV test results are immediately available, any person whose blood or body fluid is the source of an occupational exposure for a healthcare provider should be informed of the incident and tested for HIV infection at the time the exposure occurs."

In an accompanying Q&A for healthcare professionals, the CDC explains that the document does "not change recommendations for testing and postexposure prophylaxis," but the implementation "will result in more persons knowing their status before an exposure occurs," providing more information for managing the exposure response.



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