Are doctors, dentists, nurses...etc. allowed to keep their jobs if they are HIV or AIDS positive?

Just curious....that's all. Not a personal question, so no personal attacks please. Thank you.

To the RN that first answered, I find that really REALLY scary. I don't look down on people with those diseases, but that is scary. Are they obligated to tell their patients then?

Yes. They are much more cautious, though. I can understand how it would be concerning, but think of it this way: any health care provider who was in a position where his/her bodily fluids could come into contact with a patient would not be allowed to deal with patients, regardless of whether they had HIV/AIDS. If a healthcare professional was in a position where he/she thought that they'd inadvertendly expose a patient to blood or saliva, they would take extra precautions regardless, but they would take even more precautions if they were HIV/AIDS. And as far as I know, they are not obligated to share their condition with patients.

Yes they are but are told to take extra safety techniques. ( use gloves a lot more than norm, to name 1 precaution)

a person with hiv and especially aids are putting themselves at a lot more risk than the patients they are caring for. i don't think they're required to disclose they have hiv to their employers.

It's partially a job protection thing. Healthcare workers, especially nurses and medical assistants become HIV+ through contact with their patients more than you probably want to think about. So, since you became HIV+ doing your job, you lose your job. Make sense?

Yes they have a right to privacy as well but they take extra precaution to make sure u r protected!

That is a good question.
In my oppinion I think it would be to risky for the patients.

Yes. Definitely.

There is no reason why a person with HIV should be unallowed to keep working unless their health is in jeopardy.

Unless you are having unprotected sex with the doctor, nurse, or dentist or are sharing IV needles, the risk of HIV transmission is very very very very low.

There should be no extra precautions taken by the doctor, nurse, or dentist.......we have something called UNIVERSAL precautions that protect both the patient and the healthcare worker from transmitting/acquiring infection. All healthcare workers are required to follow the same universal precautions with EVERYONE. No one should be treated differently (for infectious diseases....contagious diseases may require specific measures be taken)

Just like a patient is not required to inform their healthcare practitioner about their HIV status, a healthcare worker is not required to disclose their status to a patient. Universal precautions are mandatory (though not always followed).