Unsterilized instruments cause hospital HIV scare

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

SAN DIEGO, California (AP) -- A hospital nurse who failed to clean surgical instruments may have exposed nearly 300 patients to hepatitis or HIV, officials said Wednesday.

Officials at Scripps Memorial Hospital said the patients, who all underwent stomach-reduction surgery, had a "very low" risk of infection because the tools had undergone preliminary washes and rinses, although they were not sterilized with chemicals.

The nurse, whose name was not released, knowingly violated operating room procedures when she failed to fully clean a gastroscope, which is used to retrieve other surgical instruments from the stomach, said Scripps spokesman Don Stanziano. (Watch hospital officials reassure patients -- 1:27)

The nurse worked at the hospital from September 2004 until last month, when she resigned after hospital officials confronted her.

"This employee was aware of the procedures and chose not to follow them, which is something we do not tolerate," Stanziano said.

State health officials are investigating the case.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/05/04/d...y.ap/index.html

[MrMrsKnight 0]

Man I'd be UPSET if I had been exposed to any kind of disease due to someone's stupidity and lack of responsibility!

Edited May 4, 2006 by MrMrsKnight

[alexil74 0]

[rebeccajo 14]

Well, that's irresponsible as hell, BUT....

HIV can't live outside the body for very long. I don't remember the time with exposure to air, but I think it's only minutes.....

My ex-husband's family have experience with this disease. So that's where I get my information.

Edited May 4, 2006 by rebeccajo

[Ban Hammer 13,342]

what's the nurse's deal? she knowingly violated procedures! hope they put her in jail

[MrMrsKnight 0]

Well, that's irresponsible as hell, BUT....

HIV can't live outside the body for very long. I don't remember the time with exposure to air, but I think it's only minutes.....

My ex-husband's family have experience with this disease. So that's where I get my information.

Thanks for the info! I actually knew that....... but just the thought of being exposed to any kind of serious disease just because the nurse chose not to be careful is upsetting!

[Meriem_DZ 37]

She was just lazy, thought she would not get caught. She had no compassion or regard for human life. I hope they yank her license. She should never work in heath care again.

Meriem

[Indo_mommy 0]

OMG, she should never work as a nurse again.

[MaryandMian 1]

She should end up in trouble since my husband died and was infected with staph for 30 days and in MSCIU the whole time and they cleared it enough in his blood that they claimed he died of cardiac arrest. Total disreguard to life is all I can say with this person.

[almaty 19]

that is just stupid unprofessional sh!t

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

With the scandalous cost of healthcare in California, its amazing that a hospital would be so cavalier about something like this.

A rash of lawsuits will be inevitable, and justified IMO. No excuse for this!

[Fandango 1,439]

Mianish, I caught MRSA in the hospital and it almost killed me...same dealio with my grandmother...who later died, which is a tragedy I will never recover from.

However, for a nurse to be so blatant about things....well, she should be charged AT LEAST with assult with a deadly weapon. Cos isn't that what it is?

[snz1802 0]

[iceyspots 0]