Nursing Is Becoming a ‘Risky’ Profession

I am writing this letter in response to your article (May 21) regarding health-care employees who contracted AIDS virus after taking care of specific patients.

The article stressed the fact that the hospital workers failed to use “proper technique” while caring for these individuals.

I am very upset with this reasoning! I have been a registered nurse for 13 years, with the last 10 years working in an intensive care unit. I would like to see some articles in the future from the health-care workers’ point of view!

There is a real panic among nurses that I work with. It is very easy to blame the hospital workers for not wearing gloves. It is not feasible to wear gloves, gowns, goggles etc., every minute of the time that you are on duty. When there is an emergency situation involving a patient we are trained to act quickly and calmly; there is not always time to think of one’s self.

Nursing is becoming a very “risky” profession. We are supposed to take these risks in stride with no support from hospital administrations, the Board of Registered Nurses and the general public. I have small children at home. I do not feel like exposing my family to any unknown infections.

Unfortunately, many nurses are leaving the profession for non-risk type work. Nursing is a demanding job that involves tremendous responsibility, high stress, low wages and now the risk of AIDS.

TERRY EDGINGTON RN

Arcadia