title: The HIV-infected health care worker: legal, ethical, and scientific perspectives.
abstract: Emergency medical health care workers may face restrictions on their practices as state responses to federal mandates concerning human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) evolve. This article presents an analysis of legal, ethical, and scientific considerations for making decisions about the practices of HIV-infected health care workers (HCWs). A four-factor product analysis is proposed for risk assessment, and recommendations are developed related to decreasing the risk of HIV transmission in the health care setting while maintaining HCW rights.
authors.affiliation: University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Head
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bradley-Springer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sklar
mesh_terms: D026686:Beneficence; D002961:Civil Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D030881:Disclosure; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D017757:Infectious Disease Transmission, Professional-to-Patient / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D033222:Judicial Role; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012306:Risk; D014481:United States; D035141:Voluntary Programs