Question
Can nurses who are HIV positive continue working?
4 April 2007. Related: All topics.
Should nurses who are HIV positive stop practicing? What about other health care providers?
Answer
There is no reason why the HIV status of the vast majority of healthcare providers should have any impact on their job. There are HIV positive nurses, doctors, pharmacists, GPs and other healthcare workers, just as there are HIV positive cleaners, teachers, bus drivers, police officers and nearly every other trade and profession.
Exceptions for employment issues only occur when there is a direct risk of transmitting HIV and usually a risk of blood-to-blood contact. This is not the case for most nurses.
Examples where HIV status can be an issue in healthcare include surgeons and dentists, who could put a patient at risk for HIV (or hepatitis B or C, or TB) transmission.
An assessment of risks by healthcare job, including recommending whether different HIV-positive healthcare workers should treat patients in England is included in Annex B of the Department of Health booklet:
‘Health clearance for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV: New healthcare workers’
A similar list for Scotland is at this link:
Scottish recommendations for HIV-positive healthcare workers
There are plenty of examples of HIV positive nurses and doctors, and no reported cases of this leading to HIV transmission to HIV-negative patients.
Hi Jay, in the UK it is illegal to be denied a job on the basis of HIV status. Depending on the requirements of the role you apply for you may be asked to disclose your status or take a test. This would often mean the job requires exposure to blood. Even in these events your status will not impact your application but you may be required to have regular monitoring and maintain an undetectable status.
Hello if a decided to apply as a Health Care Assistant or Nurse in UK as a PLHIV would that be an issue to get the working visa to work in this year 2021?
Hi Tunde,
If you’re asking if it’s possible to apply for a work visa when positive, the answer is yes. Your status won’t be an issue.
I’m a Nigerian and I’m hiv positive
I’ve been on ARV for over a year now
And I’m doing fine
Can I migrate to the US ?
Hi Leslie,
Yes you can work as a nurse in the US, your status won’t be an issue. You will however need to ensure that you have good medical insurance as health care in the US is very complicated and can be very expensive.
Hi, My name is Leslie and Im from the Philippines. I am a registered Nurse here in Philippines but planning to work as Nurse in US (Las Vegas), Is it possible to still be a nurse in US eventhough I am HIV positive? Thank you!
Hi Man,
Yes you can work in Germany if you’re positive, your status won’t be an issue. For more info about being positive in Germany, please see here: https://www.zanzu.de/en/rights-and-law/your-rights/people-with-hiv-and-aids-the-law/
Can I work in Germany as a nurse if I am Positive.
Hi Martha,
If you want to apply for a visa to work in the US, your status shouldn’t be an issue.
Can an Hiv nurse be admitted to work in the USA with out restriction?