St.Emlyn’s - By Gareth - November 24, 2017
"So in summary
- I think these guidelines make a lot of sense.
- A step wise approach to HIV screening in hospitals depending on local prevalence rates.
- Embedding HIV screening as a routine part of ED practice may help reduce the stigma associated with testing for the disease.
- We have a captured audience in the emergency department and are the perfect place for public health initiatives like this.
- It makes sense because we take blood for lots of things we don’t need (coagulation screen anyone?). Taking a bottle for something we do need is obvious and logical.. I mean, I’d like to know my HIV status far more than I would my PT any day.
- I know we’re busy and at a time when we’re stretched, asking us to do more and more is probably the last thing a ED clinician wants to hear but if we really think about it.. when we realise it is just one extra bottle of blood, your patients might just that you for saving their life."