VA DDS exposes hundreds to HIV

[LPMan59]

NEW INFORMATION: Tomah VA: Veterans could have been infected with Hepatitis, HIV

not even fired

 

[NyleRN]

My money is that none of those 592 are infected....with HIV at least

 

[HoughMade]

My money is that none of those 592 are infected....with HIV at least

I'll see your not infected with HIV and raise you a not infected with anything.

You guys realize that private dentists, not connected with the VA do this all the time, right? This is the failure to comply with a regulation and the regulation does not necessarily define appropriate dental practice. In other words, his practice may well have been perfectly satisfactory in standard practice, but violate VA guidelines. As to whether there is any risk and whether there is just more than a guideline t issue, it all depends and which instruments he was reusing and how they were being sterilized.

 

[NyleRN]

Article said cleaning. Now whether or not that's sterilization I don't know. What I do know is the life expectancy of HIV and Hep outside of a host is minutes, not hours or days. But I agree the more than likely the dentist was practicing at the minimum federal regulation/guideline. The VA probably has policies and procedures than meet and then go above the federal regs.

 

[HoughMade]

Article said cleaning. Now whether or not that's sterilization I don't know. What I do know is the life expectancy of HIV and Hep outside of a host is minutes, not hours or days.

I'll grant you, if the "cleaning" is not a recognized sterilization technique, this could be an issue...but I am not trusting a journalist to differentiate.

 

[NyleRN]

I'll grant you, if the "cleaning" is not a recognized sterilization technique, this could be an issue...but I am not trusting a journalist to differentiate.

What? Journalist aren't honest and accurate?<------purple

 

[LPMan59]

Article said cleaning. Now whether or not that's sterilization I don't know. What I do know is the life expectancy of HIV and Hep outside of a host is minutes, not hours or days. But I agree the more than likely the dentist was practicing at the minimum federal regulation/guideline. The VA probably has policies and procedures than meet and then go above the federal regs.

Lol

hiv is hours. Hepatitis c can last from 16 hours up to a few days

 

[NyleRN]

Lol

hiv is hours. Hepatitis c can last from 16 hours up to a few days

Sure can, under controlled lab settings

 

[SEIndSAM]

Not the first time this has happened. A Dentist at the Dayton VA did this and infected people. I know someone who was affected...
VA clinic testing veterans possibly exposed to hepatitis, HIV - CNN.com

 

[5.56'aholic]

Not the first time this has happened. A Dentist at the Dayton VA did this and infected people. I know someone who was affected...
VA clinic testing veterans possibly exposed to hepatitis, HIV - CNN.com

yet the government running our healthcare is a good thing............

 

[SEIndSAM]

yet the government running our healthcare is a good thing............

It's a great idea to Libs.....Until they actually have to use Govt. provided healthcare...

 

[hoosierdoc]

Yes, this is a garbage story. Every dentist I know reuses their equipment. It's called an "autoclave". Steam clean them in heat and pressure after the particulates are removed with a brush and then ultrasonic.

houghmade nailed it

 

[Fargo]

Yes, this is a garbage story. Every dentist I know reuses their equipment. It's called an "autoclave". Steam clean them in heat and pressure after the particulates are removed with a brush and then ultrasonic.

houghmade nailed it

By "know" do you mean in the biblical sense?

 

[hoosierdoc]

By "know" do you mean in the biblical sense?

Fair question, it can apply both ways. The dentist I "know" does this, and others I know do too

 

[Cameramonkey]

Fair question, it can apply both ways. The dentist I "know" does this, and others I know do too

First you tell us you "know" a dentist. Next thing you'll be telling us is that you are a doctor.

 

[Doug]

Notice that the dentist was moved to administrative duties, not fired. Firing a government employee takes two years and if you miss one deadline in the process by as little as one day, you have to start all over at step one. This is why I don't go to the VA. There are some excellent and caring people there, but you can't always tell them from the slackers and you don't get to choose who works on you. I thank God I can afford to get my health care in the private sector where I still have some choices.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Supposedly a hygienist or assistant reported it. That makes me more nervous something bad happened

 

[HoughMade]

The question whether this was a VA regulation violation only, or whether it was really a breach in proper sterilization protocol. Did the assistant report it because they knew what VA regulations were, or because there was really a potential for exposure?

 

[hoosierdoc]

The phrase I heard was "properly cleaned" between patients. Seems like an attempt was made but not good enough, rather than just a rule violation for using reusable.

 

[actaeon277]

https://americanmilitarynews.com/20...m=facebook&utm_campaign=alt&utm_source=asmdss
VA hospitals cancel surgeries over ‘rust and blood’ on unsterilized instruments

VA hospitals across the country have been found to be lacking adequate functionality and could be hazardous to patients and doctors.
Last year, the Manchester VA Medical Center in New Hampshire was forced to cancel surgeries due to surgical instruments being contaminated with what appeared to be rust and blood, Military.com reported this week.
Also last year, the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C. had to borrow bone marrow and sterilized surgical instruments from nearby hospitals because they ran out.