Getting stuck with a used needle...

Nurses General Nursing

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what happens next? Do you get bloodwork done? Any medication? I am so scared, i got stuck today, it drew blood.

Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

Any nurse attorneys, LNCs, or paralegals wanna explain this? Pretty please? ;-)

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

In Illinois - the patient has no right to refuse - they have to provide blood.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
This also happened to me---TWICE!!!

Both times I was SO SCARED!! My husband helped me thru this both times. If it wasn't for him & his positive, caring & supportive attitude I don't know what I would have done.

....

I know how freightened you must be because I have been there.

Hang in there. Pray. Do what ever your employee health people tell you.

My prayers go out to you.

Maryy Ann

Mary Ann,

Thank you for sharing this. It is true how it makes you consider your own mortality, (it did me).

I worked am an aide and have been for some time but, I am starting at DePaul University Masters entry into nursing program this september. We will be doing some rotations at the same hospital that I worked at, (St. Jo's on LSD).

Neat,

Gen

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.

So it's state law then about whether the person can be forced to give blood. I will keep looking to see if I can find this info out for all states.

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well, the good news re: HIV is the prophylactic treatment is extremely effective in preventing the disease if given within 24 hours of exposure. Now sure there is such good news with Hep. c.

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Question for all:

When you get stuck and you don't know if the patient has HIV, HBV, or HCV, is there a law that requires the patient to be tested or can they refuse? I looked and couldn't find this info. I know that if a patient's disease status is not known that PEP should be started anyway.

8 months ago I got a needle stick from a patient dying with hep C (pt. is now deceased) It didn't draw blood, but the company I work for said they were not required to pay for any kind of testing (because they call us private contractors and that releases them from a huge amount of responsibility for their employees).

It is nerve racking for sure. No matter how careful you are (and I have always thought of myself as very conscientious) accidents can and do happen. It is something you will never forget.

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
8 months ago I got a needle stick from a patient dying with hep C (pt. is now deceased) It didn't draw blood, but the company I work for said they were not required to pay for any kind of testing (because they call us private contractors and that releases them from a huge amount of responsibility for their employees).

It is nerve racking for sure. No matter how careful you are (and I have always thought of myself as very conscientious) accidents can and do happen. It is something you will never forget.

Oh my gosh LPNtoRN,

I used to help run a roofing company and we did hire private contractors however, we, (the company) made sure that each contractor had valid workmen's comp insurance and so on.

Did the company that you work for let you know when they hired you that you were not covered for any on the job injuries or risks or that you needed to carry your own workman's comp or insurance for work related injuries for healthcare, (don't know what its called)?

If they did not specify this, I wonder if indeed they are liable, I mean, it is not like you were just a private contractor you are a healthcare professional! Even general laborers who picked up the ground level garbage for our company were covered by workman's comp, (they could've encountered an injury).

Good luck!

Genn

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Specializes in tele, stepdown/PCU, med/surg.
well, the good news re: HIV is the prophylactic treatment is extremely effective in preventing the disease if given within 24 hours of exposure. Now sure there is such good news with Hep. c.

Finally found WA's law on this matter. It says that if the patient to whom you were exposed doesn't consent to HIV testing, then the health officer can get a court order no later than 72 hours from exposure. Of course that messes up the whole post-exposure prophylaxis thing! Of course they can start PEP right away but...it would be nice to know the patient's status first.

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LPNtoRn, How are you doing. Did you get tested for Hep C? Because I am in the "same shoes" right now and very worry. Please respond. Thanks

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