Hi, im a single 31yr old OR nurse. About 8 months ago, I was stuck in a substerile room with a 18g hollow core needle. Someone had left it at the sink and I did not notice it. It was laying on a towel with some instruments and I was putting them away and It stuck me. Like an idiot, I did not think anything of it. I left the hospital and the next day a co-worker asked me if I went to the ER. I told her I had worked over 2 hours and really, I forgot. It was such a busy night. The hospital's employee health said there was nothing they could do. They wouoldn't even do a courtesy test. I called the local health dept. and scheduled a test in Oct 2000. It came back negative. For the next 6 months I was worried, but just knew everything would be allright. In Feb 2001, I had my 6 months test. It was negative and I was overjoyed. I recently started traveling nursing in the OR. Last Thursday, I was stuck with a suture the surgeon was using to close the peritoneum. This time I went to the ER and sat 3 hours for a preliminary test. I was told to follow up with Employee Health on Tuesady of this week. Tuesday, I was told that I could not be seen because I was not an employee of the hospital.I asked of my test results on Thursday and about the patient's and was told they knew nothing about it. Today after work, I walk in the door and the phone is ringing. Its the ER physician I saw last week. He told me my test came back positive. I didn't believe him. I mean, I just was tested in Feb and told him the results were negative. He told me to have the Western Blot test because sometimes, but in a minute cases, there is a false positive. I am so scarred. What will become on my career?? Can I be terminated?? How do I tell my family? I can't stop crying. My mind is so confused. I can't remember treatment options. My life is over. Please someone just help. I have prayed for hours and I feel numb. I'm scarred, confused, and I just don't know what to do. RH
