Infected Needlestick

[blessedRN29]

Hi guys, I didn't know exactly where to turn to so I'm posting to help gain some personal insight and to calm my nerves.

Yesterday morning around 6 am I was giving a SQ heparin shot in a patient's belly. The patient was really thin so I had to try to grab a lot and I remembered telling myself to make sure I do not get stuck! Well I successfully administered the shot but the patient moved so when the needle was coming out he bled a little from the site and with the movement I poked myself on the left hand through my latex glove. I was frozen for about 15 sec cause I could not believe it!!

When I came out of my trance and lifted my glove I was bleeding and went to the sink and washed my hands and bled for like 2 minutes even though it was a small prick. I thought I was always so careful! Well needless to say the patients history is HIV+ and hep C+ and I am so distraught. I was so embarrassed I didn't tell my charge nurse I just waited until 715 and told my assistant nurse manager in confidence and she told me what to do.

I went to the employee clinic and had base blood work drawn his blood work indicated that he did have HIV with counts greater than 50 and Hep C+. She put me on a high dose 14 day aggressive regimen of combivir 1 pill 2x a day and kaletra 2 pills 2x a day. Guys not only do I need help from fellow nurses but also your prayers I know the statistics to catch anything is very low but I am so worried.

Has anyone else been through this? I have to get checked in 2 weeks 6 weeks 3 mos 6 mos 9 mos and 1 year. I will definitely keep you posted and any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!!

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I wonder about other issues of needle sticks. One nurse got stuck in the thumb after giving an IM shot to a patient that had stomach cancer. ( His brother had recently died from stomach cancer as well) The needle went deep into her thumb , when she attempted to dispose of it in the sharps container. Now 10 years later, she has stomach cancer. No cancer of any type in her family history. So I wonder if this CA was not transfered to her thru the dirty needle. Over the years since the needle stick, labs for Hep A,B,C and HIV have been negative. Just curious if this could happen.

No. It was a very sad coincidence.

[Clovery]

So happy for the good news, OP!

As a new nurse, I'm trying to be extra cognizant around needles. Stories like this are good reminders that you can never be too careful. I'd be a nervous wreck the whole time, waiting for my results.

My aunt is a police officer and she was doing an undercover drug buy in a bad neighborhood in the city. When she was in the drug dealer's house, he told her to sit on the couch and wait. When she sat, she got jabbed by a needle that was in between the couch cushions. She had to pull it out and act like nothing happened for nearly an hour, in order to get the drugs and not blow her cover. She got the prophylactic treatments for a year and was cleared after that. I can't imagine how scared she must have been and how hard it was not to freak and just run out of there for the ER.