Needle Stick

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi. I am a student nurse doing my preceptorship at a community health clinic.

Yesterday I was stuck by an IM needle while giving a flu shot. The man I was giving the injection to has Hep C! I am so worried, I have had baseline blood work done...now how do I survive the next three months until the next blood test? Any advice?

Thanks,

Tara

Specializes in ER.

According to our facilities' protocol the stick you got was low risk, and the incidence of side effects from antiviral drugs exceeds the risk of contracting the HIV. We tend to be very careful to administer the meds ASAP after a high risk stick so hopefully that will ease your mind a bit.

Hey...

I got pricked by a dirty needle on Saturday night. The patient was (she died on Sunday) an IV drug user and Hep C+. I'd just given her a subcu injection and then pricked myself.

This is my second needlestick incident. The first was a needle that someone had left in a garbage can at the patient's beside. I never found out if it was dirty or clean but everything turned out okay with that one...

hi guys...

I was stuck p an IV insertion... the safety device on the needle malfunctioned, and, after the pt moved, I got a nasty stick in the hand... pt had HBV, and HIV+

I ran down to the ED, then got put on prophalaxis... Its essentially zidovudine and lamivudine and/or indinavir or nelfinavir for cases with resistance to other antivirals... Its for 4 weeks, and tends to keep you from getting HIV...

I was on the zidovuidine and lamivudine...

I was sick as a dog for what felt like forever, I was scared as all hell, I was a psychological nightmare... still am worried...

3 mos later--- still neg for everything...

Thank god... and yes, it is a harrying experiance...

--Barbara

Canoehead and Yeti are correct. The drugs are to be started ASAP after the stick. Like Yeti said...most people get VERY ill taking these meds. As Canoe said...very low risk and the "cure" is horrible. But your pt. was very high risk. Call the health department and if they can't help, call CDC.

Does anyone know if there are there any prophylaxis treatments for Hep C?

I think the hep c combo is with the general antivirals...but I'm not sure... the CDC would have it posted on their website though..

--Barbara

I think the hep c compo is with the general antivirals...but I'm not sure... the CDC would have it posted on their website though..

--Barbara

Specializes in Research,Peds,Neuro,Psych,.

The guidelines recommend treatment with antiretrovirals within hours rather than days of exposure, but should still be started when the interval since exposure exceeds 36 hours. ZDV (formerly known as AZT) and 3TC (Epivir/Lamivudine) are currently the ones used in a two-drug regimen, but individual clinicians may prefer other NRTI's or other combos.

The risk of acquiring HIV through percutaneous needle exposure to HIV+ blood is about 0.3%. The risk is increased by

1. deep injury to exposed health care worker

2. visible blood on the device

3. large bore hollow needle

4. exposure of the device to the source patient's vein or artery

5. high viral titer in the source patient.

I wish you the best. The odds are really in your favor of not acquiring HIV. If I were you, I would make sure to talk to a clinician who specialized in infectious disease and HIV to get the best advice and the best post-exposure regimen. Take care.

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