Needle stick from urine collection cup.. Patient HepC positive...

Nurses General Nursing

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So I am totally freaking out this is my second week in preceptorship and I was stuck by the needle that is inside of the urine collection cup the patient is hep C positive they sent off blood work on her and she is HIV negative thankfully... But I do not want to get the hep C either when her urinary analysis came back she has Trace Amounts of blood in her urine I was wearing gloves and I squeezed and squeezed my finger until it literally turned white and started to hurt I am so scared!!!!!!!!!!

KimmiejsRN said:
I will have to admit that I have never in my 23 years experience as a RN seen such a urine specimen container. I would think in this day and age with all of the needleless systems and needles with built in safety mechanisms that safely cap used needles a product like this would not exist or still be in use today. I do not believe products like this are considered safe practice and they should not be used in any hospital, lab, medical office, etc...

Any product with a needle, whether safety-capped or not, is a risk for injury when used incorrectly. I have used these containers for years and never once, until now, heard of anybody getting stuck with the needle. The only way this could happen is if somebody did not replace the Tyvek sticker and the person stuck their finger DOWN the small hole in the cap far enough to come intact with the very recessed needle. You have a very strong opinion regarding a product you admit you've never even seen let alone used. Best practice limits potential splash exposures which is the point of using a vacutainer tube to collect and process specimens. The moral of the story (not directed at the OP because I still don't understand how this happened) is follow the manufacturer's recommendations for any product you use and if you don't know, ask someone. Oh, and don't go sticking your fingers down random holes because you never know what's at the bottom.

Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
Cat365 said:

I've never replaced the sticker. It never occurred to me and I've never seen anyone else do it. After reading this thread I think I might start and bring it up at our next unit meeting.

I don't know why replacing the sticker is beneficial. I mean, after you draw the urine into a syringe, doesnt the container go directly into the sharps bucket? You shouldn't be reaching in to touch it after that anyway. Also, unlikely as it may be, replacing the sticker could be a hazard in the same way as recapping a needle. I would think that reminding staff to always dispose of the container into the sharps bucket (not the regular trash because it has a needle) is the more important thing.

Specializes in Psychiatric and emergency nursing.
Julius Seizure said:
I don't know why replacing the sticker is beneficial. I mean, after you draw the urine into a syringe, doesnt the container go directly into the sharps bucket? You shouldn't be reaching in to touch it after that anyway. Also, unlikely as it may be, replacing the sticker could be a hazard in the same way as recapping a needle. I would think that reminding staff to always dispose of the container into the sharps bucket (not the regular trash because it has a needle) is the more important thing.

Replacing the sticker is in no way beneficial for preventing injury from these vacutainer cups. I used them in my last facility in the ED, and I loved them! The needle is actually inside a small hole in the lid and is safety sheathed in rubber, generally requiring the placement of a lab vial inside the hole to unsheathe the needle for the filling of the vial with urine. If it is the same cup I remember, there is no way to accidentally poke yourself with this needle; one must actually place their finger inside the hole and push the rubber down. To do this before hand would contaminate the urine sample, and to do this after would knowingly potentially expose oneself to bodily fluids. I suppose I'm just confused as to how this accident transpired in the first place.

Julius Seizure said:
I don't know why replacing the sticker is beneficial. I mean, after you draw the urine into a syringe, doesnt the container go directly into the sharps bucket? You shouldn't be reaching in to touch it after that anyway. Also, unlikely as it may be, replacing the sticker could be a hazard in the same way as recapping a needle. I would think that reminding staff to always dispose of the container into the sharps bucket (not the regular trash because it has a needle) is the more important thing.

The needle is recessed in the "aperture". There is no way to come in contact with it when replacing the sticker. Literally ZERO chance. The ONLY way to get stuck would be to insert a finger into the aperture up to about the level of the DIP joint. The sticker is more of a reminder and a fail-safe. This is the safest clean catch urine collection device I have ever used in my three decades of nursing.

PsychNP2Be2017 said:
Replacing the sticker is in no way beneficial for preventing injury from these vacutainer cups.

Sure it does. First it has a warning printed in big letters to alert people to the presence of the needle. And it prevents somebody from inadvertently getting their finger in the hole although it would be extremely difficult for that to happen.

Specializes in critical care.

how ridiculous. In Australia, there is no needle anywhere near a urine collection

This is exactly why nurses need to SUPPORT each other and learn from these events. I've never heard of this either, but that does not make it this nurse's fault or that this is not common practice in some areas...Best wishes for you and your future health. My MD SIL stabbed himself and went through the treatment for HIV. It all turned out ok in the end.

You know, this is why it is said that nurses eat their young. This girl is scared, obviously, and it's not right to break her down or question how it happened because you don't understand it. That being said....

You're already doing all the right things. Make sure to go back for your follow up blood work. The likelihood of transmission is very low, and like others have said it's nearly 100% treatable. You're already doing all you can do.... Just continue to remind yourself that you'll be just fine. And good luck with your preceptorship!

Jsmithedrn said:
You know, this is why it is said that nurses eat their young. This girl is scared, obviously, and it's not right to break her down or question how it happened because you don't understand it.

Absolutely no eating here. How it happened IS important. If we know the " how" we can help prevent the OP or some other new nurse from doing the same thing. Or maybe educate a more seasoned nurse who is using the device improperly and putting him/herself at risk.

Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
Jsmithedrn said:
You know, this is why it is said that nurses eat their young. This girl is scared, obviously, and it's not right to break her down or question how it happened because you don't understand it.

No eating here either, just trying to educate.

OP so overreacted to this unnecessary exposure that she caused more injury by excessively squeezing her own finger.

Acting that flustered in front of a patient would not be very professional and should cause great concern at someone's readiness for patient care.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Jsmithedrn said:
You know, this is why it is said that nurses eat their young. This girl is scared, obviously, and it's not right to break her down or question how it happened because you don't understand it. That being said....

No eating here -- just an honest attempt to educate both the OP and anyone else who reads this thread who might not be aware of the product or its proper use. And perhaps a little bit of attitude adjustment. Bad things happen -- might as well look at them as a good teaching moment or a future funny story instead of freaking out about it.

Specializes in Psychiatric and emergency nursing.
Wuzzie said:
Sure it does. First it has a warning printed in big letters to alert people to the presence of the needle. And it prevents somebody from inadvertently getting their finger in the hole although it would be extremely difficult for that to happen.

I can see this, although I was usually in too big a hurry to notice if there was a warning picture on the sticker. I just always carried the cup as I would any other cup with my finger far away from the hole.

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