Needlestick :(

[nrse76]

So...had my first needlestick today in an LTC. I'm just curious...when a needlestick happens at your facility what is the process because I feel like my facility really let me down. I'm a new grad so after it happened....the only though process in my mind was OMG.

After going to the doctors, I found out that theres a one to two hour window in which HIV medications can best be given and they told me I should have left the facility as soon as possible. Now, of course if someone told me this, I would have pushed as hard as I could for anyone to come and relieve me of my shift right at the moment it happened.

But, I told the supervisor I had to leave for the appointment at urgent care for 2 pm (about three hours after the injury). I was told to be there at 1:30 pm so I told the supervisor I would have to leave at 1 (which would have been 2 hours after the injury). Someone from the workman's comp hot line notifies the supervisor that I have an appointment at 2.

So what does the supervisor do? I find out she tells the relief to come in for 2 pm. I can't teleport so I don't know what she was thinking. With narc count and report, I wasn't out of there until nearly 3 pm. She just says "ohh...sorry"

Shouldn't the supervisor have relieved me of my shift...or the DON, or ADON...someone RIGHT AWAY.

[Undone]

I see some new guidelines state the post exposure prophylaxis should begin ideally within 2 hours, but cdc guidelines state within 72 hours.

Just because you didn't get it in the ideal time frame, you were still within the 72 hour time frame.

[Undone]

Sorry, I didn't read thoroughly. Yes, that is messed up and your life is more important than that job, you should have been able to leave (or just left).

[nrse76]

Oh no...I know I could never just leave without relief (that's illegal right?) but it just seemed like no one cared except for me.