Nurses and exposure risk

[dizzyray822]

Hi. I am just wondering everyone's opinion on nurses and exposures to blood born pathogens. I'm a relatively new nurse and I wonder that with as much handling as I do with bodily fluids is there a chance that something could splash in my eye in small (I'm mean really small) amounts and I might not know it and it lead to infection? All my life I've been pretty OCD and worried about "germs," and now that I'm a nurse I worry more with all the close patient contact I have each day. What are your thoughts?

[bcopeland80]

My guess is that we do, in fact, catch more things outside the hospital than inside. I have been doing clinical rounds for about a year now, and I have been sick all of twice (both times I caught it from my kids too).

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

I wrote this because of this thread:

https://allnurses.com/general-articles-about/germ-phobia-strikes-825108.html

[BeenThere8]

Stop worrying so much and just do what you are trained to do. We are taught from day one to protect ourselves. You know how to do that. Just do your job and be vigilant about safety and you will be fine.