Anyone catch HIV from patients as a Nurse or Nursing student? My biggest fear!

Nurses Safety

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Ok so I had a scare couple years ago as a CMA was exposed to blood but didn't get into my eyes luckily plus the patient wasn't HIV positive, but that what if still ran through my head a lot of ppl don't get tested for HIV. Anywho just curious to hear any stories from nurses or nursing students that caught HIV on the job? God bless you and hope to hear your stories. It's a scary thing that's always in the back of my head and the biggest fear I have in becoming a nurse.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

The risk of getting HIV from a needle stick injury is 0.3%. The risk of getting HIV from mouth, nose, or eye exposure is even less- 0.1%. There truly are other things that would be more worrisome. Exposure to skin is even less. Practice safe sharps behaviors and always use universal precautions.

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The risk of getting HIV from a needle stick injury is 0.3%. The risk of getting HIV from mouth, nose, or eye exposure is even less- 0.1%. There truly are other things that would be more worrisome. Exposure to skin is even less. Practice safe sharps behaviors and always use universal precautions.

Wow didn't know that information! Thanks for sharing. I just remember the stress I went through to feel like I'm all clear and that took couple of months for me to feel better. It wasn't a needle stuck but blood sprayed when I did a protime test on the finger. But very scary experience! I have read horror stories of nurses not even sure where they got HIV from and the best clue I would have is on the job for sure one way or the other. I have also read of nurses and nursing students getting HIV from exposure. I personally don't think it can't happen cause I'm sure it can even though it's a low percent.

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Truly, if you train yourself to ALWAYS use universal precautions and not fudge on it, you should (theoretically) be fine. I don't worry about catching HIV from my patients. I do, however worry about catching upper respiratory infections and GI infections from my patients and their visitors. Ugh. Not to mention coworkers who come in sick as the dickens and spread germs all over the place. :bluecry1:

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The risk of getting HIV from a needle stick injury is 0.3%. The risk of getting HIV from mouth, nose, or eye exposure is even less- 0.1%. There truly are other things that would be more worrisome. Exposure to skin is even less. Practice safe sharps behaviors and always use universal precautions.

Is the risk higher for IV drug users for some reason? I thought it the risk were exponentially increased for them? Maybe it's just the frequency that they used old needles...

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Is the risk higher for IV drug users for some reason? I thought it the risk were exponentially increased for them? Maybe it's just the frequency that they used old needles...

I think it probably has to do with the frequency and that for healthcare workers being stuck the monitoring is so much greater, many times we know the source patient, etc (a more "controlled" environment). Perhaps it also has something to do with the assumed potential for other "risky" behaviors.

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Wow didn't know that information! Thanks for sharing. I just remember the stress I went through to feel like I'm all clear and that took couple of months for me to feel better. It wasn't a needle stuck but blood sprayed when I did a protime test on the finger. But very scary experience! I have read horror stories of nurses not even sure where they got HIV from and the best clue I would have is on the job for sure one way or the other. I have also read of nurses and nursing students getting HIV from exposure. I personally don't think it can't happen cause I'm sure it can even though it's a low percent.

I had a needle stick with from a patient who had hep c. I'm fine, despite being really scared for a while. We didn't know what I was exposed to at first (really long story, kinda boring, really)... I did all my labs, I'm clear at >12 months post exposure.

The information Rose_Queen gave is what our employee health NP gave me when I was super freaked out by the entire situation. My coworkers also gave me their personal stories about how they were exposed to HIV or hep C and are fine...

I think it's something to be concerned about because it *could* happen. But the times we hear about it aren't actually that frequent (considering the number of needlesticks/exposures healthcare workers sustain).

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I have read horror stories of nurses not even sure where they got HIV from and the best clue I would have is on the job for sure one way or the other.

The good news about HIV is that it is a pretty weak, fragile organism, and you have to make a pretty big effort to get infected. There are plenty of HIV+ nurses and other healthcare workers, but the vast, vast majority got it the same way other people get it, not through workplace exposure.

Hep B is a much greater risk for healthcare people, which is why vaccination is mandated by healthcare employers. (The figure I recall hearing in the past is that, prior to the development of the hip B vaccine, it killed a few thousand healthcare workers each year, and primarily through workplace exposure.

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Is the risk higher for IV drug users for some reason? I thought it the risk were exponentially increased for them? Maybe it's just the frequency that they used old needles...

IV drug users can share their needles (works) with other people, with blood and the drug being drawn up then injected into a vein, and it is passed on to the next person and so on. So yes, that is an increased risk. As is having unprotected sex with someone whose HIV status is unknown.

Hep C would be more of a concern.....

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I take care of a lot of HIV pos patients, as well as active IVDU, people who trade sex for money/drugs, and patients with hepatitis. My job entails close contact with all sorts of body fluids. I honestly do not do anything different with these patients.

I totally get the fear, but it is that same fear that helped make the HIV pandemic into what it is today. It is true that patient care entails a certain risk, but we have the tools to protect ourselves from BBP. I prefer to worry irrationally about getting CJD from some random OR equipment, or TDR TB from one of my incarcerated patients. Much more dramatic than boring old HIV.

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Specializes in ER LTC MED SURG CLINICS UROLOGY.

Exactly a year ago I was stuck with an hiv contaminated hypodermic syringe and didn't contract anything. There was no blood visible in the syringe or in it thankfully. Hiv contracted through occupational exposure is extremely rare and hasn't occurred since the 1990s. Feel free to google it.

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Wow thanks everyone! Very informative

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