Can you get poked by removing an iv catheter?!

[futurerntho]

I'm freaking out a little because I was removing an IV catheter on a patient yesterday and i held the catheter part. There was a lot of tape so I bundled the tape in my hand and part of the catheter too. At some point, I felt some pressure at the tip of my middle finger and the tip of the catheter. I dont remember now if I felt a puncture, but there's a small bump on my middle finger. I didn't notice any bleeding, but I just keep wondering if maybe it closed up already. That patient's chart also didn't say anything about bloodborne infections/viruses like Hep C or others.

The catheter didn't have a needle in it for sure. But I'm just paranoid I think.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Catheters are soft, flexible plastic.

[sailornurse]

You did wear gloves to remove the catheter right?

[futurerntho]

Of course I wore gloves.

[RN403, BSN, RN]

What the PP said. With the bunched up tape it could have also been a sharp edge of crumpled tape. Although, couldn't hurt to report it.

[futurerntho]

Would that have been enough to poke me? And where/how should I report it.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

Would that have been enough to poke me?

If you mean enough to break skin? No.

You need to revise your IV removal technique so this doesn't happen again.

[futurerntho]

roser13 Catheters are soft, flexible plastic

But the tip seems a bit sharp/hard

[FlyingScot, RN]

But the tip seems a bit sharp/hard

It isn't. You're fine. Listen to those of us who've been doing this for years. Now go study! =)

[NOADLS]

For an IV catheter to pierce your skin, your skin would have to be really fragile.

I am sure that this is something they manufacturers would take into consideration when producing their catheters as this could be something that results in manufacturer liability.

[O9eleven]

It isn't. You're fine. Listen to those of us who've been doing this for years. Now go study! =)

Well said with no demeaning intent like it's custom here in AN.

[babilidose]

But the tip seems a bit sharp/hard

And so if the tip seems sharp/hard, why would you crumple it up in a ball and hold the catheter itself instead of removing it and placing it directly in the sharps container? Maybe you should review the iv insertion and removal techniques. Accidents happen, many of us get stuck and splashed and it's scary, but try your hardest not to deliberately put yourself in dangerous situations. An iv catheter is plastic. It's not a sharp You're probably fine. But I treat a blunt cannula the same way I treat a needle. Best of luck.