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Discussion

Contracting BBPs through skin

Hey guys.

I really hope this is not a repeat post. I used the search engine, and did not find a lot. My question is this. Does any one know the chances (i.e. 1 in a 1000, etc) of contracting a blood borne pathogen via broken skin? Can't seem to get straight answer with CDC website.

Tonight I was helping restrain a pt who was lunging for another nurse, (pt fine one minute, dangerous the next), and immediately grabbed his arm. (No time for gloves, even though I am a stickler for wearing gloves) Unbeknownst to me, he had some superficial lacs to his arm that were still bleeding slightly (not much, just "damp"). Anyhoo, got blood on my hands, mostly on my palms and palm side of my fingers. Note my cuticles are bad from washing so much, but I looked and did not notice any on them. At least I don't think I did. (If I had, I would have freaked then and there.) I did scrub good afterwards, no broken skin to my palms.

Would you worry? Didn't think about exposure precautions then and still wonder now if it even applies since I have no proof of blood to blood contact. I'm gonna lose sleep over this. This is the only HIV, etc scare I've had. *Pt "looked" okay, but we all know how reliable looks are.

Thanks for listening. :uhoh21:

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Anything is possible. If you truly feel you've had an exposure then you need to report it as an exposure, so the patient can be tested for HIV and Hepatitis, and you yourself can be tested. This would ease your mind. You also have the right to assess his history and risk in order to decide if you need to go on prophylactic medications.

If the patient isn't in a high risk category, if it were me I would relax. Good luck.

Personally I would not worry. Remember that is me personally. Base on what you described.

HIV is very fragile and in not particularly virulent. Hepatitis is not as fragile and is more virulent. I have had simular type of experiences with hepatitis and have not (so far) had a problem.

If you feel there was or may have been an exposure file and incident report.

  • Expert

Personally and this is just me - I would be more freaked crossing the street but having said that CYA - cover your butt. Write a report and talk to Infection Control in your hospital.

Personally I would not worry. Remember that is me personally. Base on what you described.

HIV is very fragile and in not particularly virulent. Hepatitis is not as fragile and is more virulent. I have had simular type of experiences with hepatitis and have not (so far) had a problem.

If you feel there was or may have been an exposure file and incident report.

I second what Agnus says. If I remember right, Hepatitis can live days in blood outside the body where as HIV dies outside the body within minutes. We hear more about nurses contracting HBV or HCV than we do HIV.

It's always a scary feeling when that happens though, hope talking about it on here made you feel better too.

Be assured, risk is EXTREMELY LOW!

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