Fear of Needle Sticks

[lvn84]

okiedokie here goes, so i am a new grad still and i am petrified of getting aneedle stick (or communicable disease), i am currently not working as an lpn but have a huge desire to and to complete my rn. it hit me mid-way throughschool that i was seriously afraid - not to mention horror story from instructor that scared me and then another student got one as we were completing school. i second guess myself when i giveinjections worrying is it possible that i could have gotten stuck. i want toovercome this fear and live my dream, any thoughts. i know the chance ofactually contracting a disease from a needle stick is first extremely low, andsecond you have to actually get stuck. i don't mind giving injections but it'sthe anticipating after withdrawing the needle and knowing it is now contaminatedthat scares me into panic.

i also realize that this fear is controlling me because it makes me question too much the jobs i want to get...instead of just going for it.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You have acquired a phobia.

Not hard to do in this business.

I was a new grad,, stuck myself with a needle that was contaminated by a known drug user (pregnant at the time).

Got stuck by a needle (18 gauge lab draw) that was planted in my lab coat jacket draped over a chair. ( lateral violence)

= unknown exposure.

Assaulted by a psych patient.. (hair pulled out of my head with dirty nails) = a needle stick.

Plus a zillion other exposures over the years.

I have not acquired any blood borne pathogen disease.

The bottom line is the chance of contracting a communicable disease is not equal to your fear.

Please get some counseling to overcome your anxiety.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

sometimes a specific anxiety is aggravated by other, non-specific ones (nursing school!). A counselor may help your overall mental health situation.