I just had the unfortunate experience of a contaminated needlestick. The patient is low-risk with a small history, luckily, and fortunately the stick was moderate in puncture-length and without much blood. It happened after I had given an abdominal heparin injection, and as I was re-capping the dirty needle I was distracted by a patient's question and missed the cap. Needless to say it went into my finger.
I had blood drawn and notified our employee-health office. Thankfully the rapid HIV test from both of our blood samples (patient and nurse) is negative. However I am waiting the results on the other tests.
My question is if anyone has had a smiliar experience, and what your outcomes and thoughts were. Any comments are helpful. Thanks so much!
In the old days we did recap. I was placing a cap on a used insulin syringe when it went right through the side of the cap into my finger. I looked at the man's arm; He had told us he did not shot up. Scars all up and down his veins! Turned out he was Hep A and B pos.
I ended up with IG in both cheeks OOCH!! and multiple testing. I had to take HyperHep. I fully expected to turn yellow and die.
Never again. I won't recap. I will carry a sharps container if I have to, but I don't care what I have to do not to recap. And I never believe the patient either. I check arms for tracks and am very careful.
I, too, had the unfortunate experience. It is not a good time.
First of all, I'm glad the testing came back negative!! I have stuck myself with a contaminated needle before. It was the end of my shift and I was in a hurry and broke one of my own rules. Safety needles are meant to be operated with one hand, right? I always told my students and preceptees to keep one hand on the patient while covering the safety needle with the other hand, that way you keep track of where that hand is. I was in a hurry, gave the shot, and took my hand off the patient before the needle was covered, rammed it right into the needle. :icon_roll Thankfully the guy had a small history and was willing to be tested, everything came back fine for both of us. I did learn in subsequent conversation with this man that he used to be an EMT in a very high risk inner city area! I thought he had no risks, I guess he did! You never know!! :) Anyway, glad it's coming out well for you, and as always, take away the lesson!
Recapping needle is against hospital policy. Aside from that I am sorry this happened to you. I recall back in I think it was the 80's this very thing happening to a co-worker. They went to employee health after having written an incident report, they then at various lengths of time had specific testing. All turned out well for them no undue harm to themselves aside from the horrible anxiety and fear they felt over the possibility of contracting HIV or hepatitis and the beating themselves up over the fact that it happened in the first place.
Some of the best lessons learned come from the mistakes we have all made.
TopazLover, BSN, RN
1 Article; 728 Posts
In the old days we did recap. I was placing a cap on a used insulin syringe when it went right through the side of the cap into my finger. I looked at the man's arm; He had told us he did not shot up. Scars all up and down his veins! Turned out he was Hep A and B pos.
I ended up with IG in both cheeks OOCH!! and multiple testing. I had to take HyperHep. I fully expected to turn yellow and die.
Never again. I won't recap. I will carry a sharps container if I have to, but I don't care what I have to do not to recap. And I never believe the patient either. I check arms for tracks and am very careful.
I, too, had the unfortunate experience. It is not a good time.
Glad the testing was OK. Just follow up.