First needlestick :( :(

I had a needle stick too in my second semester of nursing school. It is a very scary situation, but it has made me even more careful. So look at the positive, you'll be more careful in the future.

If you work around patients long enough, even with good precautions, odds are you are going to get an occasional needle/sharps stick. The only thing I can offer is that the incidence of picking up a life threatining illness from a needle stick is very, very low. You have a better chance of picking up an illness via some othe vector- emisis, sputum, stool... Make sure your Hep vaccine is up to date, use caution always, and try not to let it make you nuts- you are in more at risk driving your car to work than you are working with sharps.

I am sorry to hear of your needle stick.

I always looks at what can be done to prevent this from happening again. I have found that if I try an IV with either an angiocath or catholon and can't get in, I can still withdraw the needle first which engages the safety device and then pull the catheter out.

i've had one before...

it can be very scary.

all was well for me too.. just follow up. it sucked for me because i was getting married and i had this huge worry cloud.

take care.