got stuck with a needle at work

Nurses General Nursing

Published

20 minutes ago I was doing a bs on my home care client. I proceeded to put the lanclet in the container(we don't have biohazard containers in this home) we use old sterile water and ns plastic containers. Well one needle had pierced through the plastic and when I picked it up to put the needle in it imy finger got stuck. It looks like it peirced only the top layers of my skin. Are jobs required to have biohazard containers, even in the home? The client has hep c and d. I immediately washed my hands

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

not sure if a sharps container would have been any thicker, but I would think that it would be a requirement that the patient provide it at least. DME equipment. I bet you bring your own from now on, because you cannot trust anyone else to protect you. I hope you talked to your employer about this and follow up with recommendations for testing and treatment, if any.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

That sucks. Been there done that and with a lancet also. :(

Specializes in Critical Care.

Per OSHA, the container is supposed to be PUNCTURE RESISTANT and LEAK PROOF. A sterile water bottle does not conform to either of these standards so I hate to point this out but whoever thought of that way to contain sharps is pretty stupid. And hopefully they are reprimanded. I know that AIDS only lives outside the body for a short period of time but what if that needle has just been used and the person was HIV + ?!?! I'm sorry that you had to be the one to now have to worry about whether you could potentially get Hep C (because Hep B you SHOULD have been vaccinated against and theoretically should be immune to). If there aren't adequate supplies to do your job the way it should be then you need to either speak up or find a new job. And personally I think the person who thought that, that was a good idea should be in a whirl of trouble. That is just plain unsafe, stupid..and oh well i could go on for hours. Once again I'm sorry about your misfortune, but I bet you'll be a hell of alot more careful next time. Best of luck to you.

Well I called the nurse manager who stated that its my fault but they can't provide a better container and if I didn't like it I could leave. Oh,btw it was her idea to stick needles in a old ns bottle. The previous nurses were doing it for 5 years. I am new to the case.

Well I called the nurse manager who stated that its my fault but they can't provide a better container and if I didn't like it I could leave. Oh,btw it was her idea to stick needles in a old ns bottle. The previous nurses were doing it for 5 years. I am new to the case.

Wow. I'm shocked and saddened to hear something like that. Classicdame is right- it's time to look out for number one.

Specializes in Critical Care.
Well I called the nurse manager who stated that its my fault but they can't provide a better container and if I didn't like it I could leave. Oh,btw it was her idea to stick needles in a old ns bottle. The previous nurses were doing it for 5 years. I am new to the case.

Well I'd personally take her advice and leave. And I could be wrong but, doesn't this thing of thing (not having proper sharps containers) carry some sort of monetary fine if the state and/or OSHA finds out if it is reported?

And I'm sorry but that NM is a moron. She obviously never heard of an empty laundry detergent bottle. If she was going to use anything then she should have used that and labeled it accordingly. They are made out of essentially the same plastic and are leak proof and puncture resistant.

Specializes in Clinicals in Med-Surg., OB, CCU, ICU.

I like the safety syringes, which have a sliding cap...

In my community clinical rotation we used laundry detergent containers for needles and lancets. They actually work very well. Just make sure they are thick enough, most are.

Specializes in Critical Care.
In my community clinical rotation we used laundry detergent containers for needles and lancets. They actually work very well. Just make sure they are thick enough, most are.

Exactly ! Well said, most PTs who are diabetics who don't have sharps containers at home or cannot afford them are taught to dispose of them like that. I'm glad someone else learned that in Nursing school! Kudos to you. Keep up the good work !

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

What a patient uses for sharps disposal in his/her own home is one thing. Patients are not required to abide by OSHA standards.

When a health care employer sends an employee into the field to care for a patient, that employer is bound by OSHA standards to provide proper safety equipment, including approved sharps containers.

This employer has some explaining to do. The OP would be within her rights to notify OSHA of this incident. I certainly hope the OP was promptly seen in occupational health and given proper post-exposure care and follow-up.

Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.
What a patient uses for sharps disposal in his/her own home is one thing. Patients are not required to abide by OSHA standards.

When a health care employer sends an employee into the field to care for a patient, that employer is bound by OSHA standards to provide proper safety equipment, including approved sharps containers.

This employer has some explaining to do. The OP would be within her rights to notify OSHA of this incident. I certainly hope the OP was promptly seen in occupational health and given proper post-exposure care and follow-up.

As previously mentioned, this was in a clients home, so not an OSHA incident. Now, your employer should cover a baseline blood test, as this is workman's comp. If your manager doesn't like it, tell her that she'll be talking to your lawyer. They would have a field day with this! Get tested now!!!!!!

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