Hospital LOST the blood of a pt I was infected with?!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Monday I was flushing a pt's IV, it was hard to flush because there was a bit of blood in the tubing. I pulled back on the 10cc flush syringe and got a small blood return. When I tried to flush again I got splashed in my face and eyes with the saline/blood. I made an incident report, called the House Supervisor, and went to the ER to get my blood drawn, and I got a Post-exposure prophylaxis med (Combivir) The house Sup. was suppose to take care of drawing the pt's blood.

Well, I find out the pt's blood wasn't drawn until the next day. When I was working again my director assured me the pt's blood was drawn. The employee health nurse is the person who would let me know the results of my blood and the pt's blood.

Now, it's Friday, and no one has called me, so I call the Emp. health nurse and find out the hospital LOST THE PT's BLOOD. The pt has been DC days ago. How totally messed up is this? What am I suppose to do now? I was told my blood would be drawn a few times over the next yr. But still!! WTH !???!?!?? I am sick taking this HIV med (Combivir) and it makes me feel awful...nauseated... I have to take it BID for 30 days. Again W T H??? How can the hospital do this to me?

No one even had the decency to CALL ME. Not my director and not the employee health nurse. Just hell do I do now. :mad:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP.

I don't know what, if anything, can be done now. What a CF. As for the meds, I guess you just have to address the prophylaxis risk/benefit ratio w/ your PCP.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Thats actually really tragic that the hospital is that irresponsible.. I would definitely file a huge complaint!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yea you are in a hard place here. For sure need to know the risk and benefits of the med. Hospital could always call the client see if he/she would be willing to come in for blood test free of charge of course.

There is no reason for the blood to be lost or for it to have not been drawn stat when you reported it. Someone drop the ball big time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Onc, LTAC.

I'm sure if you asked the hospital to contact the pt to return for a blood draw to keep YOU safe, they would. If the hospital won't... well then I'd be contacting everyone I know... including lawyers and news crews. It's one thing to mistakenly lose blood... I GUESS it could happen? But they should be bending over backwards trying to keep you safe and healthy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What !!! something is not right here I have never heard of a hospitial losing someones blood I mean how, did the person who drew it misplace it its not likely did housekeeping throw it away probally not most know not to do that was the pts blood not drawn for the purpose of screening it but maybe another lab test very possible if I was the house supervisor I would have walked it down to the lab myself

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What !!! something is not right here I have never heard of a hospitial losing someones blood I mean how, did the person who drew it misplace it its not likely did housekeeping throw it away probally not most know not to do that was the pts blood not drawn for the purpose of screening it but maybe another lab test very possible if I was the house supervisor I would have walked it down to the lab myself

Not "bloody" likely that they "lost" the specimen . Get a lawyer, and investigate further.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Phlebotomist, nursing student.

Working as a phlebotomist, samples went missing all the time. They could usually eventually be found somewhere in one of the 7 labs in the bldg if the phlebotomist was persistant.

In cases where a "donor" patient was discharged, they were asked to come back in for another draw. In one case, they refused so a phlebotomist drove out to the patient's home and got the sample.

I hope the best for you. At least the liquid that touched you was dilute rather than 100% blood.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A lawyer? Really, I mean what would I ask for? It's like no one at the hospital cares. It took me 3 trips to the pharmacy and 5 calls to the workers comp. person in the hospital before I got the Combivir! I just...don't know what to do. I just started working here like 4 months ago, as a new grad. I just don't know....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

To the OP your title "infected with", might want to change that, you don't know if you were infected with anything, thus the meds to reduce that risk and the lab draw follow-ups.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP.

Oh hell yeah, we lose blood and tissue samples all the time. Its ordinary incompetence, lol, not a conspiracy. OP, go talk w/ your provider.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Phlebotomist, nursing student.

You don't know that you've been infected. You've had an exposure. Of very dilute blood in saline, no needle involved. While it is scary as #*!!, if it were me (and I have had a dirty needle stick), I would tell myself to attempt to relax a bit (not easy, I know!). When I did my research after my stick, I found that rates of infection from even blood contaminated needles is lower that I had expected.

You have already started prophalaxis. While it would be terrific to know right now that the patient wasn't carrying anything of concern and that you could stop the drugs now, not finding out the patient's status right away won't increase your risk any further.

I feel for you. If it were me, I would probably contact OSHA (or at least tell employee health that you're about to), but keep in mind that you will be kissing your job goodbye if you do (though I doubt that is your biggest concern right now!).

Hang in there. Don't panic. Advocate for your self, strongly and calmly, so that they are more likely to listen.

I'll be thinking about you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment