Needle stick from urine collection cup.. Patient HepC positive...

Nurses General Nursing

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So I am totally freaking out this is my second week in preceptorship and I was stuck by the needle that is inside of the urine collection cup the patient is hep C positive they sent off blood work on her and she is HIV negative thankfully... But I do not want to get the hep C either when her urinary analysis came back she has Trace Amounts of blood in her urine I was wearing gloves and I squeezed and squeezed my finger until it literally turned white and started to hurt I am so scared!!!!!!!!!!

It was an unsafe Sharps container we have an old-style one in our med room....

I came here for support and most of all I've been torn down..... So thanks for that

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Okay guys - several posts have been deleted due to TOS violation.

And...quite frankly I'm surprised several of you with rude comments didn't know about this. These UA containers have been around for years and years. I used them when I worked in the ED which was >11 years ago.

Just because YOU are not familiar with a device doesn't mean it doesn't exist or that the nurse did something wrong.

Specializes in A variety.
traumaRUs said:
Okay guys - several posts have been deleted due to TOS violation.

And...quite frankly I'm surprised several of you with rude comments didn't know about this. These UA containers have been around for years and years. I used them when I worked in the ED which was >11 years ago.

Just because YOU are not familiar with a device doesn't mean it doesn't exist or that the nurse did something wrong.

Kudos

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

It is very stressful I know. I once was cleaning an exam room up post procedure and managed to stick myself with the needle used for the lady partsl block. It was always in the back of my mind until i was cleared 6 months later after the final testing.

The chances are really small and you did the right thing afterward so you have to try to just know that you will most likely be negative.

Best wishes to you.

I hope all will be okay!!!

The next time you go to work take a full set of pictures documenting the condition of that sharps box and email them to yourself. These pictures could potentially help you to win a lawsuit someday if things go badly. If you don't have pictures then you're just going to be OOL. Consider filing a formal complaint with JACHO and OSHA because there is no excuse for this. File these complaints and you go on the record and the hospital can't sweep the matter under the rug and try to goat you for their failings.

Whatever you do please realize the hospital doesn't really care about you but they do care a great deal about avoiding liability on their part. If you don't complain higher up this will just go on to happen to other staff members.

This is a cautionary tale for those of you who use these cups. It might be a good idea to review the instructions for use. The sticker on the top that is removed to reveal the needle is supposed to be replaced after the sample is obtained. It is virtually impossible, without significant effort, to get a needle stick injury if the sticker is in place.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

never mind....

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Leeleeboo7 said:
It was an unsafe Sharps container we have an old-style one in our med room....

I came here for support and most of all I've been torn down..... So thanks for that

This isn't a support group. This is a nursing forum, and if you ask questions you'll get answers. What you may -- or may not -- get is support. You can learn an awful lot from the members here, if you're willing to.

Please take this opportunity to work on your writing skills. Professional writing is part of being a professional, and yours needs punctuation.

That said, yours was a stupid mistake, but we've all made them. Back in the days when we drew urine out of the Foley tubing with an actual needle, I took the urine, put it in the sterile container and then stuck the syringe with the capped needle in my pocket to dispose of in the utility room where the only sharps contain was located. I squatted down to help the patient with her slippers, and the needle went right through the cap and jabbed me in the leg. OUCH!

I could fill many threads with dumb (and dumber) mistakes that I've made or that I've seen others make -- in fact, I probably have. In a few years, this will be fodder for one of those "Dumbest Mistake I've Ever Made" threads. Seriously. I'm sure the Employee Health nurses have reassured you that the statistics are in your favor. One day this will be funny. I've found it easier to deal with my own really bad days by telling myself that.

Deep breath! The absolute worst case scenario is that you will get Hep C. Unlike when I was in nursing school, hep C is now almost 100% curable (all genotypes). Even if you get the virus (which I highly doubt you will), you are not doomed to cirrhosis.

My preceptor swore that we had a patient try to stick his member in one. He apparently thought he had to pee in the top hole. I love these and we use them but I always make sure to loosen the lid and tell the patient not to stick anything, especially body parts through the cover. I'm not real sure how you accidentally impale yourself on the needle. It is covered and recessed.

Sorry, I just saw the post about it being in a sharps container. That makes much more sense.

We have tall sharps containers that have a foot pedal to open (like a kitchen trash can) that we dispose of them in.

Ive never replaced the sticker. It never occurred to me and I've never seen anyone else do it. After reading this thread I think I might start and bring it up at our next unit meeting.

I will have to admit that I have never in my 23 years experience as a RN seen such a urine specimen container. I would think in this day and age with all of the needleless systems and needles with built in safety mechanisms that safely cap used needles a product like this would not exist or still be in use today. I do not believe products like this are considered safe practice and they should not be used in any hospital, lab, medical office, etc...

I am really sorry you experienced a needle injury. I can honestly say that I have never experienced one. I can not begin to imagine the amount of stress it has caused you.

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