HELP!! Neddlestick w/Hep C + patient

[melrina75]

I have a friend who recently was administering insulin with an insulin syringe and stuck her thumb. She followed protocol, reported it and went for labs four hours after stick. Her Hep panel was negative, but the patient is positive for Hep C. Should she ask for prophylatic treatment? How often should she go for labs? What about genotypes? ANY information would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you.

[HealingHands327]

Aww man... how did she get stuck so we can protect ourselves.

Did she recap?

[melrina75]

The company shw works for does not have safety insulin needles. She did not recap. She gave her 2 injections, placed the 2 needles in the plastic sheath. When she placed the 2nd needle is when she stuck herself. The company she works for do not have sharp containers in the patients rooms, only on the medcarts. She would have to walk out of the room to the med cart to dispose of them properly.

[GardenDove]

2-10% chance of her getting infected, probably more like 2% from an insulin needle, SQ is not very vascular. I had a needlestick from an unsuccessful IV start, where I got flashback, pt Hep C positive. You won't know for 6 months if you've got it, I came up negative. I was told that there's no prophalaxis.

[Jo Dirt]

I got a needle stick while giving an insuling shot in the home to a hepatitis C patient. She would cry out in pain if you even touched her and it would make you very nervous. The needle barely brushed my finger but it is still enough to give you a scare. The employer wouldn't okay a test because I was considered a private contractor and it wasn't their problem (love these seedy staffing agencies).

I've read that hepatitis C is not as easy to catch as a person might think, the needle would basically need to be dripping with blood and hit your vein.

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

I've read that hepatitis C is not as easy to catch as a person might think, the needle would basically need to be dripping with blood and hit your vein.

I am positive for Hep B although I show immunity and am not a carrier nor have the active disease. In fact they thought I had the Hep B vacs which I have not. I never had but 2 needles sticks in my career and one was when I was caring for a HIV/HepB patient in the ICU. It wasnt dripping blood or nor did it hit my vein. It was a mild needle stick enough to draw a bit of blood no more then if it was a sewing needle. My career in the ICU was long before we had all the additional protectants in place (early 80's). There is no prophalaxis treatment for Hep B (other than the series of vaccine) or Hep C that I am aware of. We pretty well placed it that I may have thought I had the flu at one time not aware it was the active infection kicking in but fortunately my immunity system was able to handle it with a good outcome. I see myself as fortunate that I didnt develop the active disease nor did I ever show up HIV + from this incident but I keep this in mind every day that I work now. My best advice continue to monitor titers and dont let it bog you down with worry. Keep it in mind though when working with any sharps and just remember to cap abit slower and with caution when the protections are not in place.

[SherBearRN]

In March 2006, I was administering insulin to a patient on the transplant floor who was Hep C +. As I pulled the needle out and went to pull the protective sheath up around the needle, I stuck my index finger. I immediately went to the sink and ran my finger under the water while milking it to bleed. I then contacted my charge nurse, filled out an incident report, and went to our occupational health department. I was seen for approximately six months, making sure I didn't convert. Almost a year later, I'm still negative. I learned a valuable lesson that day; ALWAYS wear gloves no matter if you are giving subcutaneous or IM injections. Like a dummy, I didn't put them on like I would for other injections/procedures. I never go without them, regardless of the procedure now.

[Jo Dirt]

I tried to get mine to bleed but I couldn't, I ran my finger under the water and squeezed and squeezed but nothing.

[MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN]

The company shw works for does not have safety insulin needles. She did not recap. She gave her 2 injections, placed the 2 needles in the plastic sheath. When she placed the 2nd needle is when she stuck herself. The company she works for do not have sharp containers in the patients rooms, only on the medcarts. She would have to walk out of the room to the med cart to dispose of them properly.

Is this against OSHA or JACHO guidelines/regulations? If not it should be. You or she should look into it. It could protect others.

~Jen

[arita2]

I have a friend who recently was administering insulin with an insulin syringe and stuck her thumb. She followed protocol, reported it and went for labs four hours after stick. Her Hep panel was negative, but the patient is positive for Hep C. Should she ask for prophylatic treatment? How often should she go for labs? What about genotypes? ANY information would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you.

possibly a dumb question... but didn't the nurse have her hep shots?

[dijaqrn]

There is no vaccine for Hep C.

[jordenia23]

possibly a dumb question... but didn't the nurse have her hep shots?

no vaccine for HEP C yet. I was stuck by insulin syringe that i used from a Hep c + patient.. i got Hep B vaccine, but what im worrying about now is that, no vaccine nor cure for Hep c.