I'm a pre-nurse student, and I just finished my requirements. I did excellent in all of my requirements. I have a strong feeling that I will get accepted. Anyway, I'm excited about it; however, I was at home yesterday, browsing movies in the nexflix, when I ran into this movie which caught my attention, "Puncture," I watched it. Based on a true story.
The movie is about accidental needle sticks in the health setting. I was a bit traumatized about it. Anyway, I believe the movie refers to the late 90's, so my question is: how is this risk being addressed now days?
Is the risk still there? I'm just curious to know from nurses who have been in the field.
OSHA has responded to this via their Blood Borne Pathogens and Needle Stick Prevention act. It requires that employees create an environment in which precautions are taken to reduce these incidences. For example, nearly all needles come with a safety device such as vanish point syringes in which the needle attached is spring-boarded back into the syringe before the needle is even removed from the patient making the risk of accidental sticks next to nothing. Other syringes have needle covers attached to them. Anyway, my point is that there have been great measures in place to reduce these things, especially since the AIDS epidemic. However, accidental needle sticks ARE the result of carelessness, and can easily be avoided by always paying careful attention when dealing with needles and syringes.
OSHA has responded to this via their Blood Borne Pathogens...
However, accidental needle sticks ARE the result of carelessness, and can easily be avoided by always paying careful attention when dealing with needles and syringes.
I saw that movie and of course we all know Hollywood's version of life is not reality even when based on true stories, however, the situation portrayed was of a patient either in withdrawals with high anxiety etc - he was combative or for whatever reasons although it looked like he was somewhat restrained on a gurney with straps -- and an attendant or emt type was present as well: the patient was flailing his upper body and then also his arms about irregularly. The nurse/actress did direct the other healthcare person nearby to hold the patient still, and that person was assisting but then the unthinkable happened etc. Would be a very difficult 'call' I'm sure.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
This movie is based on the real story of the first 3 nurses infected with AIDS. Barbara Fassbinder, one of the first health care professionals to be infected with the AIDS virus while on the job. While she was pressing gauze on a needle puncture, the patient's blood apparently mingled with her blood through small cuts on her hand from gardening, she said in 1990. The young man died, and an autopsy showed he had AIDS. But it was not until January 1987, when she tried to make a blood donation, that she discovered she had been infected.
Barbara Fassbinder was 36 years old, in 1986 became one of the first three health-care workers confirmed to have been infected with the AIDS virus while on the job. She was called ''Health Care Worker No. 1'' in a report issued by the Federal Centers for Disease Control in May 1987, but her name was not made public until she did so herself. She testified about AIDS before Congress, and in 1992 she was recognized by the Surgeon General and the Department of Health and Human Services for her work. She died in September of 1994
Since then, we know much more about universal precautions. We didn't wear gloves in those days. The actual CDC incidence of exposure risk infection is very low but it is very real. The major pathogens of concern in occupational body fluid exposure are HIV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hepatitis D. These pathogens are viruses that require percutaneous or mucosal introduction for infectivity. The major target organs are the immune system (HIV) and the liver (hepatitis).
The rate of occupational transmission from an HIV-positive source is believed to be 0.3% for a percutaneous exposure and 0.09% for a mucous membrane exposure.
The rate of transmission from a hepatitis B-positive source to a nonimmunized host is 6-24% and 1-10% for exposure to hepatitis C.
The CDC has now established guidelines for post exposure that is preventative in nature against infection which was non existant years ago.
The risk is there but is small. You will be exposed to many infectious diseases but that is what precautions are all about. Some areas of nursing are "higher risk" of blood exposure therefor increasing you risk of exposure......ie: surgery, emergency department, labor and delivery.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
OSHA has responded to this via their Blood Borne Pathogens and Needle Stick Prevention act. It requires that employees create an environment in which precautions are taken to reduce these incidences. For example, nearly all needles come with a safety device such as vanish point syringes in which the needle attached is spring-boarded back into the syringe before the needle is even removed from the patient making the risk of accidental sticks next to nothing. Other syringes have needle covers attached to them. Anyway, my point is that there have been great measures in place to reduce these things, especially since the AIDS epidemic. However, accidental needle sticks ARE the result of carelessness, and can easily be avoided by always paying careful attention when dealing with needles and syringes.
Brian.....not all needle sticks are due to carelessness and while there are many fail safes in place these days there continues to be equipment failure, combative patients requiring intervention with chemical restraint and as hard as it is to believe in this day and age...not all facilities nation wide utilize safety needle systems of needleless IV's. The use of these devices are recommended but are NOT required by law.
I recently had a nurse have a chunk taken out of her arm after being bitten by a psych patient that had "calmed" and physical restraints had been removed and spit her skin on the floor.
Many procedures with needle involvement like spinal taps, thoracentesis (drawing of spinal or chest fluid) and central lines do not contain "safety" recapping needle systems. Suturing of lacerations are also done without "safety" needles. Many exposures occur during emergency procedures and code situations when the focus ifs the patients life and combative patients hurling body fluids at staff.
Again the actual infection rate is very small it is the prudent thing to protect yourself and be educated about the risk.
Specializes in Sleep medicine,Floor nursing, OR, Trauma.
I think, for the most part, OP, you are taking the wrong thing away from the movie you watched. As others before have stated far more eloquently than I, this movie should have heightened your awareness, not scared you off.
Consider the following:
There are risks involved with every job on the planet. Nothing is safe or sacred anymore. For pity's sake, I recently scrubbed an intermedullary nailing of a femur on a young woman who works in a local grocery chain. Mechanism of injury? Slipped on beef juice. Hand to God, if I'm lyin', I'm dyin', got her ass handed to her by beef juice and the ever sneaky presence of gravity.
I wonder if anyone has ever made a movie about that?
Juice, based upon a true story of one grocer's nightmarish run-in with a side of cow.
Gives one chills, doesn't it?
So here's the breakdown: There are things you can control in this world and there are things you can't.
You can choose to use a one handed recapping technique or safety needles; you can choose to do as much patient education as possible; you can choose to take every precaution that the crazy, half-witted, drunk-as-a-skunk, combative patient doesn't haul off and harpoon you with a sharp; you can choose to wear chain mail, Kevlar, and the Hulk's spare pants just to be extra sure that you come out unscathed.
But, as my grandmother so gracefully stated, "$#%! happens."
Just be aware of what you need to do to prevent it whenever possible, follow your best practices, and wear your PPE.
Where I work, a sharp needle is the least of my worries in the realm of "Holy Sharp Objects, Batman!". Saw blades, reamers, drills, Oh my!
when you're downloadi... uh... "renting" puncture, you should also see "awake" (2007).
NO no no!
And NO once more for good measure.
Do not see Awake. Do not, for one moment, choose to participate in the spreading of ignorant, over-produced, media-hyped dribble that continues to suck the IQ from society and perpetuate vicious and needless stereotypes against the medical profession.
Should you wish to know about surgery and the possibilities/data surrounding anesthesia awareness, I, as well as any other surgical nurse here, will happily supply you with information.
Should you wish to join the clueless masses or just waste a few hours of your life, please, by all means, see Awake.
There is a lot to be said about the influence of Hollywood on the thought processes/fears of patients, but that is a thought better saved for another time and another thread.
I will now stop holding your thread hostage and release it back into the wild.
::steps off soap box and waddles off in search of grape flavored "Big League Chew"::
However, accidental needle sticks ARE the result of carelessness, and can easily be avoided by always paying careful attention when dealing with needles and syringes.
I respectfully disagree with your statement. My needlestick injury resulted from circumstances beyond my control. I've always been cognizant and careful when dealing with needles. The result of my injury changed the policy/procedures in my ED. Blanket statements such as this places the onus on nurses and every incident does not fit neatly into carelessness.
To the OP, yes, it is always a risk. I believe that Esme and previous posters did a good job explaining. Remaining vigilant and aware while dealing with sharps and the environment in which you work (doctors and other nurses can leave sharps laying about) will decrease the likelihood of a stick. Don't let the remote risk deter you from what you want to do.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I think, for the most part, OP, you are taking the wrong thing away from the movie you watched. As others before have stated far more eloquently than I, this movie should have heightened your awareness, not scared you off.
Consider the following:
There are risks involved with every job on the planet. Nothing is safe or sacred anymore. For pity's sake, I recently scrubbed an intramedullary nailing of a femur on a young woman who works in a local grocery chain. Mechanism of injury? Slipped on beef juice. Hand to God, if I'm lying', I'm dying', got her ass handed to her by beef juice and the ever sneaky presence of gravity.
I wonder if anyone has ever made a movie about that?
Juice, based upon a true story of one grocer's nightmarish run-in with a side of cow.
Gives one chills, doesn't it?
So here's the breakdown: There are things you can control in this world and there are things you can't.
You can choose to use a one handed recapping technique or safety needles; you can choose to do as much patient education as possible; you can choose to take every precaution that the crazy, half-witted, drunk-as-a-skunk, combative patient doesn't haul off and harpoon you with a sharp; you can choose to wear chain mail, Kevlar, and the Hulk's spare pants just to be extra sure that you come out unscathed.
But, as my grandmother so gracefully stated, "$#%! happens."
Just be aware of what you need to do to prevent it whenever possible, follow your best practices, and wear your PPE.
Where I work, a sharp needle is the least of my worries in the realm of "Holy Sharp Objects, Batman!". Saw blades, reamers, drills, Oh my!
NO no no!
And NO once more for good measure.
Do not see Awake. Do not, for one moment, choose to participate in the spreading of ignorant, over-produced, media-hyped dribble that continues to suck the IQ from society and perpetuate vicious and needless stereotypes against the medical profession.
Should you wish to know about surgery and the possibilities/data surrounding anesthesia awareness, I, as well as any other surgical nurse here, will happily supply you with information.
Should you wish to join the clueless masses or just waste a few hours of your life, please, by all means, see Awake.
There is a lot to be said about the influence of Hollywood on the thought processes/fears of patients, but that is a thought better saved for another time and another thread.
I will now stop holding your thread hostage and release it back into the wild.
::steps off soap box and waddles off in search of grape flavored "Big League Chew"::
AWAKE......unfortunately anesthesia awareness does happen. I was working at a facility that has a "Cardiac Anesthesia Nurse" which is simply the wet nurse for the Cardiac anesthesia fellows and facilitator for safe transport of cardiac patients as well as a "heart Holder" for a particular surgeon. I was "Heart holding" and the cardiac fellow wasn't using the BIS(brain wave monitor) because he thought they we "crap". While the surgeon was seating the valve in the open chest, the patient's hands twitched several times and we saw chest movement attempted by the patient accompanied by a few leg twitches. I never did see that fellow again.....hummm.
I Wonder what that patient remembers.....I never asked I didn't want to know.
Needlesticks unfortunately continue to be a major concern for healthcare workers. Though its been 12 years since the passage of the landmark legislation, the 2000 Needlestick Safety Prevention Act there is still reason to be concerned. Many needle safe devices exist however not all are effective and in fact some studies have shown that some of these devices actually increase needlesticks.
A recent study also showed that though there have been decreases since the legislation that in fact there were increases in needlesticks in surgical settings.
I watched Puncture on Netflix recently too and its actually based on a true story of a small safe needle manufacturer that was blocked by a large GPO, long litigation, but in short the manufacturer won.
The ANA provides up to date resources on how to protect yourself and also know that as a frontline healthcare worker it is your right to help make decisions about needle safe devices you believe will make an impact in your practice.
Thujone
317 Posts
OSHA has responded to this via their Blood Borne Pathogens and Needle Stick Prevention act. It requires that employees create an environment in which precautions are taken to reduce these incidences. For example, nearly all needles come with a safety device such as vanish point syringes in which the needle attached is spring-boarded back into the syringe before the needle is even removed from the patient making the risk of accidental sticks next to nothing. Other syringes have needle covers attached to them. Anyway, my point is that there have been great measures in place to reduce these things, especially since the AIDS epidemic. However, accidental needle sticks ARE the result of carelessness, and can easily be avoided by always paying careful attention when dealing with needles and syringes.