Increased risk of needle stick injury

[IMOKAY, BSN]

I'm weighing pros and cons of moving into dialysis nursing, specifically chronic center. From what I'm reading here a nurse inserts both a venous and arterial large bore needle into 12-14 patients in somewhat of a rush to get everyone started and finished on time. I'm wondering how many of you have experienced or witnessed needle stick injuries in this process. Would you say the incidence is higher than on a hospital unit or ED? What precautions are in place for prevention?

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Where I live, a tech does the cannulation. Now, without experience, most companies will expect you to do tech training. Falls into, you can't direct what you don't know.

The needles all have safety features to help prevent needle sticks. Like anything else, you have to practice safety and safely. I have only known of 1 needle stick, which happened 3 years before I started. The tech was practicing safely, but another tech wasn't, ran into other tech. Luckily, no disease came of it.

The incidence/risks is probably about the same, probably less in dialysis, because everyone is very aware of the needles and blood

[IMOKAY, BSN]

Thank you so much for your informative reply!

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I will tell you, try it! If you don't like it, and it's because of the job itself, then go to another area of nursing. If you don't like something about the specific clinic, transfer or change companies. I love it, it's my cruising into retirement job!