janitor has possible needle stick

[intheweeds]

One of our custodial staff came to me today and told me she got cut yesterday while taking out my bathroom garbage. Apparently, she went to the principal after the incident and he cleaned it out with her and sent her on her way. Sigh. We have several diabetics in our school who are self directed (high school kids) and test in my office/bathroom. I have a sharps box they are supposed to use, of course, but am now worried that she was stuck with a lancet one of the kids may have thrown in the trash (The wound appears to be a little puncture wound and I can't think of what else might have been in there). I told her to immediately tell her boss at the cleaning company, and see a doctor and get a tetorifice shot and an opinion about what to do. I don't even know if it was a lancet stick--but I worry, and now worried that my concerned reaction might have worried her. She speaks little English and probably has no health insurance. I also worry that somehow I will be in serious trouble for this maybe needle stick, and that the kids will all have to have their blood tested (nobody has anything that I am aware of), and I feel awful for her. I am so overwhelmed with keeping 800+ kids safe during my limited hours at school, this is ONE thing I had not obsessively worried about... until now. Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing?

[Jolie, BSN]

Health insurance coverage (or lack thereof) has no bearing on the management of this exposure.

This individual has experienced an occupational injury potentially exposing her to blood/body fluids of unknown persons and should be treated by OSHA standards via Workman's Compensation.

Your post raises the question of what the procedure for accessing care is, based upon whether she is employed directly by the school district, or is a contracted employee of an outside company. The answer to that question will determine where she is directed for care, but the care must be provided to her free of charge per federal law.