Looking for support

nutella, MSN, RN · Apr 25, 2016

Just got stuck by 15 gauge needle through gloves. The needles were flushed with saline before I got stuck. I did not even realize I was stuck until I took gloves off so I could not make my finger bleed as much as I would have liked. I poured bleach on my finger.
The patient had hep c. The labs for HIV are not back yet. I know that it is useless to have anyone assure me that I will not get infected. Just need a bit of support. I am freaking out. Incubation is from 2 to 26 weeks. How do I keep sane all this time. They only gave me enough doses of HIV melds til Tuesday! What if the labs do not come back by tomorrow!
Stress level high. BP went to,193/90. While I was in he ER. Need some words of wisdom

I am sorry - it must have hurt though ...

In any way, you need to follow what occupational health tells you to do. I assume you went to the ER or occupational health after the exposure. Make sure you get proper follow up. If you have any additional questions please contact your occupational health dept, make sure your manager reported the incident.

Needle sticks still happen in dialysis although less.

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Apr 25, 2016

Oooof. First, deep breath. What's done is done, and the outcome can not be fixed by worrying. Try as best you can to continue on with life as you normally would.

Second, it's not that easy to contract HCV, even with a needle stick (transmission rate estimated 2-10%) . Add to that the fact that the needle you were stuck by was flushed with saline, and it makes the likelihood of transmission even less possible, because concentration of the virus plays a key role.

https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1852/post.htm"...The risk of transmission of HCV after a needlestick exposure from a hepatitis C-positive source is estimated at between 2-10%.^114-116 This isless than the risk of hepatitis B virustransmission from a hepatitis B-positive source,but higher than the risk of HIV transmissionfrom an HIV-positivesource.¹¹⁷ The risk oftransmission from a needlestick exposuredepends upon the concentration of HCV RNA inthe blood of the source patient and the volume ofthe inoculum. The risk of transmission of HCVfrom a single mucous membrane exposure isvery rare. Although post-exposure prophylaxiswith immuneglobulin was used in the past, itwas ineffective and currently no post-exposureprophylaxis is recommended. The currentrecommendations for post-exposure monitoringand management of bloodborne exposure toHCV are based on the natural history of acute hepatitis C disease and the available treatment regimens."

It's easy for me to say, but try to relax. Whether or not you actually contract HCV (unlikely) is out of your hands. If you do (unlikely), then you will cross that bridge when you get there. But not today.