My first needle stick

[Syrinx2112]

Got my first needle stick last week after an unsuccessful venipuncture with a butterfly needle when my hand hit the bevel after withdrawing causing a puncture through the glove. There was no visible blood on the needle and no known bleeding at the puncture site. I was so shaked up by the whole incident that I didn't even think to go to the ER and it hit me a couple days later that I needed to do something so I went to Occupational Health yesterday where I did all the paper work and then they ran blood tests for HIV and Hep C. I was already a couple days too late for PEP. Has anyone else experienced this? What are the chances of infection? This really scares me and it would be great to hear from others who went through the same ordeal.

Thank you in advance.

[joemomma35]

I've only been a nurse for a month, and I got stuck with a needle on my second week at work. I was giving a very anxious patient sub-q Lovenox through his belly. After I administered it, his arm bumped the needle and it penetrated my glove into my right palm very slightly. I was pretty nervous about all of it and elected to take the rest of the shift off to go to my workman's comp doctor for PEP. He saw my injury and recommended not taking it because of its side-effects and the fact that it was a minor stick.

There's some information here you haven't given us. What type of patient was he, what type of environment do you work in, and is he known to have HIV, Hep B, or Hep C? The chances of being infected with HIV are extremely low, even with patients who have HIV. Hepatitis is a higher chance, but I don't remember the stats. You can easily google them. It does matter how long the needle was in his blood stream, because that affects the seroconversion of any pathogens onto the needle. If there was very little to no bleeding at your puncture site then the chances are significantly in your favor.

I know it's tough because I remember being pretty nervous until the lab results came back. If what you said is true, however, then the chances are very high that you will be perfectly fine.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

We can't give medical advice here.

Your physician will be able to tell you that the risks go down with needle size (e.g., the honking big 12ga they use at the blood donation center holds a lot more blood than a 23ga butterfly), and that your risks are very small. About 300 healthcare workers per year contract hepatitis in the US was the last stat I saw; pretty small potatoes compared to the number of exposures. Do what they tell you to do, and try not to obsess about it. :flwrhrts:

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

My first needle stick was as a pregnant new grad.

Capped the needle after administering morphine to a junkie.. post amputation ..for gangrene.

The baby and I lived.

Deep breaths.. you'll be all right.. feel free to PM me for support.

[CRNA13]

There should be a policy or protocol for situations like these. Paper work and ER immediately. Hope everything turns out alright with you.

[Surg-OncRN]

I know how you feel. One of the first things to do is stay calm. Then check with your charge nurse and dig up the policy. You want to send off some blood from the patient to see if they have any diseases first. If the patient is positive then they will screen your blood. Three years ago I accidentally stuck myself with an insulin syringe after administering it to a Hep C pos. pt. It is scary but I learned a big lesson from it. I was negative by the way.

I believe the two biggest causes of needle sticks are being in a hurry and not retracting the needle with one hand. Every time I precept a new nurse or sometimes experienced nurses I have to tell them not to retract the needle with both hands. Always retract the needle with one hand no matter what. It is very difficult to get stuck that way.