Need some information on a scary situation!

SBSNNWCC, RN · Mar 4, 2006

I am a 1st year nursing student (second semester). I have had the 1st & 2nd round of Hepatitis B immuniztions (and need to get the 3rd soon). In clinical last Wednesday, I was helping/observing in pre-op. This particular patient was getting a port put in for chemo administration and also stated that she was a hepatitis carrier (not sure which type, though).
Anyway - She was a hard stick and it took 3 different nurses to get her IV in. After the second attempt, the nurse pulled the cath out (attached to the IV tubing) and threw it on her bed so she could quickly try to start another one. Stupid me (in trying to help and not thinking) picks up this to unattach the catheter from the IV tubing WITHOUT gloves on. I got some of her blood on my bare hands. As far as I know I didn't have any cuts or open sores where I saw blood, but I am a nail bitter - the nerves from nursing school - and occasionally have some open spots around my cuticles. I went to the sink within the next minute and washed my hand a couple of times but now I am scared! I am hoping I am OK - does anyone have any thoughts?

I think the best thing would be to get tested of course but until then of course ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES! I am sure you will be fine but if your instructor knew that i am sure she would be very upset! just go get tested. I hope everything works out for you but at least you learned a valuble lesson. That's what happens, you learn from your mistakes you will probably never make that mistake again.

ArmyKitten · Mar 4, 2006

Did you notify your instructor? That would be step one. Risking your health is not worth trying to avoid a "you shouldn't have done that" conversation. Take care of yourself, and contact your instructor to find out what the protocol is regarding your situation.

student_girl · Mar 4, 2006

I'm not an expert, but from what I learned in my immunization portion of my community health class, I don't think there should be any problem. We learned that you are fully immunized after the second dose. The third one is only to "secure" and make the immunization last. However, I think you should be tested, just to be sure, you know?

I'm very sorry that something like that happened to you. I will send some good vibes on your way. Good luck.:icon_hug:

burn out · Mar 4, 2006

by all means go ahead and do all the reporting and testing-stop the nail biting. In the end I believe it will be ok . What makes this time so scarey is that you KNOW the patient had hepatitis but what is really scarey is to think of the times you come into contact with body fluids that you don't know if the patient has hepatits-that is why YOU NEED TO WEAR GLOVES.

Just ask yourself this question If I were going to have sex with this person would I use a condom?Then yes I need to wear gloves. Good Luck because when you think about it , it is a scarey world out there.

p.s. same thing happened to me with an HIV patient-everything turned out o.k. I talked with an Infectious Disease doc and he

said that the chance was minimal for transmission that way.