Needle prick!!!

Specialties Disease

Published

Hi all, I came to this site to ask for advice. I currently work as a caregiver, I help my client get his insulin so one day about 1 month ago I got a needle prick when he handed me his insulin shot given by himself! It poke me on the palm, exactly on the thenar eminence. I am currently in nursing school and I can't afford blood tests or health insurance. I was not wearing gloves because I didn't give it. I washed my hands with soap and water and squeezed for blood but almost nothing came out. I asked my client's wife about his most recent tests and she said he has no HIV or HCV. Any advice?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

It should have been reported per your employer's protocol when it happened. That's important to remember for the future- there are processes in place that can involve lab work and other things when a needle stick injury occurs.

However, you need to be addressing this with your employer and/or your health care provider.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Infection Control/Geriatrics.
Hi all, I came to this site to ask for advice. I currently work as a caregiver, I help my client get his insulin so one day about 1 month ago I got a needle prick when he handed me his insulin shot given by himself! It poke me on the palm, exactly on the thenar eminence. I am currently in nursing school and I can't afford blood tests or health insurance. I was not wearing gloves because I didn't give it. I washed my hands with soap and water and squeezed for blood but almost nothing came out. I asked my client's wife about his most recent tests and she said he has no HIV or HCV. Any advice?

You were on the job. You cannot and should not take anyone's word for it as far as blood diseases go. It's a work related injury so you wouldn't pay for the doctor visit or lab draws. Fill out an Employee Injury Report with your H.R. and get it handled!!!

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I am so sorry too hear this I know exactly what you are going through. I too also got a needle stick injury from an insulin needle almost a year ago. You should have reported it to your place of employment so it could be reported to worker comp. There are policies and protocols in place so you and the client could be tested for blood related disease. I was tested by my place of employment four different times free of charge and was offered to see and ID doctor if I wanted but thank god everything was negative. Since it doesn't seem you reported it you could go the clinics and get tested for free. There are lots of places where I live that offer free STD, HIV and hepatis screenings. Maybe they have something similar where you are located.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

I got a needle stick injury, fortunately, the patient did not have any contagious diseases. The process was reporting it to my supervisor, drawing the patients blood to check for diseases and drawing my blood. I also had to follow up with them in 6 months. They gave me the option of PEP, I think it is short for Post-exposure Prophylaxis. It involves taking antiviral meds (HIV meds) for about 1 month to help prevent HIV infection. The critical time to start is within 72 hours of exposure, so you may still have time if the doctor recommends it. Always report injuries immediately.

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