needle stick

mysticalwaters1 · Jun 21, 2005

: Hi. I have been a nurse since 1999 today is the first day it has ever happened to me. I was putting the needle in the sharps and I looked down and I had a prick mark where the needle had stuck me. I do not know if it happened when I took the needle cap off to give the immunization or after. I was honest and told the monm(it was a 4 year old getting thier school shots). She was very understanding and forgiving. She herself is a nurse so she knows accidents happen. I felt so bad. especially since I do not know when the needle stick happened. I am not really worring about catching anything because I know the parents and it was just a child, I feel worse that I dont know if it happened before or after I gave the immunizations. I just had a baby so I was test for HIV, and all that stuff. Everything was negative but you still worry. I cried and cried. The mom called me three times at work to make sure I was ok. I am so glad it happened to a understanding family. Please write and let me know if anything like this has happened to you. Does anyone know the chances of catching anything from needle sticks? Thanks in advance for your help.

I stuck myself on a tubercullin syringe when I had 2 needles for lantus and reg insulin. I couldn't mix it so i had 2 syringes. Usually I inject one then throw the needle out then stick the other in and throw it out. This time several relatives were in front of the sharp box so i put the 1rst needle on the table after i stuck the pt. Injected the other needle. Then picked up both dirty needles and b/c i was nervous of 2 needles in my hand i somehow accidently dropped one and it landed on my index finger. I was so upset and what a stupid thing to do. I wrote incident report, went to the er, and got all the testing and it was all ok. The md said it was very rare to catch anything from a sq needle. My other friend on the other hand was collecting blood off a piccline using a needle and somehow during the procedure accidently stuck her self. No that was serious since it was direct contact with blood but she was ok too. We just have to be careful. Our risk management thought of giving us nurses little narc boxes to carry at the bedside at times so we didn't have to travel 5-10 feet to the narc box. Aparrently lots of injuries with insulin syringes have been occuring. Doesn't help that they give you new needles with no inservice and can't understand the safety gaurd for the life o me. Anyway sorry about that I feel for you but all the testing came back ok.

NeoNurseChic · Jun 21, 2005

My stick was on March 1 of this year...as a student, nonetheless. I was working at a clinic in West Philadelphia. I, myself, have been taking injectible medications for several years, and I couldn't believe it happened, but...accidents happen...

I was taking a patient's blood sugar. They don't use safety lancets out there -- cheaper to use the white ones that are supposed to go in the pen, except we don't use the pen because of cross-contamination. So, I twisted the top off and stuck the patient. The glucometer came up as an error, so the patient was frustrated. The needle box was far away, and I went to pick up my supplies and the lancet went into my thumb...I was still wearing gloves.

Well...obviously I can't really get into all the details, patient history, etc. At any rate, I spent a month taking Combivir. I had my own preliminary screenings done, and I have been diligent about follow up testing. I haven't gotten the results of the 3 month check yet, but everything else has been in the clear. :)

In my case, the patient actually refused to retest. He said it was my fault, so why should he have to? Well in some ways, he is correct...but I wouldn't really put fault on it. Accidents happen. (Even though the trauma book I used said that there are no accidents...everything is preventable! MVA into MVC...whatever...)

An odd coincidence is that another student from my class had a needle stick there just a few months prior. He did not choose follow up with university health due to the circumstances of the situation. We both felt slightly crushed by the experience, but we bounced back okay in the long run. :)

I *hate* that I have to worry until the 6 month testing goes all the way through. Even though the risk of getting HIV from a needlestick is very low, and even lower for a lancet...that went through a glove..it still makes me worry a little at times. I have a very busy personal medical history, and about 7 days after the needlestick, I had sinus surgery. I was throwing up blood for about 5 hours after the surgery, and at one point my mom said, "I have to go wash my hands..." I realllllly don't like putting my loved ones in that position where they feel even a little nervous.

So...it happens! I talked to a LOT of people after that about their experiences. Almost everyone I talked to had a story about how they had a needlestick at some point. It helped me feel a great deal better! Hopefully that will help you, too. All we can do is learn from it... It's hard because you don't know how it happened. With mine, I do know...and I know the stick made me a lot more careful...even though I already was very careful about it!

Hang in there, and know that you are definitely not alone. If it had to happen, I'm glad it was with a good family and that you feel safe about it. That helps a LOT, I do think!!

Many Hugz,

Carrie :)

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2005

I stuck myself on a tubercullin syringe when I had 2 needles for lantus and reg insulin. I couldn't mix it so i had 2 syringes. Usually I inject one then throw the needle out then stick the other in and throw it out. This time several relatives were in front of the sharp box so i put the 1rst needle on the table after i stuck the pt. Injected the other needle. Then picked up both dirty needles and b/c i was nervous of 2 needles in my hand i somehow accidently dropped one and it landed on my index finger. I was so upset and what a stupid thing to do. I wrote incident report, went to the er, and got all the testing and it was all ok. The md said it was very rare to catch anything from a sq needle. My other friend on the other hand was collecting blood off a piccline using a needle and somehow during the procedure accidently stuck her self. No that was serious since it was direct contact with blood but she was ok too. We just have to be careful. Our risk management thought of giving us nurses little narc boxes to carry at the bedside at times so we didn't have to travel 5-10 feet to the narc box. Aparrently lots of injuries with insulin syringes have been occuring. Doesn't help that they give you new needles with no inservice and can't understand the safety gaurd for the life o me. Anyway sorry about that I feel for you but all the testing came back ok.

It was the most incredible feeling of doom and anger. I went to the ER and the doc said there was little chance of harm. I had my gloves on and since it was a subq insulin the chances were very small. He said it was more likely that it would be dangerous if it was venous blood. I had to have another in 6 months, but I was a nervous wreck for a long time.

RNin2007 · Jun 21, 2005

: Hi. I have been a nurse since 1999 today is the first day it has ever happened to me. I was putting the needle in the sharps and I looked down and I had a prick mark where the needle had stuck me. I do not know if it happened when I took the needle cap off to give the immunization or after. I was honest and told the monm(it was a 4 year old getting thier school shots). She was very understanding and forgiving. She herself is a nurse so she knows accidents happen. I felt so bad. especially since I do not know when the needle stick happened. I am not really worring about catching anything because I know the parents and it was just a child, I feel worse that I dont know if it happened before or after I gave the immunizations. I just had a baby so I was test for HIV, and all that stuff. Everything was negative but you still worry. I cried and cried. The mom called me three times at work to make sure I was ok. I am so glad it happened to a understanding family. Please write and let me know if anything like this has happened to you. Does anyone know the chances of catching anything from needle sticks? Thanks in advance for your help.

...when she was in NICU as a baby. I was approached with a consent to be tested and I immediately obliged. I was young....19, and she had no idea who I was or where I had been. I don't blame her one bit and I wanted to give to her the reassurance I had in my own mind that she would be just fine.....

Just hope this makes you feel better from a parents perspective! =) (and a soon to be RN)

~J

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jun 21, 2005

During one of my surgeries one of the nurses got a needle stick. So it was requested that I be tested for HIV (I think there was blood involved). I was two at the time. My parents gave the ok. The results were negitave. The nurse was relieved and thankful to my parents for putting her mind at ease

Trauma Columnist · Jun 21, 2005

In Illinois, it is required that the source patient be tested and we don't need consent. In fact, legally, they can't refuse. Because I work in a high risk area, (inner city large ER), we use all the resources necessary in order to test the patient.

NeoNurseChic · Jun 21, 2005

In Illinois, it is required that the source patient be tested and we don't need consent. In fact, legally, they can't refuse. Because I work in a high risk area, (inner city large ER), we use all the resources necessary in order to test the patient.

That's nice to know. Wish we'd had that law over here when I got stuck!! I also work in the inner city. I love to work in the city, but at the same time...everything comes with a risk. One night I was working in the ER, and shortly after I left, 3 guys were shot up in the convenient store right across the street...I lived in the apartment building above that, which were student apartments for the university.

Talk about timing...I'm lucky I didn't go in that store before I went upstairs, like I often did!

Everyone thought it was rather mean that the guy involved in my needle stick refused to retest. The nurse who continues to do my blood work just keeps telling me that what goes around comes around, and he'll get his... True...at some point he probably will...

eltrip · Jun 21, 2005

May, 1995. It was around 12:30 in the morning. I'd just rec'd an HIV+ pt from surgery & I needed to draw a hematocrit on this person asap. I'd noticed that the needlebox in the room needed to be changed but the 3-11 custodial staff for our unit was on vacation & we night nurses didn't have a key (all sharps containers were locked to the wall). Using a butterfly, I missed the pt's vein. while trying to thread the needle into the sharps container, the needle turned around on the tubing & stuck me through my glove. I immediately removed the glove, washed my hands & proceded to milk the stuck area. My charge nurse accompanied me to the ED. The patient was extremely cooperative and was concerned for my well-being. The doc was actually more concerned that I could get Hep C. I declined the offer of medications & went through six months of testing. I've never been so proud to be negative in my life.

The first three months were hellacious. My (now ex-) husband chose to protect himself through celibacy. He was less than supportive. Folks at work were much more supportive. The night shift was immediately provided with a key to change out the sharps containers on our own.

I am so grateful that there have been so many changes in the systems we use to draw blood and give injections. I utilize everything I can to keep myself safe when I need to use needles. (And I just love the needleless ports on IV lines & hep locks!)

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 21, 2005

I am so sorry to read of all you folks went through having been stuck. I want you to know, it can happen to anyone. You are human. The less than supportive nature of administration, peers, and lawmakers is appalling. And I think in all the states, it ought be mandated that in the case of a sharps injury the patient be tested. Who are we protecting here?

I am so sorry OP, for all you have been through. Just know you and all the others having been through this are in my thoughts. It can happen to ANY of us.Just takes a second.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2005

When I was in nursing school, my university opened a flu shot booth and gave shots to walk-ins. Nurses from the student health clinic staffed it and took volunteers from the nursing school to help give the shots. The booth was a poor set up of tables, with sharps containers at the ends of the tables, away from the actual chair that we had the pts sit in for the shots. We were not given safety needles (I think it might have been before they were available? --'99). Anyway it was necessary to lay the used needle on the table while putting on the bandaid, then walk the 4 or so steps to the needle box. Well, I had set a used needle on the table, on top of the pt's flu shot info sheet. After the shot, the pt took the info sheet before I could pick up the dirty needle. The needle fell to the ground, grazing my leg on the way down. Of course it was October and still quite warm, so I was wearing shorts. The needle left a scratch on my skin. I immediately rubbed the area with alcohol hand gel. It happened so fast and I was in disbelief so I didn't think to call the person back. The doctor at the student health clinic said it was very low risk since it was a non-blood-filled IM needle and it was a scratch, rather than a stick. Plus I had used the alcohol gel right away. Everything was fine.

Certainly does ruin your day doesn't it?

nursekelly217 · Aug 13, 2005

Hi! I just read your post on your needlestick experience... I work in a drug/etoh detox facility and had a needlestick Tues night. Patient is an active IV drug user with known Hep C and even though her HIV test came back neg the ID MD "strongly urged" me to go on the HIV prophyllaxis - Combivir and Viracept for one month - given the 3 mo period of seroconversion for the virus and this patient's high risk status - the short end of it is that I'm sick as a dog and wondering if it gets better (I'm on day 3 of the meds) or if the rest of the month will be like this. I'm going on vacation next week and the thought of camping with my current GI side effects is horrifying... what was your experience with the drugs? Thanks!!!