Needlestick with CLEAN needle

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This probably sounds dumb, but I haven't been able to find any information on this.

I volunteer at a free clinic and was giving (ironically) a Hep A/B vaccination to a patient. I had trouble taking off the needle cover and stabbed myself with the needle.

The needle was absolutely clean (the cap was only off the freshly opened needle in the time it took me to stab myself).

The question I have is regarding the latex gloves. I had them on when putting new dressings on the patient's abscess (someone else cleaned up the old dressings, I just helped tape up the new ones).

The gloves did not look bloody in any way. I realize the risks for transmission are low anyway, but was wondering if there was any data about transmitting with a clean needle through latex gloves that may have had exposure (though at a level where you couldn't see it on the gloves with the naked eye).

Sorry for being a nervous nelly. I should know better, but the whole experience shook me up more than I thought. Rationally, I should know the chances of transmission are very small even with a dirty needle, I would just like to be able to put this one to rest in my mind so I can get back to business without thinking about it.

Thank you for all your help...

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I think since it was a clean needle you should be fine. I've stuck myself with clean needles so many times.

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

Actually it was a sterile needle....if you are going to poke yourself this is the best kind of needle to do it with. Figure out what happened so you can minimize your risk next time and then move on......you are fine!!!!

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Yes I know, it has happened to all of us. You pull so hard trying to get a tight cap off that is causes a rebound effect and the hand with the needle bounces back and stabs you. Seems to me there is very little danger here.

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

so the only things your gloved hands did was tape on a dressing and then get stuck by a sterile needle? I think that if the gloves were used to clean up the abcess that there may be some cause for concern, but it sounds like you probably didn't come into contact with any fluids per se. No worries in that case.

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Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.

I agree, since the wound was already covered, you should have no worries. I don't know if there is any data on this. You could try the CDC and OSHA websites. If there's data, that's where you find it.

I'm sure you realize, in hindsight, that you should have changed gloves between the dressing and preparing the injection.

I wish they would re-design those Hep vaccine syringes. I have also stuck myself with them before giving the injection. Clean needlesticks alone are not a risk at all, except that you do now have a tiny little portal in your skin for a bit.

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Thanks, everyone, for all your great feedback. It's definitely helped me put my mind to rest.

Incidentally, I talked with our hospital's needlestick hotline. I was told that I shouldn't be concerned with a clean needlestick unless my gloves were fairly covered in blood. Since my gloves were clean to the naked eye and I stuck myself with a clean, narrow guage (21g) needle, I am told that I should not be at risk.

I'm sure you realize, in hindsight, that you should have changed gloves between the dressing and preparing the injection.

This is my takeaway. I will definitely do this from now on. Now if I could only do something about getting those *$^*# needlecaps off in a safer way...

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I have found if you twist the cap just alittle it usually comes off easier. Hope this info can help. :D

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