NeedleStick...

Published

SO today during clinical while I was giving a very skinny old lady insulin, I pricked myself with the insulin. There was no blood or puncture. She tested + for MRSA and there was not reports of Hepatitis B,C or HIV. I'm freaking out..I didn't report it. Am i overreacting ?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

ALWAYS report. I assume it was a dirty needle (had been in the patient)?

You need to tell your instructors ASAP.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

You should always report a needle stick. Always. First thing tomorrow, go to your instructor and ask her how to go about reporting it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatric ICU.

Does not matter if there was blood because of the prick or not. Always report. You don't know what you don't know. And MRSA can be a big deal. I'm with everyone else I would go to your instructor first thing and just let them know what happened. Maybe tell them (not sure if your instructor is a she or he) you were afraid (for whatever reason) to say something at first but thought about it over night and knew it was the right thing to do. Which it is for a number of reasons, the main one being your health.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro Intensive Care.

Needle sticks are very serious. You need to inform your instructor so the proper steps are taken in order to make sure that you are ok!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ALWAYS report a needlestick

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ALWAYS report ANY incident at clinical whether it's a needle stick or you fell and sprained your ankle. You need to get proper treatment now!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

You are fine I am sure but you should always report needle sticks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Perhaps I can help you feel better. In the meantime, I hope you have worked this out with reporting. It's really not so much the risk, but the principle of reporting an exposure. If it was left up to everyone's own judgement, some people would never report any kind of exposure. I don't need to elaborate on how dangerous that is.

I once stuck myself while starting an IV in an emergency setting on a confused hypoglycemic patient. We knew very little about him and had to wait quite some time for test results. The paperwork was extensive, the process was time-consuming, and I felt like a total ******* for making such a silly mistake, but...if , heaven forbid, something detrimental happens someday, there is a paper trail. And it was found that a change in the style of IV catheters was resulting in more accidental exposures than before, and my company changed the equipment. All's well that ends well. We all make mistakes and things happen. It important to own that mistake and protect yourself.

I hope you're well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion