Noob Question: HIV/AIDS and Injection Practice

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Hi there!

I'm a total noobie here and am a pre-nursing student. HOWEVER, the reason why I'm posting this in here is because this is directed to General Nursing Students. I heard that you practice injections on each other during nursing school. I was wondering, if the nursing students get screened for HIV or AIDs, etc.? I'm just worried that some student might accidentally stick themselves then stick another person...etc. I've read the horror story on this website about a nurse anesthetist who spread Hepatitis C among his patients: Nurse anesthetist accused of spreading hepatitis C at military hospital - Nursing for Nurses

So, if that guy was able to become a nurse, I'm just getting worried about people who aren't nurses yet and are still practicing injections!

Please tell me there is some sort of control in nursing school.

Thanks!!!

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I don't think nurses still practice injections on each other.. and if they do, it's probably not a sanctioned activity. Perhaps nursing students will come in and say different... but I wouldn't let a student nurse stick me (unless I was an actual patient and she was my nurse on her clinical)..

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

Yes we got stuck by our classmates. We also practiced IV's on each other too. I was one of the willing dummies cause i have garden hoses for veins.

That being said there was extra help in the lab that day to make sure we were all doing everything the correct way.

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I know other nursing students have asked about having to disclose that they are HIV positive, etc, and the answers have always been No. I think it would depend on the country your in, your program, as well as the requirements of the facility. Not all vaccinations are required by the program, for example, but some hospitals insist you have them before you can practice there. And regardless if a student is HIV+ or not, i'm sure you will be encountering many in your practice, which is why we practice routine precautions. You have just as much of a chance of getting a needlestick injury in clinical if you are not careful.

We haven't done injections yet for our skills lab, that's next semester, but since our instructors say needlestick injuries are horribly common, I can't see us practicing on eachother... I for sure would not want to be practiced on!

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Yes we got stuck by our classmates. We also practiced IV's on each other too. I was one of the willing dummies cause i have garden hoses for veins.

That being said there was extra help in the lab that day to make sure we were all doing everything the correct way.

Same here.

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I was one of the willing dummies cause i have garden hoses for veins.

LOL! Yes! I too have that issue. Nurses never have issues getting blood from me or sticking an IV in me. Hence my concern. I feel that when I actually do get into nursing school, the other nurses will start eyeing me as if they were vampires.

That Guy, what state was your school in?

Thanks all for the info!!!! :)

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I go to school in KS.

One of the other things though was because everyone wanted to try on me, I made sure to watch everyone really well too. The instructors dont catch everything so if I saw something I didnt like, I would say something and then have them stop and get a new needle.

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We aren't allowed to practice on eachother and I really feel like it's a huge disadvantage for me (and for my patients early in my career!!!). With that said, I would not be worried about this in school. Most people get sloppy in practice. In school it's all eyes on you, and you just learned the exact proper technique.

I agree with pp that you probably won't even get the chance to worry about this.

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We weren't allowed to practice on eachother. We used injection pads for skills check off.

Which was fine with me because I would not want to get stuck with needles by other nursing students.

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Specializes in LDRP.

we practiced on each other with saline injections. We didn't have to, but we were only allowed to give injections to another classmate if we agreed to receive one as well. Other students just used "injection pads". I was never worried about my fellow classmates accidental sticking themselves, then sticking me. I am glad i got to practice on a classmate before doing the real thing in the hospital. (I go to school in PA) if that helps. But I know we dont practice IVs on each other, they dont even teach how to start IVs..

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

We didn't practice on each other, though one classmate did offer to let me practice doing an IV on her. I declined :)

As far as HIV/needlesticks, even if you were practicing in class I imagine you would be wise enough to take standard precautions and wear gloves, use sterile needles every time, not recap a used needle, etc. You're far safer assuming that everyone you encounter has a bloodborne pathogen, even classmates.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

We stuck each other. I was really glad for the practice because I didn't want to try it for the first time in the hospital with a patient staring at me! As far as HIV, you always follow standard precautions and be mindful of your actions with an uncapped needle. It helped that our instructor sat right next to us, too.

Also, wouldn't requiring students to disclose HIV status be considered potential grounds for discrimination?

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