Not Reported

Dear Nurse Beth,

Can you report a needle stick injury the next day?

Dear Injury,

You should report it right away. Injuries should be reported when they occur so you can get any needed testing and treatment.

You can report a needle stick the next day, but you may be subject to discipline for not reporting it immediately. It depends on your facility's policy on reporting employee needlesticks and injuries. Regardless, it's more important to get tested than to avoid any possible discipline.

Hopefully when you were stuck, you washed the puncture site.The CDC recommends washing the needlestick site with soap and water and rinsing thoroughly.

If you were exposed to blood or bodily fluids, you could be at risk for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B (HBV) or Hepatitis C (HCV). If you were exposed to any of these pathogens, you need to start treatment right away.

It's important for you (and the source patient) to get tested. Don't gamble with your health. Symptoms of serious illnesses contracted through a needle stick do not manifest immediately.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"...and your next!

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Why would you NOT report it immediately?

[Dreamer323]

Fear of being fired, ridiculed, ashamed to confront staff/patients, there are many obvious reasons. None of them being worth the risk of having a chronic and life-threatening disease, it's safe to say.