Now was this really necessary ?!

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm a blood donor and have donated blood a couple of times. Part of the pre-donating process is to do a FS to check HGB levels. At first it was low so I had to get it rechecked but by a different employee. So the next employee comes in to do the FS and puts on a Faceshield.:eek::eek: I was like WTH ! You would think he was about to suction me or something. I'm a nurse in LTC and have plenty of fingersticks I have never ever never ever have had to resort to putting on a faceshield. Maybe I'm wrong, when someone please enlighten me.

BTW- This gentle men did my pre- screen last year and he didn't where a faceshield then... so why this time ?

IDK- weird. :uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3:

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Specializes in pediatric critical care.

Maybe he had a respiratory illness and was just trying to protect you?

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Specializes in LTC.

I guess he had some heck of an illness. He didn't where one when he was drawing blood.

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Specializes in Hospice.

It probably wasn't his choice, at the blood bank I used to work at it was a new (like this August) requirement. Trust me, we weren't any more amused by it than the donor's were. However, several staff had exposures from fingersticks, so the shields were to satisfy OSHA regs (yes, this is an easily preventable exposure).

One donor thought it was a sneeze guard so I wouldn't sneeze on him (like for salad bars), that gave me my chuckle for that day:)

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I'm a blood donor and have donated blood a couple of times. Part of the pre-donating process is to do a FS to check HGB levels. At first it was low so I had to get it rechecked but by a different employee. So the next employee comes in to do the FS and puts on a Faceshield.:eek::eek: I was like WTH ! You would think he was about to suction me or something. I'm a nurse in LTC and have plenty of fingersticks I have never ever never ever have had to resort to putting on a faceshield. Maybe I'm wrong, when someone please enlighten me.

BTW- This gentle men did my pre- screen last year and he didn't where a faceshield then... so why this time ?

IDK- weird. :uhoh3::uhoh3::uhoh3:

I bet he was forced to wear it for refusing a flu shot!:idea:

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Another possible angle: Could be maybe he didnt get the flu shot? Ive heard some places asking those employees to wear masks while they work.

:shrug:

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Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.

Did you consider asking him why he was wearing the face shield?

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I am an IV/Infusion nurse at my facility, I do a large portion of the blood draws for our inhouse lab and IV starts. I wear safety glasses for ALL procedures involving bodily fluids whether suction or finger sticks. I have witnessed/been exposed to many occasions where a patient flinches, flinging their finger after being stuck splattering blood. I have also had the pleasure of being witnessed to what happens when a blood transfer device catastrophically fails when being used with a vacuum tube.

I may look silly with my eye protection and face mask but I won't get your cooties in my eyes...they ARE mucus membranes after all. PPE is no joke nor is Hepatitis.

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Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

over the course of a very long career, i've actually witnessed on several occasions, blood being propelled (like one would expect from a water pistol, ie squirted out), from a fingerstick wound. so while many people may laugh and think it silly, the joke loses its humor really quick when you're the one with blood in your eye. i carry my eye shields in my pocket; those plastic cheapie ones similar to ones you can buy at any home depot for 99 cents. my peace of mind (not to mention my health) is certainly worth the buck ;)

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Specializes in PICU.

Just recently I was checking a blood sugar on a newly diagnosed diabetic (kid). I went to squeeze the finger to get the drop of blood and it literally squirted up in the air and got in my hair! I have NEVER seen a finger stick squirt! And I certainly hadn't put obscene pressure on the finger. Makes me think I need to get my safety glasss out of my locker.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

If you were the one doing the sticking and for whatever reason you deemed that wearing a face shield was necessary, would you skip wearing it just because the patient looked put out or voiced a "WTH?" because you're going to put it on?

There's your answer to your question :)

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Specializes in LTC.

Well thanks for the replies. All explanations make since. I guess I need to wear a faceshield at work for my fingersticks now.

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