Possible needlestick injury or just paranoid

[grace202004]

First thanks to all that are reading this,

I worked a very busy shift last night. Checked two blood sugars, and gave one insulin injection through an insulin pen. This was my only contact with sharps that I am aware of. At one point during the shift I also had to go through the little trash can on my med cart. I was checking to find a medication wrapper (It was a med I later found out should have been held and I wanted to be sure I did not inadvertantly give it, which I did find I did not) While going through the trash which was mainly gloves and med wrappers, I was careful and was wearing gloves. I do not remember seeing any sharps and dont remember ever feeling a prick or anything to make me think I had been poked. Near the end of the night I was inspecting my hands as they are very dry and I am a worry wart anyway, and I found a small red dot on the soft pad of my finger on my right hand. I squeezed it and there was no blood, just a red dot that I immediately thought looked like I had been poked with a sharp. My question is would you worry about this? I know I am a worry wart and have OCD, so I worry about everything, but never having felt anything would you think it was a needlestick? I just don't know where else this little dot came from, as I don't remember ever doing it....

Thanks in advance to all that reply.

[DizzyLizzyNurse]

I wouldn't worry. I accidentally scratched myself with an unused insulin needle and bled all over the place. You'd know if you stuck yourself. Maybe it's a blood blister?

[Belle Epoque]

Worrying about it now won't get you anywhere so no point getting stressed out.

Next time don't EVER EVER EVER go through garbage cans exactly for that reason. You never know when some bozo will throw a sharp in there.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

HIV dies pretty quickly outside of it's human host, so I doubt you could have been exposed to a needle that was sitting in a trash for who knows how long.

I kind of think it's a moot point though because had you poked yourself enough to have been exposed to anything, wouldn't you have bled or at least felt a poke?

I get little 'dots' on my fingers all the time and am never around needles.. so I think you're probably just being a little paranoid. (Which I can relate to- I used to be the same way about EVERYTHING)

[RLeeRN]

Unless you have an condition that prevents you from normal sensation in your fingers you would have no doubt felt a stick. Thats why we have such a concentration of nerve endings in our fingertips. Even the softest contact with a sharp can be felt, and when it is strong enough to break the skin you would have felt it right then. Also, nurses hands are in a continuous state of being damaged and healing. I have had cracks, dots, spots, red, white, and blue appear on my hands. As I type this I looked at my hands and saw a little red dot, looks like what you described, but it is a little micro crack that is trying to heal. Rest your mind. God bless.

[FLArn]

If you must look through trash for something -- forceps are the way to go! Good for both pushing things aside and picking them out to be looked at!

[MassED, BSN, RN]

wash your hands and don't worry.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

HIV dies pretty quickly outside of it's human host, so I doubt you could have been exposed to a needle that was sitting in a trash for who knows how long.

I kind of think it's a moot point though because had you poked yourself enough to have been exposed to anything, wouldn't you have bled or at least felt a poke?

I get little 'dots' on my fingers all the time and am never around needles.. so I think you're probably just being a little paranoid. (Which I can relate to- I used to be the same way about EVERYTHING)

Hepatitis is a greater threat than HIV. Higher probability of transmission through inadvertent needles sticks than HIV.