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There is little that my situation has with the one involving McDonalds. I'm not surprised, nor do I fault you, for making the comparison. Our society has become far too litigious. Though I would like to, I don't want to mention anything about the nature of the injury. It happened under somewhat unusual circumstances. Though the situation cost me money, I'm leaning away from a suit. Any benefit that might come of a suit isn't worth being labeled as a trouble maker. I am still injured, but I've been around enough to see how HR operates. If things were worse, I might consider legal action. The real focus is on whether or not to report the doctors' office. An action against a doctor (and there is no such thing as privacy these days) might be seen as a serious red flag by a hospital administrator.

An important question: I currently do not work in the health care field, but plan to go to nursing school. Several months ago, while working, I was injured. The doctors that treated me were horrible. While being treated, the doctors tried to do everything in their power to save my company money, at my expense. I was "coaxed" to say certain things (which I was smart enough not to). I was offered wild implausible diagnoses for my condition, other than the fact that I was injured. I was told by a receptionist after having complained that "you had better stop (complaining), you're just making your situation worse". The list goes on. The company for which I worked harassed me until I quit (I really felt that I had to, and I am a person that sticks things out until the bitter end). Here's my question: I have been tempted to report the doctors to the local medical board, and/or sue my former employer. However, I plan gain admission to a local nursing school, and practice in this area. Would either action get me "blacklisted" by schools or future employers? This isn't really relevant to the question, but it was the most mind-blowing experience at the doctors' office: I walked in and a nursing assistant said "hi, how are you." To this I responded "fine, thank you." 10 minutes later, the doctor said "well, it seems that you are fully recovered." To this I responded that I was not, and asked why she thought this. To this she responded "it's written right here. According to the nursing assistant, you stated that you are doing, quote, fine." I was completely blown away.

"low" and "high" are subjective, I guess. For comparison, here are some other stats: Percentage of U.S. population with HIV = 0.34 to 0.39 % Percentage of U.S. population that dies each year in circumstances related to drunk driving = 0.006 % Percentage of U.S. population that develops lung cancer each year = 0.06 %

thanks for the encouragement, mom2bears. I realize that you are right; all professions have their risks. Anyway, this is the info that I was referencing. Even though the Canadian information is from only 7 years ago, things probably have changed significantly with the advent of needle-less systems. The second source is from 2003. From the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety: Needlestick injuries may also transmit hepatitis C. The risk factors for hepatitis C virus transmission in occupational settings is 1.8% (range 0% to 7%). Needlestick injuries are far too common hazard. Some hospitals report one third of nursing and laboratory staff suffer such injuries each year. Available statistics probably underestimate the severity of the problem because many workers do not report their injuries. This makes it difficult to know exactly how serious the problem is or how well prevention programs work. I tried to include the tables, but formatting issues prevented this. This one doesn't directly apply to nursing, but is relevant: From http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/75273.php Date: 28 June 2007 The survey, which took place in 2003, revealed that 99 percent of surgeons-in-training suffered an average of eight needle-stick injuries in their first five years. Of these surgeons, only 49 percent reported injuries to an employee health service. Of those who reported, 53 percent had experienced an injury involving a patient with a history of intravenous drug use and/or infected with HIV, hepatitis B (HBV) or hepatitis C (HCV).

I am considering becoming a nurse. However, the possibility of dying due to a needle-stick injury is one factor that is holding me back. After reviewing stats on the internet, this seems to be a significant risk. Any thoughts?

Hello. This is my first post, though I have read quite a few on this site. I have a question, and would be grateful for an answer: I am wondering if I can become a nurse in California (or anywhere else, for that matter). Roughly 8 years ago, I was arrested for possession of marijuana and related paraphernalia. The charge was a misdemeanor. I completed an alternative rehabilitation program, and no longer use. I suffer from mild depression and attention deficit disorder, and take medication for these conditions. The medication works well, and I don't suffer from any symptoms. Would either of these issues preclude me from getting a license? Thanks.