Shame on me!!! Need Advice

[mspetite]

Hi,

Ive been working as a nurse (LPN) since Sept. I work on a subacute floor. We (nurses) do not draw labs because lab people come over to do this. I don't know how and I am not trained on venipuncture.

My husband and I were upgrading our life insurance and the company sent over a nurse to our house Thursday evening. He tried to draw blood from my RIGHT arm with a reg sized needle and failed, therefore he took out a butterfly needle and tried with my LEFT arm and little blood came but not enough to go through the tubing to enter the vial.He did not have anymore needles left but that used butterfly needle from my LEFT arm. So he said do you mind if I draw again from your RIGHT side (with that same needle that was used for my left) then said " it's ok because its your own blood , not like its some random needle". Even though a little voice in my head said NO I let him.

I talked to a lab person at my company the next day to ask about it and they said that he should have never done that because once he pulls it out its contaminated. Which I know from doing injections etc... SHAME on me! I should have stood up for my self and brought that to his attention even though I was exteremly tired and even though he had no other needles to use. And now that I have had days to absorb this I really feel even though he asked me ahead of time if it was ok what he did was unethical because he said that it was ok because it was my own blood" He knew I was a nurse too, so I am a little ashamed...

My right arm really hurts but does not show any signs of infection so far.

How should I handle this? Should I call this nurse and be honest and tell him how I feel? or should I call his company and let them know what he did, there are many people out there that he may do this to, that really do not know any better and think its ok. Or should I take it as a lesson learned and leave it alone???

[NJNursing, ASN, RN]

I'd call the company. I wouldn't have let him drawn it, but I guess at this point it's a little late. Just keep an eye on the puncture sites. It might be ok since it's your own normal flora, but some normal flora isn't mean to be put into a vein, so after the first 48 hours will be most telling. Definitely report him. If he did it on you, imagine how many others he's done it on or will continue to do it on. It's not your fault that he was ill prepared with enough needles.

[Soup Turtle]

...seems wrong, but you told him it was OK for him to do it, so I don't know. Next time you'll know to listen to the little voice in your head.

[mspetite]

Thank you NJnursing and thank you turtlesoup.

I am kicking myself now for allowing it. I know better. It just makes me really upset that instead of him being up front and saying Im not suppose to do this, he said is was ok because it was my own blood/vein etc... and instead of questioning him I allowed it ugh!!! like you said too late now. I will let you know what happens.

[abundantjoy07, RN]

Sometimes in the heat of the moment people do things they later regret or wish they had handled differently. Trust me, I've been there lots of times, it's human nature afterall!

I would report his performance because it's not a good shortcut to take. Sometimes nurses do take shortcuts. But certain shortcuts like say dropping a foley on the floor and going ahead and inserting it anyway, or sticking someone twice with the same needle for drawing blood...just aren't acceptable.

I mean, how difficult would it have been for him to open up another package with another needle inside? It's just poor practice.

It might not be infected, but think about the other people that he could infect along the way...or worse! What if you are infected and it shows in a few days?

I'd follow my gut instinct, even after the fact.

Then I'd find the sucker and poke him with a needle or two myself.

[mspetite]

:) thanks for your message. I havent called yet but will, Ive been waiting to find out my lab results to see if anything was abnormal.