Shame on me! need advise

[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???

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

For me... I wouldn't SHAME myself. :) It really is up to how you feel about it. I have had the same thing done for my labs. I really don't mind provided that they are wearing gloves and that they really cleaned my skin prior to sticking me.

The only thing I would do is possibly letting them know that their nurses should be more prepared and carry extra needles.

Just remember... this is what I would do... and how comfortable I feel with it. If you feel differently, then listen to yourself and proceed accordingly.

[Lisa CCU RN, RN]

Is this really that odd?

I'm trying to remember if the nurse that just tried to draw my blood the other day actually got a new needle when they tried my other arm?

I mean really, what is it contaminated with if it was only used on you and your skin was cleaned?

If anything, the needle won't be as sharp after using it twice.

[KrysyRN, BSN]

I agree with everything PsychNurse said.

A little off topic, but I had a patient the other day that required straight cathing every 4 hours. She was a tough one to cath, and I missed on my first try, and the cath ended up in her lady parts. I left it there for a guide for the next attempt. The patient asked me what I was doing and was ticked that I left the cath there. I explained that I was going to use it as a guide, and she said to me "No other nurses do that! They just pull it out when they miss and try again [with the same cath]! You're being rediculous!"

eeeegads!!!!

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

The patient asked me what I was doing and was ticked that I left the cath there. I explained that I was going to use it as a guide, and she said to me "No other nurses do that! They just pull it out when they miss and try again [with the same cath]! You're being rediculous!"

I find this amusing as my friend who's been an RN in CA for 25+ years told me as we were learning Foleys last semester that when she was in school, her instructor taught her that "If you miss the first time, leave the tubing there. If you miss the second time, leave the tubing there. That way, there's only other place to go, and no chance you'll miss the third time!" :roll

[PeachyERNurse, BSN, RN]

"If you miss the first time, leave the tubing there. If you miss the second time, leave the tubing there. That way, there's only other place to go, and no chance you'll miss the third time!" :roll

That's the way I learned to insert a Foley too. Is that wrong?

[PurpleFlower]

no that is good!

[justme1972]

For me... I wouldn't SHAME myself. :) It really is up to how you feel about it. I have had the same thing done for my labs. I really don't mind provided that they are wearing gloves and that they really cleaned my skin prior to sticking me.

The only thing I would do is possibly letting them know that their nurses should be more prepared and carry extra needles.

Just remember... this is what I would do... and how comfortable I feel with it. If you feel differently, then listen to yourself and proceed accordingly.

I would wager that he had more needles, but was probably too lazy to go to the car and get them. They usually have several appointments a day, as that is how they make money.

[elisabeth]

I went in for a blood draw once and the gal missed. She used the same needle again and I got a call from my doctor later that day telling me I had a blood infection. I had to go in for more labs and it turned out I did not have a blood infection, the sample just became contaminated. I think it's because she reused the needle...

[mspetite]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies. Its nice to get other peoples views to see if Im over reacting or should be concerned.

Ive been waiting to find out my lab results to see if anything was abnormal.

Its funny that you mentioned the foley incident because one of my instructors said to do that for hard to cath patients. While another instructor was dead set against that. One of the nurses I currently work with did that after 3 attempts on one particular patient that really needed to be cath.