Studeny Nurse Flu Shot Needle Stick

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Yup it happened. I was trying to be so careful to prevent a needle stick my first year of nursing and not be the dummy who actually did it...but I did. I am in such a prestigious program and have been accepted into a VANAP program so was at the VA when it happened. We were going around giving flu shots to employees and I gave a man in light green scrubs (resident doctor maybe?) his flu shot. The man was Caucasian and about in his 50s. I cleaned the area with alcohol, gave the man his shot and before I recapped reached down to grab an alcohol pad to wipe down the area again (he didn't bleed), and accidentally pricked my thigh through my pants. I was so embarrassed and still so embarrassed that I didn't tell anyone. But going into a local AIDS clinic to get tested for HIV and Hep. asap. Then I will go again in six weeks. I know I'm so dumb for not taking advantage of mu needlestick insurance but I was so flustered and so embarrassed I just went to the bathroom and washed the area. I bled about six or seven good drops and then put a band aid on it. Anybody been in a similar situation?

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Excuse me...*Student

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In the future you don't have to wipe down the area you gave the shot in. Just use a 2x2 gauze if needed.

Tomorrow in the morning go to school and sit down with your professor and explain what happened. Explain you were nervous/embarrassed or whatever and you didn't want to tell anyone but you are now.

Part of being a mature adult and nurse is confessing the truth even when it might reflect badly on you.

This is a learning moment for you and your fellow students.

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Yes I realize that is the best thing to do. And sorry I was flustered when I wrote this. There is no re-capping on the flu shots of course there is a safety device which I didn't enable right after I gave the shot, even though I had done this dozens of times before!

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Yes I realize that is the best thing to do. And sorry I was flustered when I wrote this. There is no re-capping on the flu shots of course there is a safety device which I didn't enable right after I gave the shot even though I had done this dozens of times before![/quote']

Well you've learned your lesson!

Go tell the truth - it will set you free. And you will get the help you deserve!

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Specializes in Float Pool-Med-Surg, Telemetry, IMCU.

It happens to the best of us. I've been a nurse for over 2 years now and I managed to stick myself not too long ago (of course while giving an HIV+ patient an injection). I was embarrassed and ashamed too but all my coworkers were nice about it and I completed my prophylaxis and that was that. We're human and we all- even those of us out of school- make mistakes. Tell your instructor and make sure you follow up with your provider. There are some excellent resources on the CDC about needle stick exposures that I found helpful.

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