6 weeks into school, I got stuck and i don't know what to do

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi all...so, i'm in my 6th week of nursing school and i got stuck w/ a used diabetes lancet...my prof. rushed me to student health services where they took my blood to test for everything, gave me my 2nd Hep A&B immunization and told me to come back tomorrow to talk w/ medical director & get put on antiviral "cocktail":o

at some point the PA suggested i get a Hep "immunoglobin" (have no idea if i spelled that right) but then the nurse said that they're like $350.00 and i should wait and see what my titer says

(just FYI - the diabetes lancet was from one of about 5 people at a senior center in a "medically underserved area" and had been used AT LEAST (probably more than) 30 min before i got stuck w/ it)

PLEASE tell me what I should do - should i go on the cocktail? what about the immuno...thingy? should i make the school pay my medical bills?

any help y'all might provide will be greatly appreciated!

Sarah:rolleyes:

Specializes in Med-Surg.

from Tim GNP's post:

I believe the premise was that the glove 'caught' some of the blood, thereby decreasing viral load [if any HBV/HIV present]. Of course, needle sticks from hollow-bore needles are always better than solid needles

Tim GNP, Can you explain your statement a bit more please? I don't understand the part about the hollow bore needle being better than the solid.

In my thinking, the hollow bore would put you at greater risk for exposure because of fluids/ microbes present on both inside and outside surfaces of the needle. Is there another factor I am missing here?

Thanks.

In the facilities that I have worked in, a patient signs a consent form stating that if a staff member gets stuck by a patient that the facility will run the HIV test. This is part of the admission process. There should be no "concent" when it comes to another person's health and wellbeing. If it isn't the case in other states, then the PC monster has gotten too big in that state.

howdy all...

well, i saw the DR this afternoon and he is following the CDC protocol of recommending 4wks of PEP

AZT and Epivir (don't know if i spelled that right) so i am going to do what he says! he also said that he was sure the college of nursing is obligated to pay for everything...

I have contected the Director of the Undergrad Nursing Program to find out who will be paying my bills...sadly, she has not gotten back in touch w/ me, i addtionally contacted the clinical coordinator but again - nobody has gotten back to me....:o

so - since it's friday, i guess i'll have to wait until monday...waahhh

i am starting my antivirals today and i am scared of the side effects...

oh - what do y'all think of this...do i have to "make-up" clinical hours spent dealing w/ this? or - since the injury occured at clinical and it was treatment of the injury that kept me out of clinicals should i be credited those hours? i realize i have to go to clincals and i can't just say "well i was sick from the PEP" and expect them to ctrdit my hours BUT i think dealing w/ the Dr and whatnot should apply to clinical time...

anyhow, thanks again for all of the info - y'all have been very supportive and you have helped me realize that i need to stick up for myself! THANKS

Sarah

BeanRNwhenIgroup - I would be at Dir. of Undergrad Program's office first thing Monday am to get this all sorted out. from what I know as it is your stupid teacher's fault you should not be financially responsible for anything. Be there first thing Monday and make your presence known. Good luck...

sarah,

the side effects are hellish. i got stuck once and opted for the drug coctail, without knowing the side effects. they made me incredibly sick and quit taking them within a few days. now, if i ever get the option of taking them again...i honestly won't. also remember that it is a lot less common to get HIV from a needle stick than hep C. so make sure that you get tested for hepatitis too, since it sounds like your doctor seems more concerned about HIV. you will get through this! my prayers are with you.

originally posted by icubecky

sarah,

the side effects are hellish. i got stuck once and opted for the drug coctail, without knowing the side effects. they made me incredibly sick and quit taking them within a few days. now, if i ever get the option of taking them again...i honestly won't. also remember that it is a lot less common to get hiv from a needle stick than hep c. so make sure that you get tested for hepatitis too, since it sounds like your doctor seems more concerned about hiv. you will get through this! my prayers are with you.

becky...he's tested me for hep antigen and hep antibody, i got hep a&b immunization - he seems to be pretty thorough about all possibilities - although who am i to say - i'm a total novice:o

thanks again to all!!! y'all have been great!!!:kiss

sarah

I am sitting here totally stunned! Did I understand you to say that this yo-yo "instructor" TOLD you to recap a lancet by sticking it through the little little plastic piece and then putting it in a GLOVE? Is this instructor INSANE? OMG!!!!!

It doesn't matter if you're in a low-risk area! You get a sharps container! Not a glove. Not a coke bottle! A SHARPS CONTAINER!!! OMG!!!! THIS WAS AN INSTRUCTOR!!!!!

I can honestly say that this is the most outrageous thing I've ever, EVER heard of in my entire nursing career, and I've seen a lot of ignorance! BUT AN INSTRUCTOR?????? This wasn't a situation where a bunch of nurses showed up to do volunteer testing, but a CLINICAL EXPERIENCE while you're in school. And there is NO, NOOOOOOOO excuse for this instructor taking her students to do glucose testing without the PROPER equipment!

Girl, you fight this one. You holler loud and long! You protect yourself in everyway possible. DEMAND the testing not just now, but in 6 months, and another in a year! Also, if they try to give you LEAST little bit of crap or run-around, then practice saying the words "lawyer" and "OSHA," They had better treat you like the Queen Mother herself for the rest of your studies. If they don't, practice saying the magic words!

sjoe is right that there is probably no reason to get in a tizzie. The tizzie, for me, is that an INSTRUCTOR . . . OMG!!!!

I am so sorry that happened to you. The prof should have known better! There should have been a sharps container available. What a mess. I would definitly consider post exposure prophylaxis (the cocktail, usually 2 NRTI's or 2 NNRTI's and a protease inhibitor). The facility or your school should definitely pay for it, and the sooner you start, the more effective it seems to be. On the plus side, the rate of seroconversion following occupational exposure is less than 1/2 of 1%. I'll say a prayer for you, and good luck with school, too!

wow...y'all have been so supportive - i am so grateful

i would just like to say that while i realize that my professor made some very poor choices...i also would like to accept some responsibility. i have taken microbiology, i have taken hiv/aids classes and i have been taught the proper way to handle needles - for me to just say that "i was just following instructions" is not fair. i am a thinking person and should have refused to work under such conditions...

my greatest anger is with the program that gives the cnc coordinators 12 students to work in 6 clinical sites and doesn't provide these instructors with proper safety devices - especially since we are a "community oriented" program which, by definition, means we will be out in the community and therefore not have the usual supplies around us!

all in all there were shortcomings on every level and as i look back over the last 6 weeks i can see the issue snowballing until yesterday...and i have learned that if any school or employer asks me to perform anything that will produce sharps and exposure that i will not participate unless proper precautions are in place!!!!

thanks again to all - i feel so supported

sarah

Sarah, while it is commendable that you are willing to accept some of the blame for the needle stick, don't be so quick on that one. You sound like a very mature, wonderful person and you're gonna be a great nurse. But, realize that you are unlicensed at this point. That means that EVERYTHING you do must be under the direct supervision of an instructor/RN. For an instructor to tell you to do this is inexcusable. And, yes, you could have refused. Hindsight is usually 100%. But, a student needs to trust her instructors to show the correct and proper ways to do things, and NOT put you in any kind of danger deliberately. You are not expected to EVER be put in situations where you need to tell an INSTRUCTOR that she is wrong! An instructor is there to protect the client and the students, to insure safety. Students look up to their mentors, and are at a disadvantage in the social hierarchy of things. It is totally beyond a reasonable person's ability to believe that a student should accept ANY of the blame here, or be expected to refuse a clinical experience because the instructor put you in a dangerous situation. Nursing school should show you the best of nursing, not the worse. Again, while I commend your willingness to accept some responsibility, the person who should be taking responsibility is NOT you!

{{{{{{{{Sarah}}}}}}}}}

originally posted by youda

sarah, while it is commendable that you are willing to accept some of the blame for the needle stick, don't be so quick on that one. you sound like a very mature, wonderful person and you're gonna be a great nurse. but, realize that you are unlicensed at this point. that means that everything you do must be under the direct supervision of an instructor/rn. for an instructor to tell you to do this is inexcusable. and, yes, you could have refused. hindsight is usually 100%. but, a student needs to trust her instructors to show the correct and proper ways to do things, and not put you in any kind of danger deliberately. you are not expected to ever be put in situations where you need to tell an instructor that she is wrong! an instructor is there to protect the client and the students, to insure safety. students look up to their mentors, and are at a disadvantage in the social hierarchy of things. it is totally beyond a reasonable person's ability to believe that a student should accept any of the blame here, or be expected to refuse a clinical experience because the instructor put you in a dangerous situation. nursing school should show you the best of nursing, not the worse. again, while i commend your willingness to accept some responsibility, the person who should be taking responsibility is not you!

{{{{{{{{sarah}}}}}}}}}

i know you are right....and i appreciate everything - y'all are sooooooo great!!!!!!!

(((((allnurses)))))

We don't even use those type of lancets anymore because of the possibility of a stick.

Now we have these fancy lancets that pop back into place after doing a fingerstick. Not as good but I admit they are safer.

I thought all places were using them OSHA and all. We even use safety syringes now too with a piece of plastic that slides over the needle.

-Russell

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