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Discussion

am i worried for no reason?

Yesterday, i had clinical on a rehab unit.

It was my first shift being independent with a client, and so it was very hectic.

I was checking a pts glucose who gets it done qid.

After checking it, I gave her an alcohol swab and i took my gloves off and was talking to the pt. While i was talking to her, i noticed her finger was still bleeding quite a bit. I immediately reached over to grab another alcohol swab and picked up her dirty one instead. With no gloves on. I was shocked at first, but then i told myself its just intact skin. So i left the room, sanitized and washed my hands when i had the chance.

Anyways, this morning, i woke up. And realize I had a tiny cut on my middle finger that i got almost 24 hours before. Its a very tiny cut but it didn't make me panic. I feel so stupid. I don't know if i'm just freaking out for no reason, or if i should email my instructor or just go to the ER.

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    You should report but only to make a paper trail. Nothing will come of this. Speak to your PCP for reassurance since we can't give medical advice.

    However.

    Normal skin heals enough in 18 hours to make an adequate barrier to the outside world. An alcohol pad wouldn't support much in the way of infectious agents -- this is why we use them. Relax.

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    Email your instructor and see what she suggests. There may be school policies for follow up on this sort of thing. She may also tell you not to worry about it and just be a little more vigilant about using standard precautions next time. The risk of transmission of any sort of disease from the situation you described is infinitesimally small.

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    A cotton ball or tissue is what should be used after a finger stick. An alcohol swab encourages bleeding.

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    • Author

    I did end up emailing my instructor who in turn ended up RE:ing the coordinator who ended up RE:ing 2 other coordinators. They all told me to fill out an incident report through occ health at my school right away which i did.

    They also said to go to my family doctor and/or ER for medical advice. I ended up going to my family doctor who pretty much laughed. Said to go home and study.

    Lets just hope my instructor doesn't rip me apart next time i see her. Or fail me :(

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    • Author

    I had no idea!

    They never showed us how to do it in labs and the nurse who taught me first week said to just use the same alcohol swab you use to wipe their finger clean to apply pressure.

    I don't even know where cotton is on my unit. I'm going to ask when i go in.

    Thank you!

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    I had no idea!

    They never showed us how to do it in labs and the nurse who taught me first week said to just use the same alcohol swab you use to wipe their finger clean to apply pressure.

    I don't even know where cotton is on my unit. I'm going to ask when i go in.

    Thank you!

    You could also use an unsterile (new) 2x2 or even a tissue if they don't have actual cotton balls (which aren't really cotton anyway but we still call them that).

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