i poked myself with a needle at work

Not a Verified Medical Professional. Use puncture- and liquid- proof boxes in each patient care area. Flush splashes to the nose, mouth, or skin with water. By using our site, you agree to our. Trustworthy Source 3b. Clean the wound thoroughly. Nearly 300,000 U.S. healthcare workers experience occupational percutaneous injuries annually. Do this by running cool water over the bleeding area for several minutes. But they said, "its night shift, the lab is not staffed due to budget cuts". Most needles have safety devices so that the person never has to go near the needle, and even recapping a needle is a major no-no. If they were with it that was a nasty thing for the patient to do, especially while you were pregnant! I poked myself once with the needle slightly, without plunging the insulin in, just got a new needle & dose for the Dopeurrs. Im moving into a new place and the previous owner has diabetes. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELES? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. What education do you tell her or review with her? What medications would you have to be put on right away? 24/7 visits - just $39! Explain to the clinic you would like a fourth generation test instead and they should be able to provide this. I have no idea if I should She had no prior job training before getting the job, as she got it through a mutual friend, so was was trained on the job. It sounds right. HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video. Tetanus shots are given to protect against infections with a certain type of bacteria that grows in the soil and can be found also on rusty metallic surfaces. If the contents of the needle splashed anywhere else on your body, wash it well with soap and water. Your patient will likely have their blood tested if they consent to it. Fact check it. Create well-written care plans that meets your patient's health goals. Today at work there was a needle on the ground. There's nothing you need to do for your patient. If you pierce or puncture your skin with a used needle, follow this first aid advice immediately: encourage the wound to bleed, ideally by holding it under running water wash the wound using running water and plenty of soap do not scrub the wound while you're washing it do not suck the wound What to do:1-stop messing with used needles. This article was co-authored by David Nazarian, MD. According to the CDC, there is an average of 385,000 sharps-related injuries annually among healthcare workers. will experience that sinking feeling of dread when the sharp end of a used needle accidentally punctures their skin with a potential to cause infection . However, these tools arent optimal for stick and poke tattoos since they dont retain ink as well as tattoo needles and arent as sharp. Report the incident to your supervisor. Age: 24 Gender: female Height: 5 ft Location: Indiana Time: 6:30 pm today. i poked myself with a needle at workwaterrower footboard upgrade. Do not scrub the wound while you're washing it. No bad effects from it. You'll need: Approved. Has 35 years experience. It wasn't anything I did, as he died within about ten hours of when the incident happened, but it scared the bejesus outta me. Communities > Hepatitis C > I poked myself with a new insulin pen cartridge, but the pen had been used nursepamela. The skin is the largest organ in the human body, Chang . i poked myself with a needle at work +1 (760) 205-9936. So, yesterday, a medic who rode with us to the hospital while transporting an 87yro female from nursing home, SOB with wheezes. I have witnessed many of these. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 399,756 times. Company reg no: 3962064. I was poked by a used hypodermic needle at a Motel 6 in San Jose California on May 2, 2016. Davenport A, Myers F. How to protect yourself after body fluid exposure. I work in retail and we use tagging needles to put price tags on the clothing. CDC Guidance for Evaluating Health-Care Personnel for Hepatitis B Virus Protection and for Administering Postexposure Management Doctor orders labs STAT on the patient". If you decide to have the HIV test that includes p24 and atibodies after 28 days it would be over 95% accurate for all modes of HIV transmission including needle stick injuries. I stuck myself, definitely embarrassed. MMWR Recommendations and Reports, Volume 50, Number RR-11. Our information comes from research papers and links with medical professionals mainly in the UK. Take Action! Aside from having the right tools, the actual stick and poke tattoo process isn't what you should be putting your body through right now. If you are taking a fourth generation test then the GUM clinic usually say you need a test 28 days after a possible exposure. Use the one handed needle capping technique. Maybe they meant "understaffed" but instead put "not staffed"? He was out and I was rushed in as a new orientee to "assist.." Well the physician decided to do a venous cut down precedure, the charge nurse decided I should assist the physician by restraining the patients hand and arm. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Copyright waiver - Q2: Can you poke yourself as a free object interaction? That's no biggie. Hello, so ive been going crazy for something that happened about a year and a half ago and would love to get some peace of mind form you guys. Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. I am sure you will be ok given the circumstances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 600,000 to 800,000 needle stick injuries occur each year, many going unreported. Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician. Find out as much as you can about the person or persons who used the needle before you. We use the same needles used in a tattoo machine, so you can choose how big you want yours to be. The patient was found basically on the street and was a homeless alcoholic. Anyway, tonight was the first night of giving him insulin. If any of these occur, take the following steps: Wash needlesticks and cuts with soap and water. Stop what you are doing immediately! A needle stick injury happens when the needle from a syringe used for injection accidentally pricks or cuts the skin. If exposure is likely, prophylactic medication (known as post exposure prophylaxis, or PEP) should be administered, preferably within an hour. Some children may be exposed to needles and at home (for example, if a family member injects insulin), othersmay find a needle left in a park or other public place. It's important to follow up with medical care immediately if there has been an exposure. So I keep thinking gloves, gloves, gloves, but the doc is saying, don't move, don't move, don't move. I cannot remember if the seal was correctly sealed or open and the lid was obviously put back on and then taken off and then I accidently poked myself. unlocking this expert answer. Remove the cap and choose a clean site to. I met with employee health two weeks later to have more blood taken and was told that the patient was negative for anything serious (hepc, HIV). Disease screenings don't show positives immediately after a person has been infected! Reporting any injury from an accidental needle stick not only helps you get the right kind of care, it helps shape guidelines for future needle handling so other people stay safe, too. I Poked Myself With My Dog's Insulin Needle. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. It was my own fault; I didn't follow proper protocols with needle handling. Injuries from needles used in medical procedures are sometimes called needle-stick or sharps injuries. If you decide to have the HIV test that includes p24 and atibodies after 28 days it would be over 95% accurate for all modes of HIV transmission including needle stick injuries. Once you flood the wound, wash it gently with plenty of soap to kill viruses and bacteria. I was lucky. Healthcare workers are often exposed to the blood or bodily fluids of their patients. 3.) I was lucky. so I'm wondering what do you do in this kind of situation? After we finished sim lab (the next day after I posted this topic) I came to find out that: you let the blood drip for a while (the needle injury), get consent from both the nurse and patient (source). My friend got pocked by a needle in his finger the very next day I poked myself with the same needle accidentally chance - Answered by a verified Doctor . It's a horrible feeling but the chances are very small. Postexposure Prophylaxis to Prevent Hepatitis B Virus Infection Category: Health. Just last week, a patient slapped my hand after an IM injection. It didn't happen until I was a resident. I was currently ungloved and had no idea we were about to bleed like crazy. 3. Then it goes on to say the nurse was drawing labs on the patient and during the process, accidentally stuck herself. about two three w Needles used by healthcare professionals on patients have safety covers to keep the healthcare personnel safe from poking themselves with the needle used on said patients. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. Like pp I was told that the risk of infection was low with a sub-Q needle, but since dialysis pts are at high risk for hepatitis and HIV I wasn't taking any chances! Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. Dec 7, 2016 1. Infographic: Exposed to HIV? i didn't squeeze the plunger so no insulin was released, but the needle-head probably had a little bit of insulin on it. This can keep the virus cells from entering your bloodstream. One of her very small needles was on the floor and when i picked it up to dispose of it i stupidly poked myself with it. If you have questions about proper medical treatment for workplace exposures: If any of these occur, take the following steps: Recommendations for the management of occupational exposures to blood: Updated U.S. Public Health Service Guidelines Management Occupational Exposures HIV Recommendations PEPexternal icon Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice. Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU. Avoid looking away or working in bad light while dealing with the needle stick. Immediately after injection, there is a cylinder on the syringe that slides over the needle and locks in place to prevent accidental sticks. The provider will also want to know if the needle was used on a person who has an infection. I felt silly and clumsy, Dopey verified it by the way he was looking at me, and moved on :smile: If the patient is still in your care, they could be tested as well, this would provide you the answers you are looking for. Although rare, there's also a small risk of other infections being transmittedthrough contaminated blood, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus, which causes glandular fever. By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. Do they mean that there is no phlebotomist available? You can review and change the way we collect information below. The nurse who I saw said I shouldn't worry too much b/c an insulin needle has a very small bore and probably doesn't hold enough blood to cause an infectious process after one exposure. This was before HIV drugs. Has 12 years experience. getting drunk at a party, and jody wanted to show off her needle skills, and steel was the bravest one to do it. Follow your hospitals or work setting protocol for needle stick injuries.