Please tell me this was not a risk

[TM651]

I went yesterday to a quest lab to have an hiv test along with other routine blood work. I really like this lab as the guy is super nice. Anyway, he was entering stuff into the computer for like 10 minutes and I looked at the table next to me that held the box of new needles, gauze, and the vacutainer. Anyway, I glanced into the vacutainer and there were about 4-5 spots of something red. I am assuming it was blood.To be honest with you I didn't think much of it (I HAD THREE KIDS WITH ME.) As I sit her today it is bothering me. I am not one who worries about needle reuse because I know that the risk would be great for the phlebotomist and WHO would do that anyway. So that is not my concern, it really is that vacutainer. Tell me this is crazy, the question is what if with his gloved hand touched the blood on the vacutainer, heck there could have been more on the side that I didn't see, and then touched my arm where the needle punctured the skin. Is htere anyway this vacutainer could have posed a risk. The person before me left about 10 minutes before I got my blood drawn. Please advise on this.

[Teak]

1. the needle in the sheath only punctures the vial.
2. no

[TM651]

Sorry, I worded it wrong. The blood I saw was on the indside of the vacutainer, like around the hole where the needle goes through, does that make sense? There could have been blood on the outside too,for all I know. So two things:
1. Does needle on the inside of vacutainer pose a risk, does it come in contact with anything that is being entered into me?
2. Does the blood on the outside not pose a rsik,even if the tech touched it with his gloves?
Thanks for the information. I consider myself pretty calm, and to be honest have never even looked at the vacutainers before. I was just sitting htere for ten minutes so I was looking around. I guess most likely vacutainers do have some residual blood on them.

[Teak]

You are using the right term. It wouldn't have mattered if there was blood splattered on the outside of the vacutainer it's purpose is to hold the vial only. At no time were you at risk.

[TM651]

I might be using the wrong term, it is the holder that holds the tube where the blood goes and the needle screws into it.