Aa
can the blood on the swab transmit hiv
Hi, doctor
I am a nurse who is newly posted to the hospital. Here is the incident that worried me a lot. A long story, hope doctor can resolve my anxiousness.
I pricked a HIV positive patient (which I don’t know his health status before the pricking) yesterday using a lancet to check his blood glucose without using gloves. After dipped his blood on glucometer, I wiped off his blood using the alcohol swab ( the swab was thin)
I pressed lightly on the swab to stop the bleeding on the patient fingers using my thumb and index finger ( I was not sure if the swab which have few spot of blood stain on my thumb)
Then I scrubbed my hand thoroughly using the alcohol. Out of curiousity, I pricked my middle finger also to check my own blood glucose ( I pricked my finger about one minute after I pricked the patient and about 40 seconds I scrubbed my hand )
I knew the patient’s health status after I done the procedure.
I am worried if the blood stained on the thumb spread to the middle finger during the scrub and infect me during the prick.
This has been worry me since yesterday. I can’t sleep yesterday and dare not tell my senior and doctor about my clumsiness. I hope doctor can answer my question here.
Thank you for your reply in advance.
I am a nurse who is newly posted to the hospital. Here is the incident that worried me a lot. A long story, hope doctor can resolve my anxiousness.
I pricked a HIV positive patient (which I don’t know his health status before the pricking) yesterday using a lancet to check his blood glucose without using gloves. After dipped his blood on glucometer, I wiped off his blood using the alcohol swab ( the swab was thin)
I pressed lightly on the swab to stop the bleeding on the patient fingers using my thumb and index finger ( I was not sure if the swab which have few spot of blood stain on my thumb)
Then I scrubbed my hand thoroughly using the alcohol. Out of curiousity, I pricked my middle finger also to check my own blood glucose ( I pricked my finger about one minute after I pricked the patient and about 40 seconds I scrubbed my hand )
I knew the patient’s health status after I done the procedure.
I am worried if the blood stained on the thumb spread to the middle finger during the scrub and infect me during the prick.
This has been worry me since yesterday. I can’t sleep yesterday and dare not tell my senior and doctor about my clumsiness. I hope doctor can answer my question here.
Thank you for your reply in advance.
There are no doctors here anymore but HIV is immediately inactivated in air.
Not sure why you would't discuss your situation with your senior and doctor though next time you have an incident that you are unsure of.
Not sure why you would't discuss your situation with your senior and doctor though next time you have an incident that you are unsure of.
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Thank u so much for your answer. I will be more careful next time
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