Aa
HIV risk from blood drawing.
Hello. Recently I had gone into my doctors office you get some blood drawn for the normal screenings like cholesterol, liver function, etc. The first nurse who tried to take my blood on my right arm put the needle into my vein with gloves on and alcohol swabbed the area. She had trouble getting the blood to come out so she pulled the needle out of my first arm and went to try in the other arm with no luck as well. She called in another nurse who went back to my first arm where I had already been stuck with the first needle and was feeling for a good vein. The only problem was that she was using her bare finger and touched my needle wound in the process. I do not know if she washed her hands before doing this and I did not see any blood or cuts on the bottom of her finger but I still would like to know if I could have been exposed to HIV if she was positive for it and had a cut on her finger when she touched the bare needle wound that had not healed yet. She did alcohol swab it immediately afterwards before she put the needle in for the third time, which was the second time for the arm in question.
Ok thank you for your answer. I am just concerned because I wondered if she might have had a paper cut or something and a small amount of blood might have gone into my needle wound as she was feeling for a good vein with her bare finger. I probably would have see blood on the other parts of my arm where she was feeling if she was indeed bleeding. What I hate is that she knew I came in for an HIV test along with the blood drawing and it makes me mad that she touched the needle wound with her bare finger after I had found out I was negative. Anyways my additional question is that isn't there still a risk if she was bleeding from her finger even slightly?
2 Comments
No, that is not what is meant by blood-to-blood contact. There needs to be a high volume of blood and open, gaping wounds to exchange that blood in order for there to be a risk. Wounds of the size and openness to be a risk would generally require medical attention - we are talking about scenarios like a bad car accident with two victims who are subsequently taken to the hospital.
There is absolutely ZERO risk from the event that you described. Put this behind you and move on.
There is absolutely ZERO risk from the event that you described. Put this behind you and move on.
Ok thank you for helping me.
COMMUNITY LEADER
This is not an HIV concern. You can not get HIV from her hands, even if they were not washed properly
3 Comments
Ok thank you for your answer. I am just concerned because I wondered if she might have had a paper cut or something and a small amount of blood might have gone into my needle wound as she was feeling for a good vein with her bare finger. I probably would have see blood on the other parts of my arm where she was feeling if she was indeed bleeding. What I hate is that she knew I came in for an HIV test along with the blood drawing and it makes me mad that she touched the needle wound with her bare finger after I had found out I was negative. Anyways my additional question is that isn't there still a risk if she was bleeding from her finger even slightly?
No,
Ok. I just don't understand because I thought blood to blood contact is considered high risk, if that actually happened.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the HIV Prevention Community
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
