Needle stick

[Freeborn1970]

This has been a rough time. I was starting an IV and the needle didn't retract and pricked my finger through my glove. It wasn't a deep stick. The patient was HIV negative but positive for hepatitis c. I wasn't offered PEP. I called the PEPline and spoke to a doctor and was told the source patient is considered uninfected if they test negative for HIV and that's why I wasn't offered PEP. My concern is that I am breastfeeding. My pediatrician told me I could resume breastfeeding if the patient was HIV negative and the doctor at the PEPline said I could resume breastfeeding as well. I'm worried about the window period and this is where I am confused. How do I know it's safe to breastfeed? How do I know that the patient wasn't in the window period? I just don't want to hurt anyone. I had baseline testing on me, but no other testing since the incident and it happened July 7th. I was told by employee health to consult with my pediatrician regarding breastfeeding which I did. Any help would be appreciated.

[Freeborn1970]

The physician at the PEPline said there were factors that made the needlestick a risk such as size of needle, depth of stick, patient's status. He also said that no one has acquired HIV from a source person in the window period in the U. S. to date.  And I have read on this site that a needle stick has to be deep and you have to be injecting something. Again, I came here to get information. People do that when they are scared. I did not mean to bother anyone, post excessively.  I came here looking for help and support.

[Freeborn1970]

Thank you for replying. I know it sounds suspIcious. But I promise this really happened. I can't believe it has happened myself. I would not waste your time or my time coming here to post lies. I'm a very busy mom. And I'm very stressed and very scared. My employee health department is not what it should be, I work in a very small rural hospital.  After the needlestick, I had to wait a week for the results of the patient because it was a send out. I was not even offered PEP during the wait. I spoke to no physician about it. I had to look up my own resources and that's when I came upon the PEPline. That's when I was able to speak to a physician. I had to find out everything on my own, I didn't receive any assistance from employee health, except baseline labs on myself. I called my pediatrician right after I found out patient was negative. His nurse said I could breastfeed. And the doctor at the PEPline went over things with me such as depth of stick, etc. He said it was safe to breastfeed. But as a mom, you worry. I have to say that I am did not know how HIV was really transmitted. And that's what led me to this forum, for more knowledge. I thought I was in the clear when the patient tested negative. I was more concerned about getting blood on my hand, because I did not know the patient's status. So in my mind, that seemed more of a risk.

[nursegirl6572]

Follow the recommendations of your employee health dept and your facility's post exposure protocol/policy.  Certain needlesticks ARE risks, it depends on the situation.  We cannot advise you on it, and you're already under the care of a physician, follow their lead.  If they don't recommend nPEP, then it's likely the risk was very low or negligible.

Hopefully you understand the questions.  I find it VERY strange that you posted (in excess actually), all concerned about the blood on your hand risk, never mentioning an actual needlestick injury, and now come back with this info.  Sorry, with all due respect, something just doesn't add up.

Good luck.

[Freeborn1970]

Can you just please explain to me how a prick from a needle isn't a risk? That's all I want to know.

[Teak]

  This forum nor any other Internet forum can offer you the help you need. Seek professional help.

[Freeborn1970]

Yea, I had 2 exposures and at first I wasn't worried about the needlestick because the patient tested negative for HIV and that's why I didn't ask anything about it. When I got blood on my hand, the patient was never tested. I probaly wouldn't even think twice about either incident if not for breastfeeding. I am not lying. I was pricked by a needle 2 weeks later. I know it seems like I'm lying because I had 2 exposures so close but it just happened. I went back to work after having my baby and I work nights and exclusively breastfeeding and living on 3-4 hours of sleep on a good day. My baby also would not take a bottle when I went back to work and would go over 12 hours without eating. This caused a lot of stress and probaly led to my exposures because I'm exhausted and overwhelmed.  I just need someone to explain to me why a prick isnt anything to worry about. I know the patient tested negative, but I'm still worried.

[Teak]

Freeborn1970 | Jul 24, 2013
8 Comments

I am so confused. I have heard so much conflicting information, including from my employee health nurse. She tells me that blood on my hand from starting an IV is a risk of acquiring HIV if there is a cut and that it does not have to be bleeding and that they have to test me for one year for HIV.  It is unknown if the patient had HIV. I only had a torn cuticle that I could see, sometimes I pick at skin around my nails but I didn't have any bleeding sores or cuts that I could see. I don't even know how I got blood on my hand. Had I not looked, I would have never seen it. This is where i am confused because the employee health nurse said it is an exposure and I have to be tested for one year. I was negative at 4 weeks and I am still breastfeeding. What does a cut need to be to pose a risk? Just very confused.

You brought this up now and your needle prick happened on July 7? Seek professional mental help for your phobias and see out a new occupation.

[Freeborn1970]

This is the first time anything like this has ever happened to me. And the fear is amplified because I am breastfeeding. I will follow the recommendations of the doctor at PEPline and continue to breastfeed.

[Freeborn1970]

I had 2 exposures. I did not change my story. I just started to worry about the window period. I wasn't worried at first because the patient tested negative but then I started to worry. And the worrying is because of my baby.

[nursegirl6572]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/What-constitutes-an-open-wound/show/1982133#post_9325572

Lizzie asks a great question, why has the story changed?  You never mentioned a needle stick before, only you were worried about getting blood on your hands and into your torn cuticles.

The timing from the last question til now clearly indicates you're talking about the same event.  Did you think if you made the story more severe you would get a different answer?

You never had an HIV risk, were never stuck with a needle, and I would strongly urge you to seek help.  Being in the medical field, you will NOT be able to function at work with an HIV phobia.

[hangon51]

A prick is not an injection. Even if the patient was positive, you would have to have a larger amount  of his blood directly injected into your blood stream. I had a similar exposure and I understand why you would freak out...I did. But the doctor at emerg explained in detail why testing isn't necessary.
I did anyway, because that's just me. It all depends on your comfort level .
You may have to wait a little longer to get an answer from someone that has a more extensive background than me on this, like "nursegirl"  or  "teak" but I am sure they wouldn't even recommend testing.

[LIZZIE LOU]

why did you change your story????

[Freeborn1970]

I thought this was a valid question and I'm not sure why anyone hasn't responded.