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Nurse poked whit lancet for HIV pt
Today I was teaching a pt how to use a glucose meter and lancet ,the pt had a hard time taking the lancet out of a device; the lancet finally came out and landed on my led and poke me. I asked pt if have any other conditions besides diabetes and she said HIV!. I'm worry, I reported the the office manager and I got tested right away, and I have to be tested for a year. What are the chances I can get infected with the virus. Thanks.
Best Answer
There's always a baseline test immediately after exposure. That's common practice for any occupational exposure.
Got no idea why you were tested right away anyway,that result will tell you absolutely nothing,the earliest HIV test you can have is an RNA at 7 days post-exposure or DUO test at 3 to 4 weeks.
nettylyme: They do. I was tested right away, and they will test me for one year. No prophylactic treatment. Thanks for you response
If those MDs where really concerned you would have been given PEP,They obviously believe either it's low risk or no risk.
Risk is extremely low. Immediate test is usually protocol as well as prophylactic treatment for actual exposure. The facility you work at should have an exposure policy. Nursegirl is right. Good luck.
You're more than welcome. You will learn more the longer you're in the field. At one point starting out, I had overly inflated views of HIV as well.
You don't need to take precautions, but do what you're comfortable with, and follow your facility's post-exposure policy as directed by whoever is in charge of employee health. Testing out to a year is not necessary per official CDC/FDA testing guidelines, but many facilities are ultra conservative, again, for liability reasons.
Good luck with your career!!
You don't need to take precautions, but do what you're comfortable with, and follow your facility's post-exposure policy as directed by whoever is in charge of employee health. Testing out to a year is not necessary per official CDC/FDA testing guidelines, but many facilities are ultra conservative, again, for liability reasons.
Good luck with your career!!
Thank you so much nursegirl6572; that is correct, we don't get enough education about AIDS/HIV. I have only been a nurse for 1 year, not a lot of experience, do I was a CNA for 10 years. I really appreciated your response to my bizarre accident, because I was pretty far from pt and the lancet flew form device and stuck my leg. Do you think that I should take precautions, not to infect my son or my boyfriend; I'm planning on it and I told then what had happen too!
I have never heard of a lancet infecting someone,I would find it hard to believe that you would be the first.
Sadly, what you wrote above is typical of the knowledge of probably most health care professionals. Even my own nursing education didn't teach me the REAL risks. It wasn't until I worked specifically with AIDS/HIV patients, and got to know many respected ID docs, and worked in employee health, that I learned the REAL facts.
Anytime you're in contact with body fluids, specially blood, there is a risk!!! OSHA Bloodborne pathogens.
Thank you for taking the time RainLover, do you have any medical background? simple curiosity!!!
because it was a work related injury then they will make you test,expect a negative result.
The lancet stuck in my leg, I felt it!!! The MD's never mentioned anything about to start therapy!
As RainLover71 told you those are your odds.
Remember the HIV virus dies very fast out side of the body. (Within seconds) I would not worrie about this at all. I am sure you will have to test in 3 months. Since you are a nurse. And that will come back NEG.
So no worries
Remember the HIV virus dies very fast out side of the body. (Within seconds) I would not worrie about this at all. I am sure you will have to test in 3 months. Since you are a nurse. And that will come back NEG.
So no worries
It's an occupational exposure so you are just going through that process but it's not a risk at all and no one tests out to a year either.If they thought it was a genuine risk then why weren't you started on PEP?
Absolutely; they said risk are very low, but I would like to hear this from others!!! Percentage maybe!!!
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ONE, any infected blood on the surface area of the lancet would not remain active when exposed to the elements. TWO, there would not be enough blood to cause a risk. THREE, a lancet only makes a very small, superficial cut in the skin to obtain a capillary blood sample, in order to get HIV, the virus has to have access to the bloodstream, which cannot happen with a lancet stick.
Your employer will still have you go through their exposure protocol, bue to liability reasons. You had NO risk and do not need to worry.