needleless injecgtions

[Fall2013]

I was giving an iv push med through a saline lock. It's a needleless system. I wasn't wearing gloves because it was an urgent situation. Anyways, my hand slipped and the plastic syringe with the medication rubbed against my finger after I tried to attach it to the saline lock. I didn't cut my finger with syringe. There was no bleeding, but I did have some dry skin on my finger. I couldn't see any blood in the saline lock, but if there was blood in the saline lock, could this be a risk for HIV because the syringe that touched the saline lock then rubbed against my finger?

[Fall2013]

If the syringe scratched my finger but didn't cause bleeding, is that still a risk? Or would it have to be a deep cut?

[RainLover71]

Only if you had deep wounds and this poster had no wounds at all.

[SKadir]

Hi,
But HIV infected blood spilled on fresh cuts would be a point of entry situation. Right?
Or, is it just another myth?
Regards!

[RainLover71]

Correct--not a point of entry.

[Fall2013]

I didn't have any open cuts on my finger but I did have dry peeling skin from picking at the skin sometimes. But there weren't any open cuts and no bleeding when the syringe rubbed against my finger. So the dry peeling skin wouldn't be a point of entry?

[Fall2013]

ok,Thank you.

[RainLover71]

Correct and you can't have an exposure without a point of entry into the bloodstream--I wouldn't worry about this anymore.

[Fall2013]

So if there was blood on the syringe, it's inactive immediately after exposed to air? I didn't even see any blood. My finger did have dry skin, but no open cuts.

[RainLover71]

No because 1.There was no point of entry and 2.HIV becomes inactive once exposed to air.