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Needlestick injury from work... not from a patient...
Hi, my nickname is Kimonoskunk, (as I'm afraid to post my real name, (until I get some needed advice).
I'm a truck driver that handles all the sharps containers for removal to be incinerated, or washed and returned.
Just this past Friday, I had returned to my shop and got started unloading the boxes from the truck.
One cardboard box had red sharps containers in it, but had spilled over. I reached to upright the box, and got jabbed straight into the right hand with a needle that had protruded past the clear top of the sharps box. It was a bit dark, as the back of the truck was enclosed. The box had been heavy, so I put some strength into grabbing the sharps cases.
The needle had sunken in approximately an inch on an angle from my right hand, left lower side of the palm,straight towards the wrist. I immediately jumped backward and yelled, and slowly had to remove the needle without breaking it, from my hand. I was wearing rubber palmed and nylon gloves with the rubber to grab the boxes easier.
One other driver said... "Dude, you just screwed yourself for life..."
I notified my boss, who sent me to the doctor / W-C office immediately. I had been ordered to do a urine sample and blood was drawn. The doc came in and all was said was come back the following week for a follow-up. And that the risks were small to nominal at best. No talk about Hep A B or C, only thing was asked when I had the shots. I replied 3 months ago when I was hired, and I had the allergic reaction to the MMR and Hep shots. I had the 2 Hep shots already, but the 3rd won't be till Sept 12, my anniversary.
From what I remember, the needle was from a sharps box, that fits into the patient's wall box, with the split clear lid. And the customer was a surgical office, where they do full surgeries there, as far as I know. The box was full of needles from earlier that week, (3 days was the previous pickup) The gauge and size of the needle I don't know. All I know is that I have a real fear of needles now since my allergy when I had the MMR, and I was out for 4 days sick as a dog.
I am due to head back on Monday, but my wrist and hand are killing me, (#4 on a pain scale, 1-10) and now I have to take MORE needles for these tests. I am right handed and draw as a hobby, but now it hurts to sign my name on anything.
Any and all comments and replies will be answered as best as I can.
My questions are....
Don't I get a checklist or something of what I might need to look for?
More medications? What should I ask? My right hand is hurting, the ring and pinkie finger have pins and needles, and the hand is painful up to the mid forearm area, again with random pins and needles.
Thank you and be blessed everyone...
(A scared skunk)
I'm a truck driver that handles all the sharps containers for removal to be incinerated, or washed and returned.
Just this past Friday, I had returned to my shop and got started unloading the boxes from the truck.
One cardboard box had red sharps containers in it, but had spilled over. I reached to upright the box, and got jabbed straight into the right hand with a needle that had protruded past the clear top of the sharps box. It was a bit dark, as the back of the truck was enclosed. The box had been heavy, so I put some strength into grabbing the sharps cases.
The needle had sunken in approximately an inch on an angle from my right hand, left lower side of the palm,straight towards the wrist. I immediately jumped backward and yelled, and slowly had to remove the needle without breaking it, from my hand. I was wearing rubber palmed and nylon gloves with the rubber to grab the boxes easier.
One other driver said... "Dude, you just screwed yourself for life..."
I notified my boss, who sent me to the doctor / W-C office immediately. I had been ordered to do a urine sample and blood was drawn. The doc came in and all was said was come back the following week for a follow-up. And that the risks were small to nominal at best. No talk about Hep A B or C, only thing was asked when I had the shots. I replied 3 months ago when I was hired, and I had the allergic reaction to the MMR and Hep shots. I had the 2 Hep shots already, but the 3rd won't be till Sept 12, my anniversary.
From what I remember, the needle was from a sharps box, that fits into the patient's wall box, with the split clear lid. And the customer was a surgical office, where they do full surgeries there, as far as I know. The box was full of needles from earlier that week, (3 days was the previous pickup) The gauge and size of the needle I don't know. All I know is that I have a real fear of needles now since my allergy when I had the MMR, and I was out for 4 days sick as a dog.
I am due to head back on Monday, but my wrist and hand are killing me, (#4 on a pain scale, 1-10) and now I have to take MORE needles for these tests. I am right handed and draw as a hobby, but now it hurts to sign my name on anything.
Any and all comments and replies will be answered as best as I can.
My questions are....
Don't I get a checklist or something of what I might need to look for?
More medications? What should I ask? My right hand is hurting, the ring and pinkie finger have pins and needles, and the hand is painful up to the mid forearm area, again with random pins and needles.
Thank you and be blessed everyone...
(A scared skunk)
Best Answer
*staph
Hi Skunk, (I am not a doctor just someone living with the virus and here to support others:)
Hepititas C virus can live hours up to 4 days on surfaces, or up to 30 days in liquids with the right temperatures. Hcv does not tingle when you get it. I would think any pain would point to an infection before anything else, or second emotional distress causing you to be more aware of your injury. Third, you don't know what medication was in the syringe (which may be why they gave you a urine culture.)
Yes, you should be tested for all diseases passed through blood and ruled out for infection. Staff infections are scary so watch for redness and warmth, fever or oozing from injury.
It is a very small percentage that catch disease from needlesticks..so that is good news. I am very sorry you have to deal with this and wish you the very best with all tests in the clear.
Laura
Hepititas C virus can live hours up to 4 days on surfaces, or up to 30 days in liquids with the right temperatures. Hcv does not tingle when you get it. I would think any pain would point to an infection before anything else, or second emotional distress causing you to be more aware of your injury. Third, you don't know what medication was in the syringe (which may be why they gave you a urine culture.)
Yes, you should be tested for all diseases passed through blood and ruled out for infection. Staff infections are scary so watch for redness and warmth, fever or oozing from injury.
It is a very small percentage that catch disease from needlesticks..so that is good news. I am very sorry you have to deal with this and wish you the very best with all tests in the clear.
Laura
There is no vaccine for hep C, there are only ones for hep A and B.
The only thing you can do, is see a doctor, which you already have done.
Those needles could have been used for anything.
The likelihood you contracted something is small but possible.
As far as your pain goes, my guess is you may have hit a nerve.
Try massaging the area.
Work from your elbow down to the hand and out through your fingers.
The only thing you can do, is see a doctor, which you already have done.
Those needles could have been used for anything.
The likelihood you contracted something is small but possible.
As far as your pain goes, my guess is you may have hit a nerve.
Try massaging the area.
Work from your elbow down to the hand and out through your fingers.
You are reading content posted in the Hepatitis C Community
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Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
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Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
The newly revised Bloodborne Pathogens Standard requires employers to “maintain
a sharps injury log for the recording of percutaneous injuries from contaminated
sharps.”39 The log must contain, at a minimum, the following information:
• Date of the injury
• Type and brand of the device involved
• Department or work area where the incident occurred
• Explanation of how the incident occurred
39 2000
If you sustain a needlestick injury, take the following actions immediately:
• Wash the wound with soap and water.
• Alert your supervisor and initiate the injury reporting system used in your
workplace.
• Identify the source patient, who should be tested for HIV, hepatitis B, and
hepatitis C infections. Your workplace will begin the process to test the
patient by seeking consent.
• Report to employee health services, the emergency department, or other designated
treatment facility.
• Get tested immediately and confidentially for HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis
C infections.
• Get PEP in accordance with CDC guidelines when the source patient is
unknown or tests positive for:
• HIV: Start prophylaxis within two hours of exposure. HIV PEP should
include a four-week regimen of two drugs (zidovudine [ZDV] and
lamivudine [3TC]; 3TC and stavudine [d4T]; or didanosine [ddI] and
d4T) for most exposures and an expanded regimen that includes a third
drug for HIV exposures that pose an increased risk for transmission.
When the source patient’s virus is known or suspected to be resistant to
one or more of the PEP drugs, the selection of drugs to which the source
patient’s virus is unlikely to be resistant is recommended.
• Hepatitis B: If vaccinated no treatment, but if unvaccinated get HBIG and
initiate HB vaccine series.
• Hepatitis C: No treatment is currently recommended, but you may want
to consult a specialist about experimental PEP.
• Document the exposure in detail, for your own records as well as for the
employer and for workers’ compensation. Under the new needlestick law,
employers must maintain a confidential sharps injury log that contains, at a
minimum, the type and brand of device involved in the incident, the department
or work area where the exposure incident occurred, and an explanation
of how the incident occurred.
Follow-Up:
• Get confidential follow-up, post-exposure testing at six weeks, three months,
and six months, and depending on the risk, at one year.
• Receive monitoring and follow-up of PEP.
• Take precautions (especially by practicing safe sex) to prevent exposing
others until follow-up testing is complete.
12
• Don’t be afraid to seek additional information or a referral to an infectious
disease specialist if you have any questions. Also, consider counseling—a
needlestick injury can be traumatic, regardless of the outcome.
For more information, call the National Clinicians PEP Hotline at 1(888) 4484911
.http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/WorkplaceSafety/SafeNeedles/NeedlestickPrevention.pdf
Good luck ..
Will