When we were learning how to use syringes in nursing school, the conversation went like this:
Professor: ok. everyone uncap your syringe and make sure you don't stick yourself.
Student: I stuck myself.
Seriously, it happened THAT fast.
That same student asked how meds would come from the pharmacy when Walgreens closes at 2300.
I had two.
The first, I was as a student, I holding the patient’s hand steady, the supervisor was starting IV. Someone knocked on the door and she stuck me. She was horrified and then got me my first job. Lol
The second back in the day when we used needles for piggybacks, previous nurse left it hanging, I went to hang mine and got stuck. I was panicked because the man was a an addict and his grandson had died of AIDS (this was the 90’s) and I was pretty upset, convinced I had gotten AUDS, The protocol was to draw my blood immediately, incident report etc. the nurse that didn’t discard the needle was hysterical. I go back to finish piggyback and it was obvious I was crying and trying to be cool in front of the patient. He’s is saying I know you’re scared but if u look in the drawer you’ll feel better. I don’t give a darn what’s in his drawer… are you serious. He says it again, I’m doing my nurse thing and he says it a third time. All I can think, is I don’t care what’s in your drawer. So he asked for an envelope from the drawer. Sure ok, whatever… I’m saying in my head. I hand him and envelope and in it is a negative AIDS test result from two days prior and we had him in the hospital on another unit when it was drawn. Thank you seeet hesus… I didn’t have AIDS!
Ok, this didn't happen to me but one of the nurses who reported to me. She was putting a sharp container but wasn't looking at the box. Low and behold the container was full but some lazy person tried to put more into the box and they left a needle hanging out of the box attached to the tubing. The nurse got stuck in the palm of her hand. Lessons to be learned:. Pay attention when throwing something away; check the sharps containers when you enter a room and report the need for replacement; lookout for your peers so they don't do the same thing.
