Resolved question:
I had blood drawn in the ER yesterday, while she was drawing it I noticed blood on her glove (not mine). I should have said something but didn't. I know the needle was clean because I watched her take it out of the package. I am concerned if that blood on her glove got on my fresh puncture site could I get HIV or Hepatitis. My puncture site did bleed because she held pressure. I know that to get infected the blood from whatever patient was before me would have to be infected. In the ER people are sick do who knows what other people have. I am having major anxiety over this. Please help! Do I need to get tested? Or am I just letting my mind run wild.
Submitted:
4 Days
Category:
Internal Medicine Specialist
Hello.
Thank you for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
From your history there is a very low probability that she could have possibly passed on the infection to you. Since the needle was a new one i would not be that worried. How much blood did she have on her gloves? And did the nurse press your puncture site to stop the bleeding that happened due to pressure. Please do not be worried, since there is almost negligible chance here of you getting infected. In fact even though theoretically it is possible, i am yet to see such a case. Most people who get HIV or Hepatitis without any sexual exposure, receive contaminated blood products, or share repeatedly contaminated needles with the infected person. In your case the needle was clean, and there was a very brief exposure. Hence there is no reason to worry. Also the puncture site is an extremely small dot like a spot, through that infection can't really go in. If it was an open wound, there could have been chances of contamination.
So in my opinion, you do not have reasons to be worried here.
Hope this was helpful,
Regards.
Thank you for your reply. She actually missed on the first attempt and held pressure for a few seconds after she released the touraquet. The blood was on one finger which was present when she walked in. I was just concerned about the possibility of contamination but was unsure if it was something to worry about being it was a blood draw and the needle was clean. I am mostly concerned that maybe holding pressure she could have exposed to me. Just looking for reassurance that it should be fine. I am just upset at myself for not being my own advocate. I don't want to sit in a health department to get tested if I don't need to.
Hello.
I totally understand your concern and i am glad that this awareness exists among at least a few intellectual people like you.
No from your history, i don't think you need to get any tests done. Even if there was some chances of contamination the exposure was extremely brief to cause any harm. Moreover the fact that the needle was clean is the most reassuring factor.
In this case, there is nothing to be worried about.
Hope i addressed your concerns,
Regards.
Thank you for your reply. She actually missed on the first attempt and held pressure for a few seconds after she released the touraquet. The blood was on one finger which was present when she walked in. I was just concerned about the possibility of contamination but was unsure if it was something to worry about being it was a blood draw and the needle was clean. I am mostly concerned that maybe holding pressure she could have exposed to me. Just looking for reassurance that it should be fine. I am just upset at myself for not being my own advocate. I don't want to sit in a health department to get tested if I don't need to.