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Blood on hands
I started an IV and got blood on my finger. I didn't have any bleeding wounds, but I have dry peeling skin around my nails. Can I get HIV?
For starters, was this a known + patient?
Unfortunately, you were taught in a very conservative manner, which is pretty much the norm. That was my experience as well. It wasn't until I started working, and talked to many ID docs, and learned more about HIV that I found out it's not only VERY hard to get HIV, but it's VERY rare for HIV transmission to occur as a result of an occupational exposure.
The ONLY way you would have been at risk in this scenario was if you had a DEEP wound caused by a large bore needle that involved a copious amount of fresh blood, and even that kind of situation would rarely lead to infection.
You have nothing to worry about in regards to HIV. It never hurts to express your concerns and report an incident like this that involved a known infected person to your employee health department. They will have stringent protocols in place to handle any potential exposure. Again, though, expect an overly conservative approach.
Unfortunately, you were taught in a very conservative manner, which is pretty much the norm. That was my experience as well. It wasn't until I started working, and talked to many ID docs, and learned more about HIV that I found out it's not only VERY hard to get HIV, but it's VERY rare for HIV transmission to occur as a result of an occupational exposure.
The ONLY way you would have been at risk in this scenario was if you had a DEEP wound caused by a large bore needle that involved a copious amount of fresh blood, and even that kind of situation would rarely lead to infection.
You have nothing to worry about in regards to HIV. It never hurts to express your concerns and report an incident like this that involved a known infected person to your employee health department. They will have stringent protocols in place to handle any potential exposure. Again, though, expect an overly conservative approach.
We are told in nursing school and by infection control we can get HIV if we have chapped hands, paper cuts, etc. Just looking for s
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