Injury

[KAREN1]

while at work the other night i was clearing away some clinical rubbish (i work at the local hospital) when some thing sharp pricked my finger, i immediately ripped open the bag to find a used needle attached to a syringe that someone had carelessly wrapped up in the rubbish. i washed and squeezed the wound and covered it as protocol. i have had bloods done for virology but i am so worried and angry about it (as if i dont have enough needles in a day!). does anyone know if i am at any more risk with diabetes than someone who is not diabetic? should i inform dsn sorry to moan just very upset at someone elses carelessness! thanks

 

[sasha1]

Hi Karen,

It is totally understandable that you feel upset, worried and angry at this..I would be exactly the same.

Whilst I cannot say whether a diabetic is more at risk than a non-diabetic..I'm sure someone will be able to answer this for you.

It maybe best if you were to contact your DSN..and talk to him/her about your worries etc..I'm sure they will be able to help and put your mind at rest.

Take care
Heidi
x🙂

 

[KAREN1]

thank heidi for your kind reply i will speak to dsn on monday. x

 

[bev]

Hi Karen,
Sorry this has happened to you. What an idiot putting it in a normal bin! I would doubt very much that you being diabetic puts you at any more risk than anyone else. I also very much doubt that you will be in any danger. But i do understand your concerns, and i hope you get a positive result (in the right way). Please try not to worry - easier said than done i know - but like Heidi has said - i would ring your dsn for some re-assurance. Let us know how things go.🙂Bev x

 

[rossi_mac]

I would be angry too.

I doubt you're at more of a risk but worth checking it out asap.

When I first saw my nursey, she explained to me that she used to be a district nurse and did a lot of blood tests, binmen used to come in a lot having being pricked by needles in bins (I think this was in the seventies) and it took two weeks for them to find out if they had caught anything! I think that's wht sharps bins appeared on the scene.

 

[KAREN1]

Hi Karen,
Sorry this has happened to you. What an idiot putting it in a normal bin! I would doubt very much that you being diabetic puts you at any more risk than anyone else. I also very much doubt that you will be in any danger. But i do understand your concerns, and i hope you get a positive result (in the right way). Please try not to worry - easier said than done i know - but like Heidi has said - i would ring your dsn for some re-assurance. Let us know how things go.🙂Bev x

thank you all for your replies its nice to know there is someone out there that will listen to a moan or two! will ring dsn and will let you know when i get results back. thanks once again X

 

[Northerner]

Hi Karen, hope there is no problem. I once pricked myself on one of my OWN' needles and got worried (how silly is that?), so can imagine how upsetting it must have been. I wouldn't have thought you were more at risk, as the others have said. I suppose if there were a problem, then it might affect your levels, as with any other infection, but no greater likelihood of getting an infection.

 

[Caroline Wilson]

Hi Karen, I agree with others, you are no more at risk than anyone else. Did you put it in the accident book or get it recorded? It is just another safegaurd for you.

It is easeir sadi than done, but try not to worry as it sends the stress levels and sugar levels up. Speak to DSN for reassuarance or if she is unavailable see the doctor or NHS direct.

The person who put the needle in the ordinary rubbish ws pretty careless.

 

[sofaraway]

Sorry to hear that happened to you, I've been lucky to never had a sharps injury. You must be angry as it wasn't your fault. I hope that there is a reminder to all people workig in that area how to dispose of sharps.
Hope the results all come back clear