I can't believe I did that!!!!!!!!!!!

[Turkeygirl]

For Mrs wtnhunt, and any others, you're gonna love this little tidbit from my day.

So I'm at clinical.As students, we give any PRN (as needed) meds and 4pm (aka 1600) meds. Well I've got one guy who's respiration rate is a bit high. The nurse tells me he has a prn order for an anti-anxiety med which was also helping with his respiratory issues also I guess. She tells me he asks for it. So I get my instructor, go into the med room, I have to dilute it to give it IVP (IV push) and i learn that Ativan is a really thick medication:eek: So my instructor says get a bigger gauge needle, so I push the med bag into the vial, pull the needle out, go to recap it, my hand was shaking slightly and aaahhh! I stick myself in my left thumb! I run over to the sink because it's bleeding and my instructor thought it was slightly humorous, so did I, because the needle was still sterile, and luckily I didn't have any of the med in it, if anywhere, a drop came off the needle. Needless to stay I still momentarily was freaked out...even if it was stil lsterile, the thought was what if that had happened after I'd put it in someone....still scary. I do have a bruise on my thumb though but other than that, no harm done.

Is this week over yet? I cut my left pinky finger helping butcher a deer on Sunday (not a bad cut, but enough to be worthy of bandaids)

I still like my job,lol;)

[stevebeilgard]

whao. that could have been serious. i think you may have learned a cheap lifetime lesson.

[GWSmith]

...i think you may have learned a cheap lifetime lesson.

Yeppers....and they call them "Sharps" for what reason...LOL

[Turkeygirl]

LOL GW. Yeah...I'm always careful when I'm handling needles, which is why I think I was shaking...makes me a little nervous because you think of what can go wrong....

[GWSmith]

All joking around aside Steve was right...could have been a real bad situation especially if you were treating someone with AID's or any other severe condition.

Sticks are one of my Wifes biggest concerns. She had her share when she went through school...and by the grace of God none since;)

[OJR]

Not a good move. I am glad to hear it was a sterile needle.

Now please quit shaking! LOL!!

[wtnhunt]

LOL. Worked in a nursing home a little while as maintenance supervisor, was a few occasions where residents who were getting shots really did not want the shots(combative) and they had to be restrained by people. Can remember a floor tech getting jabbed in the leg a time or two. Fortunately those too were sterile needles. Be careful Ruth.

[rookieee]

my wife is director of nursing her in miami at jmh and the stories she tells me about some of things that happen to nurses are unreal:eek:

[Jeramie]

I dont like needles... Working with them is certainly not a viable option.

Youre braiver than I!

[elkoholic]

I hope your week gets better. A little of that lorazepam would have eased your anxiety. Seems like there was a lapse in OSHA training. Never recap a needle after an injection. That is, or should be, standard training procedure. If, when preparing an injection for example, a needle needs to be recapped the cap should be placed on a level surface and the needle slid into it. Like the barrel of a gun, never point a needle at something you do not plan on shooting.

[crazylegz70]

Lets just say I have tattoos and I HATE NEEDLES...makes sense huh?

[Turkeygirl]

Oh, we learned how ro recap by having the cap on the surface and sliding it in...part ofi t was my fault because I reached down to hold the still on the counter..for some reason....I'm not doing that again though!

[mrswtnhunt]

Have had my share of close calls but have never gotten stuck. You are lucky that you hadn't already given the injection to the patient! My hubby talked above about being the maint. supervisor at a nursing home. I was the ADON at that facility and had my share of "holding" residents down so the nurse could give an injection:eek:. Did your instructor give you any training on the syringe? OSHA now requires most places to use "safety" syringes that have a barrell that you pull over the needle instead of recapping. Lesson learned:rolleyes:. Hang in there girl, you'll be fine.