Question to Nursed and phlebotomists?!
Question: I have a question about the needles and syringes used in blood draws. I am always afraid of HIV and about the possibility that a nurse might by mistake use a usd syringe on me to draw blood. Here are my questions:
1- Lets say a syringe has been used before and then recapped and bymistake placed with the new syringes. When the nurse wants to use it again, will it be obvious that it has been used (like it will have traces of blood, etc...)
2- what if the syringe was reused by mistake. I know that hiv dies in air so the only danger is the blood found inside the needle. Will that blood go into the blood streem or it will not since the process is a blood draw and vaccuum will make the blood go from the vein to the needle and not vice versa.
Thanks !
Answers: I have a question about the needles and syringes used in blood draws. I am always afraid of HIV and about the possibility that a nurse might by mistake use a usd syringe on me to draw blood. Here are my questions:
1- Lets say a syringe has been used before and then recapped and bymistake placed with the new syringes. When the nurse wants to use it again, will it be obvious that it has been used (like it will have traces of blood, etc...)
2- what if the syringe was reused by mistake. I know that hiv dies in air so the only danger is the blood found inside the needle. Will that blood go into the blood streem or it will not since the process is a blood draw and vaccuum will make the blood go from the vein to the needle and not vice versa.
Thanks !
1- There is no chance that we could use again neither a syringe, nor a needle that had benn already used. YOU HAVE TO GET IT OUT OF YOUR MIND.
2- HIV virus does not "die" in air. It dies 72 hours after being, for example, on the floor, with no humidity. But do not be anxious. I am a B.S. in Nursing, and I work with patients with aids. I am ok, and nothinhg happened to me, so please, relax, you are just too anxious.
every hospital has a protocol. i will tell you i have never seen nor used a needle on someone that i didn't have to take out of a sealed package first. as a result it is absolutely RARE for something like re-using needles to happen in a medical facility. also, used needles must be placed directly into a sharps container, anyone who does otherwise will be confronted immediately and any needle found laying around is never placed with new needles. you should be more worried about tattoo needles and piercing needles that are encountered outside of medical facilities. if you have a very serious fear of this ask your nurse or doctor if you can watch them remove the syringe from the packaging, this is something they can easily do for you.
First recapping needles is an absolute no, no. Used product go directly into a sharps disposal container.
New syringes and needles are in a sterile packaging and it is very easy to tell a new sterile unopened package. Vacutaner needles. are also sealed with a band.
What you are suggesting does not happen if you follow standard protocol. There are built in redundancies to avoid error.