When Needles Attack.

"Welcome to medicine :)" That was the text I got after I informed my clinical coordinator I was sitting in the ER going through needle stick protocol. Don't get me wrong, exposure to another person's bodily fluids is never a good thing and there is definitely risk involved, but this happens every day and typically is not an issue if you follow up like your supposed to. But, then there's me.

I was in the OR assisting on a port placement for chemotherapy and I went to access the port with a Huber needle. My preceptor told me it was difficult and to really choke up on the syringe so I did. But as soon as she told me that I knew something was going to happen, I could just feel it. I don't know if I didn't choke up enough or what because it happened so fast, but I was struggling to pull the needle out of the port and the next thing I knew I jabbed my own hand with a pretty sizeable needle. Had blood in my glove instantly and had already pulled the patient's blood into the syringe so as the ER doctor told me, "this is a moderate risk exposure." Holy embarrassment. I had to leave the case and immediately wash my hands while the RN called the ER and told them I was coming. Still, not a huge issue because it happens. Cue my crap veins.....

After a needle stick you have to get blood from the patient and your own blood drawn right away to check your baseline liver function, HIV screen, Hep panel etc... I'm a hard stick on a good day, but after being in the frigid OR all morning I was frozen and dehydrated and no one could get a vein to save their life. It got to the point where the ER doctor came in the room, took off my socks and checked the veins in my feet....still not good. Then, he put the bed in Trendelenburg and started scoping out my external jugular vein in my neck. I said absolutely not, sir. I almost lost it at that point. After six attempts, hot packs, a bottle of water, and three blankets, a precious angel nurse finally got a vein in my arm. I felt like a pin cushion and still had 2 injections waiting for me. Blah, anyways everything worked out fine and the nurses in the Georgetown ER are so sweet, they tried so hard.

So, all you little PA students out there, stay hydrated before you go sticking yourself with needles :) My only hope is I can make it out of this rotation without doing it again because I know there are multiple port placements next week....yikes.