HIV from getting blood drawn?

Question

I was in the ER last week and they drew blood.

Should I worry about HIV?

She brought in like 5 different empty tubes and a needle type thing with a tube on it to plug every different tube on it to draw all the blood needed to run the tests.

I asked her if they were sterile and she said yes.

I didn't notice any blood on it.

And the needle had a clear cap on it until she took it off.

And she sterilized my arm with an Iodine wipe.

I am just worried because is this tube type needle normal or what?

Also, I still have a tiny needle mark on my inner arm from the needle.

I usually get my blood taken because I am anemic and i get it taken in a lab and that needle mark is always close to invisible the next day....but I was at the ER on Friday and I still have a little reddish colored mark....

Is this normal?

What is type of needle with the tube on it an IV needle so it was a bigger needle so that is why I have a mark?

Please help! I am freaking out!

Answer 1

Even though I know you ask a lot of questions about HIV I will try and reassure you on this. I work in phlebotomy, this means I draw blood for a living at a hospital. The needles and vacuum tubes used by your tech to get your blood are a normal system. It is used at most if not all hospitals. All needles are one time use needles. We are like you, we do not want to be poked with a dirty needle so we would never walk around and use needles more than once. Universal precautions are used to protect ourselves and our patients.The needles almost always have a plastic flip top hinged to the needle to flip over the sharp end after the draw. This is done immediatly so NO ONE gets poked again with it. All tubes (called vacutaners) are also sterile and one time use. The mark on your arm may be because she used a larger gauge needle than what your lab tends to use. Or her technique may not have been as smooth as the lab techs you normally see. This is normal, that is why sometimes you will get a blood draw and get a big bruise and other times you won't. It all comes to technique, how they poke, if they apply pressure afterwords and such. You are fine. You do NOT need to worry about this.

Answer 2

You're not going to get HIV.



People get HIV by being pricked with needles that have been used before on someone with HIV. If it was capped it wasn't used. Getting AIDS through needles nowadays almost always happens when drug users share needles, when a health care professional is accidentally pricked, or at shady tattoo/piercing shops.



Unless you live in a third world country with horrible medical care where they reuse needles, you don't really have a chance of getting HIV from a needle a nurse pricked you with.



Relax.

Answer 3

You will not get HIV. More then likely the needle was in a wrap that you didn't notice her taking it out of. The vials are used once and only once. You have a bruise on your arm. That is normal. Get over it.

Answer 4

they can't use the same needle that they stuck a person with again not even if it was you. Every time they need to inject a needle they need to open a new one. You probably have a bruise because lady didn't pull your skin down tight enough

Answer 5

counting at this way of needle, definite it would want to be reused. although, all medical doctors dispose and incinerate biologically contaminated contraptions like needles. in case you used a similar lancet, then definite you used a similar needle. Get examined in 6 weeks and one yet another month thereafter for a 12 months. by ability of then you honestly will comprehend no matter if you've any ailments from this.

Answer 6

no.. your not going to get hiv.. they get the needles from the packageing and then they throw them away in a sharps container.. unless you are in a 3 world country.. there is no possible way anything can get transmitted if they didnt use someone elses needle..then you have a patient safty issue and thats major..