How often do you get directly exposed to blood?

[VK2016]

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Yesterday I had my first really scary encounter with blood directly on my skin while assisting a surgeon doing a conisation. She accidentally touched my arm while trying to show me how I should hold the forceps with her sterile gloves with little blood on. All she said was: Oops, doesn't matter.
Afterwards I ran out the OR and washed my whole arm and disinfect it. I don't know but this was really scary considering hiv or hepC. I've been in med school for 3 years and was wondering how often you guys encounter blood exposure on your skin? I know it shouldn't happen but sometimes it's not even your fault that it happened.

Another conisation we did that day the surgery-assistant stood so close to me while handling the contaminated knifes, forceps and scissors that I was scared the whole time she was gonna touch me.

Now I'm wondering, if even such "little" blood exposure freaks me out, how likely will such a situation be again in the future?

 

[Toutie]

Just wait until you get accidentally pricked with a needle. 🙄

 

[Doctor Strange]

You're in med school for God's sake. Use your brain. Getting a little blood on your skin is not going to kill you.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using SDN mobile

 

[lalabanana]

A lot. On certain rotations such as labor & delivery, you can literally have your scrubs/gowns soaked in fluid/blood and there's little you can to do to avoid at least SOME getting splashed on you.

You should understand the risks of transmission from splash on intact skin are essentially zero. Heck, the stats even show that for a direct puncture, the seroconversion for HIV, etc. are still very low (and that's when the patient is known carrier). When you add the fact that it's unlikely your patient is even carrying something, then the statistics should be very reassuring to you. Obviously, you should do your best to protect yourself but you'll have to face the reality that as a medical student --> resident --> physician, you will likely have quite a number of episodes where you will get a patient's bodily fluids on your bare skin. The time to really worry is if you actually have a needlestick, cut, etc.

(As an aside, I read in a news article a number of years ago on a study that found that around 10% of grocery cart handles tested positive for blood...So really, you should relax 🙂 ).

 

[VK2016]

It's probably just a matter of practice.
You're right, it's very unlikely considering the probably million times a day someone gets blood on them around the world..
Still, it was a new and scary situation.
Thanks for your answers so far!

 

[Tenk]

Happens sometimes, doesn't matter for intact skin.

 

[bannie22]

I understand your concerns. You have to make sure you are wearing proper protection and also be aware of your surroundings.

There is definitely a risk but it is low, but not zero.

 

[Chris07]

Coming from an EMS background, I've been spit at, bled on, coughed on, and even thrown up on. While not a common occurrence for me, it does happen. I think early on I was scared of HIV, HepB, and the like, but after awhile and with a little education on the statistics you get over it. So long as you wash in and wash out and follow universal precautions you'll mostly be fine. So long as you don't have any open wounds, the human skin is a pretty damn good barrier for pathogens.

It's an occupational hazard. S*** happens, so just be careful.

 

[operaman]

It definitely happens. My first needle stick was on a hep c positive patient before we had Harvoni. It sucks and it's a long 6 weeks for that initial pcr.


Have had a few since. Always report them. Figure on the minuscule chance I need Harvoni or a lifetime of antiretroviral drugs, I want my institution's insurance policy paying for it.

Just be careful and be smart. And report all serious exposures when they happen.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Knowledge is power. Go to the CDC website and look up risks of transmission for needlestick. That's with hollow bore needle. Skin splash on intact skin risk is so minuscule as to be nonexistent.
I've gotten stabbed several times in the OR by HepC blood. Never fun, but definitely part of any surgeon's life.