squirting lidocaine?

[doctorFred]

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perhaps i'm just procedurally handicapped, but every time i administer epi prior to suturing, i invariably end up squirting myself with it. i find it hard to just exactly when the tip of the needle is about to reappear, and as you have to inject rather firmly to get the lido under the surface (especially with fingers), it invariably pressurizes a stream of blood-tinged anesthetic right in my face. luckily, i'm smart enough to know it's going to happen in advance and wear a mask with a face shield.

this may all sound totally ridiculous, but does anyone have any advice, aside from "go into psychiatry"? or at the very least, does this happen to other people too?

 

[southerndoc]

I wear a face mask for all procedures, no questions asked.

I learned my lesson the hard way when a nice foul-smelling pus-filled abscess pocket squirted on my face.

 

[dmitrinyr]

This is commonly done when, but occurs less and less the more times your do it. Wearing a shield helps protect your eyes from coming in contact with god knows what the person you're suturing might be carrying. Some people don't like the huge face shield as it fogs up and you can't see as well... so an alternative is a nice pair of goggles that many residents use when dealing with traumas. You can probably get these at any sports equipment store.