Can I get infected from reused gloves during blood draw?

kboo42

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 21, 2019
The person taking my blood had visible stains of blood (from other people) on her gloves. Obviously she is not throwing the gloves after each blood draw. Is this a cause of concern? Could I get hepatitis or any other blood borne disease? And what are those blood borne diseases?

edit: please provide some sources like: I worked in healthcare... or I had this issue before... or Here are some references...

Few people here assumed I am faking this post. No, I am actually not. I found about disboards by google search. I've found a related article on this forum. I assume many of the people here come from the USA and it's hard for them to believe the practices that happen in third-world countries. Trust me, people in third-world countries can be ignorant and very careless. I have actual concerns and getting a bit anxious because of this whole incident.

Thank you!
 
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In the future, if you ever see that again, STOP that lab tech in her tracks and do not let her anywhere near you! And report her. Good grief! Why would you let someone with already bloody gloves draw blood from you?!!!
 
I saw it too late. I reported her as well! Is it possible that I can get infected?
 
I would assume it is possible. However, highly unlikely due to the fact that the attendant most likely never touched the needle or the spot on your skin where the needle inserted.
Still, if someone is that careless with gloves, I would be nervous about the rest of the process too. I would get as high up in the chain of command as you can go and demand free testing for blood borne pathogens, just so you can rest easy after their employee's egregious mistake.
 


Thank you for the advice. She just put the cotton ball with alcohol on top of the insertion spot! Do you think a disease an be transferred from the cotton ball?
 
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The person taking my blood had visible stains of blood (from other people) on her gloves. Obviously she is not throwing the gloves after each blood draw. Is this a cause of concern? Could I get hepatitis or any other blood borne disease?

Thank you!

I saw it too late. I reported her as well! Is it possible that I can get infected?

Thank you for the advice. She just put the cotton swab with alcohol on top of the injection spot! Do you think a disease an be transferred from the cotton ball?
Which was it - a blood draw or an injection?
 


Which was it - a blood draw or an injection?
It was a blood draw. I meant the insertion spot. Does injecting vs drawing makes a difference?

Very weird 1st post for a Disney board

popcorn::
I saw someone post long ago similar post on this board but the lady was touching the spot directly with her hands and you people were very helpful so I got some hope posting here! :)
Can I ask you why do you think so?
 
Is it possible the stains were iodine and not blood? They look very similar.

Techs must change gloves between patients. If she did not then regardless of what stain it is, she must be reported.

Short answer is well it is highly unlikely that you could have contracted something, there is always the infinitesimal percentage chance that you could have. I speak to your doctor immediately.
 
Is it possible the stains were iodine and not blood? They look very similar.

Techs must change gloves between patients. If she did not then regardless of what stain it is, she must be reported.

Short answer is well it is highly unlikely that you could have contracted something, there is always the infinitesimal percentage chance that you could have. I speak to your doctor immediately.
Thank you! That's a good guess! I just checked on-line and the color look similar! Unfortunately, I was born in developing country and practices in the public healthcare can be very bad. Even though the medical stuff is educated on proper procedures, sometimes they choose not to follow it due to laziness or maybe they think the probability of something bad happening is small.
 
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What did they say when you reported the incident? I think the likelihood is low, but next time make sure they put on fresh gloves in front of you. Where I get my blood drawn, they have a box of gloves next to the chair where you sit. As they are verifying your info, they put on the gloves.
 
I am not quite sure what kind of support you're looking for here. This is a very odd first post on a Disney-related message board.

In short: yes, there are diseases that can be transmitted through infected blood. That's why healthcare workers are supposed to use fresh supplies (including new gloves) for each patient. You can't get a disease from a cotton ball, but if the cotton ball was contaminated somehow, then I guess it's possible even though very unlikely.

Stains on the healthcare worker's gloves are definitely cause for concern. Like a previous poster, when I have had my blood drawn, I usually can see the phlebotomist put on fresh gloves. None of us can tell you what the stains were though... calling your regular doctor and explaining the situation might help put your mind at ease. (He'll either reassure you, or order tests to make sure you haven't been infected with anything.)

By the way, the difference between a blood draw and an injection is which direction the liquid is flowing. In a blood draw (withdrawal), they put an empty needle in, and suck your blood into it. With an injection, there is something already in the needle, which they then push into your body. But, yes, both would pierce your skin -- so that part is the same.
 
It was a blood draw. I meant the insertion spot. Does injecting vs drawing makes a difference?


I saw someone post long ago similar post on this board but the lady was touching the spot directly with her hands and you people were very helpful so I got some hope posting here! :)

Can I ask you why do you think so?
Yes, as a pp explained, one is taking blood out, and one is pushing medication or something in. But both pierce the skin which allows a potential entryway for pathogens into the body.

If this is a legitimate post and it really happened that someone drew your blood with gloves contaminated with someone else's blood, then I agree with a pp that you should see your doctor immediately, as they might choose to start you on an anti-viral medication right away. Just warning you (because I have had "needlesticks" a couple of times myself) it is quite a process, because the phlebotomist who drew your blood will have to have his or her blood tested, and there will need to be repeated blood tests just for this for the next year or more, to follow it (to see if you "convert" to a disease state).

If this ever happens to anyone they should stop the person from touching them with contaminated gloves. By rights they should clean their hands and then put fresh gloves on before touching a patient.
 
At work we have a class on blood borne pathogens if we get any from another person. I only work in a factory. We are recommend to get hepatitis shots. Think it’s three shots over a period of time. I only work in a factory, healthcare workers can help you out a lot better. I will defintely call your doctor and see what they recommend. The shots hepatitis shots I think it works on a and b but not c, d and e if I remember correctly. Good luck
 
It was a blood draw. I meant the insertion spot. Does injecting vs drawing makes a difference?


I saw someone post long ago similar post on this board but the lady was touching the spot directly with her hands and you people were very helpful so I got some hope posting here! :)

Can I ask you why do you think so?
Common sense.
 
Thank you! That's a good guess! I just checked on-line and the color look similar! Unfortunately, I was born in developing country and practices in the public healthcare can be very bad. Even though the medical stuff is educated on proper procedures, sometimes they choose not to follow it due to laziness or maybe they think the probability of something bad happening is small.

Where (what country) did you get your blood drawn then?

And if I had true concerns about this situation (I get infusions weekly) I would simply call my doctor for hopefully the answer you're looking for. Good luck. :)
 
At work we have a class on blood borne pathogens if we get any from another person. I only work in a factory. We are recommend to get hepatitis shots. Think it’s three shots over a period of time. I only work in a factory, healthcare workers can help you out a lot better. I will defintely call your doctor and see what they recommend. The shots hepatitis shots I think it works on a and b but not c, d and e if I remember correctly. Good luck
And besides hepatitis, there are other diseases that can be transmitted, like HIV and more I won't get into here.

OP, if your own doctor can't see you today, you should go to an ER.
 
You can't get a disease from a cotton ball, but if the cotton ball was contaminated somehow, then I guess it's possible even though very unlikely.
When you reason it out, the cotton gauze (is gauze still cotton?) anyway, no part of the gauze that touched the OP was first touched by the tech; dry gauze, while of course absorbent, is not so absorbent that it would transmit anything from (apparently) dried stains, through four to sixteen layers of gauze, to and through the OP's skin in such a short time.

edited to correct stupid spelling mistakes
 
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