HELP!! Neddlestick w/Hep C + patient

I have a friend who recently was administering insulin with an insulin syringe and stuck her thumb. She followed protocol, reported it and went for labs four hours after stick. Her Hep panel was negative, but the patient is positive for Hep C. Should she ask for prophylatic treatment? How often should she go for labs? What about genotypes? ANY information would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you.
Aww man... how did she get stuck so we can protect ourselves.Did she recap?

The company shw works for does not have safety insulin needles. She did not recap. She gave her 2 injections, placed the 2 needles in the plastic sheath. When she placed the 2nd needle is when she stuck herself. The company she works for do not have sharp containers in the patients rooms, only on the medcarts. She would have to walk out of the room to the med cart to dispose of them properly.

2-10% chance of her getting infected, probably more like 2% from an insulin needle, SQ is not very vascular. I had a needlestick from an unsuccessful IV start, where I got flashback, pt Hep C positive. You won't know for 6 months if you've got it, I came up negative. I was told that there's no prophalaxis.

I got a needle stick while giving an insuling shot in the home to a hepatitis C patient. She would cry out in pain if you even touched her and it would make you very nervous. The needle barely brushed my finger but it is still enough to give you a scare. The employer wouldn't okay a test because I was considered a private contractor and it wasn't their problem (love these seedy staffing agencies). I've read that hepatitis C is not as easy to catch as a person might think, the needle would basically need to be dripping with blood and hit your vein.

Quote from motorcycle mamaI've read that hepatitis C is not as easy to catch as a person might think, the needle would basically need to be dripping with blood and hit your vein.

In March 2006, I was administering insulin to a patient on the transplant floor who was Hep C +. As I pulled the needle out and went to pull the protective sheath up around the needle, I stuck my index finger. I immediately went to the sink and ran my finger under the water while milking it to bleed. I then contacted my charge nurse, filled out an incident report, and went to our occupational health department. I was seen for approximately six months, making sure I didn't convert. Almost a year later, I'm still negative. I learned a valuable lesson that day; ALWAYS wear gloves no matter if you are giving subcutaneous or IM injections. Like a dummy, I didn't put them on like I would for other injections/procedures. I never go without them, regardless of the procedure now.

I tried to get mine to bleed but I couldn't, I ran my finger under the water and squeezed and squeezed but nothing.

Quote from melrina75The company shw works for does not have safety insulin needles. She did not recap. She gave her 2 injections, placed the 2 needles in the plastic sheath. When she placed the 2nd needle is when she stuck herself. The company she works for do not have sharp containers in the patients rooms, only on the medcarts. She would have to walk out of the room to the med cart to dispose of them properly.

Quote from melrina75I have a friend who recently was administering insulin with an insulin syringe and stuck her thumb. She followed protocol, reported it and went for labs four hours after stick. Her Hep panel was negative, but the patient is positive for Hep C. Should she ask for prophylatic treatment? How often should she go for labs? What about genotypes? ANY information would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you.

There is no vaccine for Hep C.

Quote from arita2possibly a dumb question... but didn't the nurse have her hep shots?