Dried blood

Have you ever touch a side rail and saw dried blood or touch a counter and saw dried blood? Do you panic? Or just simply sanitize or wash your hands. What's the chances of transmitted infection if the blood is a few hours old
Med to High for Hep B/C, hepatitis can live in certain conditions for up to four days.Very low for HIVThis is only applicable if you have some open cut for blood to blood contact

What's considered an open cut?

Broken area of skin where blood to blood contact is possible. I wouldn't consider a scab an open wound. Look at the CDC descriptions for blood borne diseases

Is peeling of skin considered an open cut?

You know, every one of your posts has been related to your, I'm just going to say it, irrational fear of blood exposure. Are you sure nursing is a good place for you to be? A healthy respect for exposure is one thing but you crossed that line on your last thread.

You should check with occupational health or your PCP if you're concerned. We can't give medical advice. I personally don't get too excited about blood, because I always notice if I have a cut on my hands and cover it well. It'snot like a bruise, where I might find one and not know how or when I got it. I've gotten pts' blood on me and just washed well.

I stopped to help at a bad wreck on my way in to work one night about a year ago. The other first responders and I had a few pairs of gloves between us, but in general PPE was hard to come by on the median strip in the middle of a busy highway. About ten minutes after I left the scene I looked down and noticed a big streak of dried blood up my arm, blood that was not mine. Nothing to do about it by then. I got to work and washed up well and haven't lost any sleep over it.

Really OP- you need to get a grip. You are 100 times more likely to get something from the handle of a grocery store cart than you are at your workplace where you KNOW there will be exposure and have PPE to deal with it.

Quote from FlyingScotYou know, every one of your posts has been related to your, I'm just going to say it, irrational fear of blood exposure. Are you sure nursing is a good place for you to be? A healthy respect for exposure is one thing but you crossed that line on your last thread.

Eh I disagree with some of the posters, there should be a decent fear of Hep C in the workplace. There is a chance of contracting it if exposed to blood via needles, cuts etc. It is a hearty virus that cans survive outside the body and in some hospitals that a have a high drug user population, many of the patients have it and are actively bleeding (Liver, GI, abscess issues). I worked at a hospital in a poorer/drug infested area and at least one of my patients out of 3/4 was KNOWN to have Hep C. Universal precautions are always needed but I am extra careful when I know they actively have the virus. Per TOS we can't give medical advice, but I think you are OK OP just wear gloves and tegaderm cuts.

Quote from DrangerEh I disagree with some of the posters, there should be a decent fear of Hep C in the workplace.

I don't flip out over blood. You do the best you can, protect the best you can. I have got a patient's blood on me more than once on intact skin. I never reported it because I didn't think it was necessary.I am very careful, but this is hazard in nursing. A dirty needle stick, I would report. We had a new grad on a unit once that flipped out over a needle stick and she was gone for three hours while we had to cover her patients while she had blood drawn, drug testing, etc.When she came back up we were concerned and asked how she got stuck. When she talked about the steps that she took she actually stuck herself BEFORE she stuck the patient.In other words, she flipped out over being stuck with a sterile needle.