I was reminded to write this post earlier this week after a good friend of mine who did the TPU training a few years ago - received her first needlestick injury.
It is a frightening experience when this happens - but if we understand what the appropriate steps to take if it does - it can help calm our nerves.
I always suggest to new Piercers that they go and get a full blood analysis done so that they have a "baseline" to work from if/when they get a needlestick injury - i.e - did they already have the condition - E.g HepC - before the needlestick injury occured?
These are some of the things you can do to try and prevent a needlestick:
- always have adequate lighting in your piercing room
- work as slowly as your experience level requires
- avoid distractions from friends/mobile phones/music/camera flashes etc
- concentrate - needlestick rarely happens to new Piercers as they are paying attention to what they are doing. It happens when Piercers lose focus.
- use a cork or receiving tube whenever you need to (my friend stuck herself doing a new piercing for the first time and her "teacher" told her she wasn't allowed to use a cork)
- ensure your piercing position is comfortable. If it isn't - move yourself or the client.
- hold corks at their base - away from the end that is receiving the needle - and ensure it is covering the exit position before you pierce.
- dispose of a used needle as soon as it is out of the piercing. Sticks can happen when cleaning up your setup if the needle is still on it and hiding under tissues etc.
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A needle stick injury is obviously something that we need to try to avoid as a body piercer, but the chance of actually contracting a virus from one is very slim. The needle usually goes into a cork first and this will remove most of the body fluid present. From there it will pass through your glove, which will also remove body fluid, before it goes into your skin.
Blood also flows out, not in, which also assists in preventing bacteria and viruses from entering your bloodstream from a needle stick injury. However, you can never be too careful. The risk is there and you should deal with it immediately if it occurs.
In the event of a needle stick injury (defined as the puncturing of your skin by a contaminated needle), the following protocol should be followed:
- Try to stay CALM.
- Call for assistance from another piercer (if there is one) to complete the piercing you are working on. Ask the piercer to retain the needle after completing the piercing. If there isn't, then you should get the piercing to a "safe" place before you stop.
- Remove the glove from injured hand.(Note: if you are unsure about whether the needle punctured the glove, fill the glove with water and check for a hole.)
- Squeeze the wound under warm running water to make it bleed for at least 2 minutes – this "milking" of the wound will help expel any harmful bacteria or viruses. It will also encourage blood to flow out of the wound.
- Wash hands thoroughly with an anti-bacterial soap and warm water.
- Dry hands with paper towel.
- Liberally apply an antiseptic to the wound and cover with a Band Aid or similar.
- Once the piercing has been completed, re-enter the piercing room to acquire the client’s history. This needs to be done with tact and not panic. Explain to the client that you have just received a needle stick injury whilst performing their piercing, and that you would like to ask them some questions about their history if they wouldn’t mind. If they decline to answer your questions, you cannot persist with them. By law they can refuse your questions. If they are happy to answer your questions, these are some questions to ask:
a)Are you infected with the HIV virus, any form of Hepatitis, or any other bloodborne diseases?
b)Are you in a monogamous relationship?
c)When was the last time you had a blood screen?
d)Do you have protected or unprotected casual sex?
e)Do you use intravenous drugs? If yes - do you share needles?
Call your local G.P. and make an appointment with the next available doctor. Take the needle with you to the appointment. The doctor can have the needle tested for any viruses.
At the clinic, explain what has happened to the Doctor and request a blood test. This will be the first of three tests; the next test is to be done in 3 months time and then again 3 months after that.
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Remember that the likely hood of contracting a virus via needle stick injury is very unlikely. Please try to remain calm and do not panic, particularly in the presence of clients.
Debrief: review how the needle stick happened and what you can do in the future to prevent it happening again. Remember that good body piercing is never about how fast you can do it. If you end up with a needle stick, or the client ends up with a bad/crooked piercing because you were working faster than your skill level allowed - was it really worth being the fastest Piercer on the planet???? I don't think so.
Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is a new drug cocktail that may prevent contraction of HIV after a needle stick injury with an infected needle. You can read more about it here: http://www.getpep.info/what_pep.html
Some hospitals and clinics offer PEP onsite. I suggest you find out where your closest local medical center is that offers this service.
In Prahran, those places are The Alfred Hospital and Prahran Market Clinic (PMC).
Please stay safe :)
