[Question #6165] Help in future blood draw can I see gauze or not .

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68 months ago

Some answers provided by dr hook so that’s why question long . 
Dear doc hook can you help  want to be 100 percent when I go for blood draw  . I want a follow up on point number 3 thanks because I will be telling nurse to show gauze or I shouldn’t that you can tell me . 
Please note needle middle area /surface means the outside of needle . Not the pointy part of needle because that would already be in my vein . So that’s needle is never fully out . 
I have this slight fear only because of reading question on however you address the issue  no risk with facts dr hook . Answer cannot change . 
Question1)  I’ll mark the question forum This assuming nurse has hiv hepatitis b c and has no gloves / holes on glove and has open cut and blood coming out finger . And is it okay to let nurse hold gauze 
answer 1) you have said hiv hepatitis b c are non infectious are dead once exposed to environment so even if nurse has open cut on hand  hiv hepatitis b c will be dead as the wet blood leaving nurse bleeding finger if nurse has holes in glove or no gloves at all . 

And that wet  blood that  got on gauze  would be dead so even if gauze touched the needle surface area . And needle surface area got pushed into my arm.  would be no risk for hiv hepatitis b c as these viruses would be dead so no risk even if gauze does touch the needle surface and  the needle middle area is  pushed back into my vein when nurse tries to withdraw the needle  . Even if wet blood came out of nurse open cut . assuming nurse has hiv hepatitis b c 



Acion plan below when I go for blood draw in future  
two things to remember 
2a) dr hunter words nobody gets hiv hepatitis b c from blood draw regardless of the risks I may think .even if fear nurse has hiv hepatitis b c  nurse hands  has open cut /bleeding finger  and I don’t know if nurse got wet  blood on gauze that touched needle middle area when withdrawing the needle from vein or her bleeding finger Herself touches the needle base/body  and has holes in gloves and fingers Are uncovered.  OR any other new risks I can think of PEROID. 
2b)can I remember dr hooks words : any wet  blood leaving nurse finger if nurse has cut with bleeding finger is dead/non infectious  for hiv hepatitis b c Assuming nurse has hole in gloves or no gloves at all and has hiv hepatitis b c .  so no risk for these viruses even Blood on gauze or if nurse touched needle surface /needle when withdrawing needle  nurse touches and I fear needle got pushed back in my vein . Assuming nurse has hiv hepatitis b c

3) can I apply 2a and 2b  on this point 3 and 4 only confusion  if i  tell nurse to show both sides of gauze right before nurse applies gauze  on my arm the gauze will touch the needle and then needle is withdrawn. Even though I have interfered during blood draw process and asked nurse to show gauze even if I think blood is on gauze and I can’t see blood  and I don’t know if there  is cut /bleeding on nurse hands , Can I still say you cannot get hiv hepatitis b c from  blood draw as doctor hunter Says  regardless  of the interference I have made and still effectively apply  point 2a and b and apply it . even if told nurse to show gauze right before applying on my injection site I’ll be asking to show gauze when nurse is about to apply it on my arm .?
Even though I still won’t be able to tell if blood is on gauze because it will be quick . There will be no time it will only be a a guess
4) in simple terms I’m saying can I tell nurse to show gauze right before applying on arm even gauze touches needle and then needle is withdrawn This will not compromise doctor hunters part that nobody gets hiv hepatitis b c from blood draw . 

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
68 months ago
Welcome to bhe forum -- but wow! The details in your question, which I find almost impossible to follow, suggest extreme anxiety and/or OCD about blood drawing. In my 15 years of doing online forums about HIV prevention, yours is by far the most complusively detailed question of this type.

 I'll start by saying that nobod EVER catches HIV or other blood born viruses from having blood dreawn. That probably hasn't happened even once in the US or other industriazed countries in the past 30-40 years, except maybe in a few remote enclaves where needles and syringes are reused for blood drawing. The details you mention about how gauze is used, blood on sklin, the blood drawers' gloves, and so on are entirely irrelevant. There is no need for you to observe their technique -- I suggest you do what most people do when having blood drawn:  look away! It's obvious that by following every motion, you're going to see things you don't like. It isn't worth it, and looking provides you no protection against being infected.

By the way, blood draw personnel do not wear gloves in order to protect patients from their own blood borne infections. The purpose is to prrotect themselves from direct exposure to their patients' blood, not the other way around.

You should not attempt to instruct blood drawing personnel on how to draw your blood or otherwise do her or his job. This is more likely to make them nervous, perhaps increasing chance of errors, than to improve safety for you.

Since NOBODY ever gets infected by having blood drawn, I'm not going to answer your extremely detailed qustions about whether or not there is someone else's blood on gauze, whether there might be holes in gloves, or even if s/he wore gloves at all. The blood draw euipment itself is designed to be used only only once, and to prevent second use on another patient.

I hope these comments are partly helpful. Please do not expect any more detailed response about the procedures and techniques you observed when haveing your blood drawn. It doesn't matter.

HHH, MD
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
68 months ago
It is against forum policy and rules to sign in with more than one account or username. And your questions now are identical to those in your recent discussion with Dr. Hook #6131. Re-read that discussion, as well as my comments above, if you remain concerned. This thread is being closed.---