title: Needlestick injuries: the shock and reality.
abstract: It has been a typically busy Saturday night in the emergency department. Then, near midnight, a trauma casualty was admitted and an incident occurred that would occupy Suzanne Smith's thoughts for months to come. When starting an intravenous line on this patient, Suzanne spiked herself with a needle. Later the patient was taken to the intensive care unit and placed on a ventilator. Suzanne was overcome with fear that she might have contracted AIDS. Her fears intensified when she learned that the patient, Mr. Norman, was a heroin addict.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moorhouse
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bolen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKinlay
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Midgely
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montada
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D017758:Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; D016602:Needlestick Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D009784:Occupational Diseases