What are the precautionary steps to take if had been exposed to a dirty needle during a blood test?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am a 32-year-old female patient who recently had blood drawn for various tests. I am concerned about the possibility of being stuck with a dirty needle during the procedure. Although I am not sure if this actually happened, I experienced mild fever, dehydration, and loss of appetite the day after the blood drawn. It has now been five days since the procedure, and I am still experiencing dry mouth and dehydration. What steps should I take next to determine whether or not I was stuck with a dirty needle, and what should I do if I have indeed been exposed to a dirty needle? It is worth noting that I have not engaged in sexual activity for eight years, and I always tested negative for sexually transmitted infections when I was sexually active. The laboratory tests that were performed on me included CBC, CMP, Hb A1c, Hb electrophoresis, homocysteine level, lipid profile, TSH, T4, Total T3, urinalysis, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D test.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. Blood drawing is generally considered a safe procedure, and it should not cause fever. Kindly answer the following questions so that I can help you.

Was the blood drawing needle disposable and used once?
Could you confirm if the vacutainer needle used is from BD (Becton Dickinson) and if it is considered safe?
Did the nurse wore gloves while drawing blood?
What were the results of the tests?

Please let me know about the questions so that I can help you further.

Thank you.