55 cancer patients at risk of HIV after bungle at clinic

[Feuer Frei!]

This is truly shocking!
Doesn't matter which side you stand on this is a stuff-up of major proportions:

MORE than 50 cancer patients will have to wait an agonising three months to find out whether they have been infected with HIV, after a NSW (Australia) clinic used one needle on patients for two months. The bungle occurred when a newly employed nurse mistakenly believed the Accu-Chek Multiclix, a device used to check blood sugar levels, automatically changed needles.

Dr Michael Jones, chairman of the private radiology company PRP Diagnostic Imaging which runs the Gosford clinic, said the nurse didn't realise she had to change the needle manually for each new patient.

Instead, the needle was left unchanged between November 28 and January 28, and used on 53 patients and two staff members.


Oh boy :nope:


FULL STORY (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/cancer-patients-at-risk-of-hiv-after-bungle-at-nsw-clinic/story-e6frfku9-1226003137487)

[tater]

What a colossal screw up. They should be more worried about Hep C than HIV. Everyone still talks about needle sticks as-if HIV is the big scare (shows how clueless the press are), but I bet if they asked any healthcare pro they'd say to worry about Hep C (far easier to catch via a stick, and far more common). Bad since cancer patients are frequently immunosuppressed due to treatment.

[DarkFish]

My mother has had this happen to her a few years ago. She was in the hospital for an appendix operation, and some nurse accidentally used a used needle on her.
Luckily she didn't get anything from it, it probably helped that the needle was first used on an old lady, and those tend to have less STDs than younger persons:)

But still, a huge screwup that could have quite possibly ended badly, just like in this case:nope: