Nurse caused bacteria to enter my toddlers blood stream during blood draw!!??

[Gabrielle22]

I don't know to much about all this...I just need some help and advice.
I took my son to the ER 2 days ago because he was running a fever of 105. They did lab work including drawing blood. Everything else was fine so they sent him home. (He's 3 btw)
I just got a call today from the ER with the results of his blood work. They said they found bacteria in his blood stream. They said it was caused by the nurse not cleaning the injection site well enough before taking blood!!! So I brought him back in today so they could get a fresh blood sample (which I have to wait another 2 days for).
I just cannot help it, I am furious!!!!! A nurses negligence caused bacteria in my sons blood, which can lead to sepsis?!? Am I right?? The nurse told me that this happens all the time, but I seriously find that hard to believe. If anyone knows more about sepsis and what kind of trouble the hospital can get into, PLEASE inform me!!!!!

 

[Abz1982]

Id be inclined to agree with the nurse. As you can never get the site 100% clean. folk in accident treated away from hospital will probably be at high risk etc. When ever I have had blood taken I think I get one wipe of an alcohol wipe and that's it. They don't scrub the skin. Surely the risk cannot be more than if you skinned your knees, or cut your hand? That's going to introduce bacteria?

 

[Gabrielle22]

To me, if it's so easy to get bacteria into the blood stream, you would think they would put more effort into cleaning it. The nurse never scrubbed his arm with alcohol either, and although this could blow over and be nothing, it could also grow an infection and be lethal. Considering that she could have cleaned it better than what she did, there is a good chance that she could have prevented this, which to me, is negligence.

 

[Gabrielle22]

Skinning your knee is not introducing bacteria directly into your blood stream (vein) so it's not the same.

 

[Rachel_C]

Are you sure you understood/heard properly? If they said there was bacteria in the blood that came from your son's skin, to me that would mean there was bacteria in the blood SAMPLE (contaminated sample), not bacteria in your son's blood stream. Those would be two very different scenarios.

Bacteria in the blood sample seems quite easy to understand/more likely to happen - miss a tiny bit of bacteria on the skin before taking the blood and it gets sucked up along with the blood as the needle goes through the skin. Then it's in the sample bottle and will show up when the blood is analysed.

Would bacteria in the blood stream even show up on a sample taken at the same time as contamination occurred? The nurse would have to push bacteria into the blood (from the skin) with the needle. The bacteria would then float off downstream and would take a while to multiply. I would have thought it quite unlikely that the nurse would then 'catch' the same bacteria straight away in the blood she takes.

The hospital doesn't sound at all concerned, as they've not hurried through the second blood sample and they haven't treated your son for it. If there was any hint of negligence about it, you can be pretty sure they would get the blood analysed straight away and would start LO on appropriate treatment for whatever it was.

I think you're totally over-reacting.

 

[Gabrielle22]

The bacteria was NOT in the blood sample, it is in his blood stream. They did do a second blood sample yesterday, and she immediately checked his white blood cell count. Incase you didn't know, it take 48 hours to let bacteria grow in a blood sample, so they CAN NOT rush it. I said "so you are telling me that because she didn't wipe his arm well enough, she got bacteria in his blood stream" she said: "yes" so I said "so, depending on what it grows, it CAN cause an infection and possibly kill him" she said "yes, depending on what it grows"

She was brutally honest. And trust me, a doctor will sugar coat anything if they can get by with it, she didn't sugar coat ANYTHING!

If it were JUST the sample, I wouldn't be worried about this what so ever? lol. She clearly said it is in his stream.
And ma'am, do you have children? If so, I'm pretty darn sure if a nurse said the things to you that this nurse said to me, you would be "over reacting" also.

 

[Gabrielle22]

This women took about 3 different samples of blood. It makes perfect since that if she pushed bacteria in the first time, it could show up in the second and 3rd sample...

 

[proudparent88]

I don't know to much about all this...I just need some help and advice.
I took my son to the ER 2 days ago because he was running a fever of 105. They did lab work including drawing blood. Everything else was fine so they sent him home. (He's 3 btw)
I just got a call today from the ER with the results of his blood work. They said they found bacteria in his blood stream. They said it was caused by the nurse not cleaning the injection site well enough before taking blood!!! So I brought him back in today so they could get a fresh blood sample (which I have to wait another 2 days for).
I just cannot help it, I am furious!!!!! A nurses negligence caused bacteria in my sons blood, which can lead to sepsis?!? Am I right?? The nurse told me that this happens all the time, but I seriously find that hard to believe. If anyone knows more about sepsis and what kind of trouble the hospital can get into, PLEASE inform me!!!!!

Honestly I think it depends on the type of bacteria I am not sure so don't quote me. But I think it does. Also if you really feel you should take action against the hospital I would consult a lawyer you can get free advice and know what to do after you ask your questions and explain to them the situation. I know if it causes a worse infection or anything then yes they are held responsible. But other than that I really don't know the legal aspects. Sorry wish I could help more.

 

[suzib76]

if they called you with the results and said there was bacteria in it then that means in the sample?

 

[Gabrielle22]

Once again, the nurse told me with he own words, BLOODSTREAM.

 

[suzib76]

But how could they know that? All they had was the sample?

 

[Loobs]

The lab has absolutely no way of telling if the bacteria was introduced by the needle or was already there - how could they?

A temp of 105 is highly indicative of infection, which makes me think it was there before. Sounds like the person you've spoken to on the phone is clueless, stupid or wasn't listening.

 

[Springflower]

Bacteria can get into the blood stream through a blood draw. It happens if the needles etc have not been properly sterilised. It happened to our daughters.

Op I hope your lo recovers quickly. x

 

[Springflower]

They could know because it could be a hospital infection not one that is common place outside.

x

 

[Gabrielle22]

They said they know that it was caused by them because of the type of bacteria it was.
The whole thing is just super strange!!! Apparently when I took my son in due to the fever his white blood cell count was low (they never told me this) my sons pediatrician called them and they told HIM that, and they also told him that the bacteria was in the sample. BUT, when I had to go back to the ER, they never billed me for my visit and they never gave me release forms?!? (Strange much!) as I was talking to the doctor she clearly said it had gotten in his blood stream and it could cause an infection depending on what it grows (what type of bacteria it is). I did ask her if it was the needle and she automatically got defensive....now that I think about it, I don't find it very likely that bacteria would enter his bloodstream from not cleaning his arm good enough (I could see it entering in the sample) I wonder if MAYBE where the nurse sat the needle on the bed, it got contaminated, possibly they didn't want to tell me this because they would get in wayyyyyy more trouble over that! All they had to tell me was, we are bringing your son in because his white blood cell count was low and the sample was contaminated! They NEVER told me that. They told his pediatrician that. They told me something completely different...I just feel like there is something they're hiding from me because they think I'm stupid or something.

Maybe they're denying any bacteria entering his bloodstream NOW in hopes that by now, there will be no trace of it because his immune system fought it off? Especially since he hasn't shown any signs of any type of infection.

 

[Loobs]

You're right, the whole thing does sound a bit strange, especially the different stories told to you and the paediatrician. Hope you get your answers and your LO is well x