| Your body contains a complex immune system made | | | | needles. |
| up of several different types of antibodies and white | | | | When a pathogen invades your body, it often travels |
| blood cells. Each of these cell types targets different | | | | through the bloodstream. This is why you should |
| forms of invading pathogens, working to protect you | | | | always avoid contact with another person's blood. |
| from harmful infections. However, the immune | | | | Since needles are typically utilized to put medication |
| system can become weakened from things like | | | | into your bloodstream or used to draw blood, |
| medication and chemotherapy, leaving you vulnerable | | | | unsterilized needles can cause you to come into |
| to hospital infections transferred by objects such as | | | | contact with another patient's blood. There are many |
| contaminated needles. | | | | potentially devastating diseases that are blood-borne, |
| Typically, people who are in the hospital already have | | | | such as: |
| other health problems that require treatment. | | | | -Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) |
| Additionally, hospital patients often have | | | | -Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) |
| compromised immune systems that make it difficult | | | | -Hepatitis B |
| for them to fight off harmful germs. Thus, it is of | | | | -Hepatitis C |
| utmost importance for hospital staff to keep | | | | -Ebola |
| recovery rooms, operating studios, and all other | | | | -Marburg Virus |
| areas clean and sterile. | | | | After using a needle, doctors and nurses should place |
| Potential Sources of Infection | | | | it either in a special biohazard trash receptacle or a |
| Besides the state of the rooms themselves, hospital | | | | specific bin for resterilization. However, if they fail to |
| employees should make sure that patients do not | | | | do so, you can contract deadly blood-borne diseases. |
| come into contact with contagious pathogens carried | | | | If you have suffered from contact with a |
| by other patients. Doctors and nurses should always | | | | contaminated needle, you should not let this terrible |
| use new, clean gloves as well as face masks and | | | | act go unpunished. To learn more about your legal |
| other sanitary devices when necessary. Also, these | | | | options, contact a Wisconsin medical malpractice |
| medical professionals should never, ever use | | | | attorney from Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C., today. |
| unsterilized equipment on patients - especially used | | | | |