I take the approach that ALL my clients' are potentially infected with
blood-borne pathogens. So, here's how I would approach the situation, and
most other situations involving patient care.
Simply ask yourself the following question:
Am I at risk for exposure to blood or body fluids?
I agree completely with this statement. All healthcare providers should observe universal precautions - you can never be sure whether someone has an infectious process or not(this is just as true, by the way, of EVERYONE you come in contact with - the checkout girl, the ticket taker, etc, etc). Exposure to blood or body fluids is the key, as Ron stated. From Andrea's post, it sounds like the stab wound is healed, and therefore the risk of exposure would be quite minimal. In this instance, I would agree with the supervisor who indicates gloves are not needed.
Ann
