WAMPOLE LABORATORIES

Description of Event or Problem

PHLEBOTOMIST WAS DRAWING BLOOD FROM HIV PT. UPON FINISHING BLOODCULTURES, SHE BEGAN ISOLATOR TUBES FOR AFB. SHE FILLED FIRST ISOLATOR AND THEN TOOK SECOND ISOLATOR TO FILL IT BUT ENCOUNTERED DIFFICULTY. AS A RESULT SHE USED A 10 CC SYRINGE AND NEEDLE TO SPARE THE PT ANOTHER STICK.THE PHLEBOTOMIST UPON DRAWING THE BLOOD, SUBSEQUENTLY INSERTED THE NEEDLE INTO THE STOPPER OF THE ISOLATOR TUBE. SHE PICKED THE TUBE UP WITH HER RIGHT HAND AND TAPPED THE PLUNGER OF THE SYRINGE WITH HER LEFT THUMB TO GET IT STAERTED. AND SHE DID THIS, THE TUBE EXPLODED SENDING A PRESSURIZED MISTY SPRAY OF BLOOD INTO HER FACEAND EYES. THE TUBE AND SYRINGE WERE PLACED IN THE BIOHAZARD BUCKET ON THE WALL OF THE PT'S ROOM. THE BOX WAS LATER IMPOUNDED. THE EMPLOYEE PHLEBOTOMIST FKUSHED HER EYES WITH WATER AND THEN SOUGHT TREATMENT IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. THE MFG REPRESENTATIVE WAS NOTIFIED AND THE REMAINING TUBES OF THE LOT IMPOUNDED.