It started with the aches. I thought, what did I do to my back? Did I pull it or something? Quickly I discovered I had a low grade fever, adequately controlled by Tylenol. Next day, same thing, not nearly as well controlled. I thought I had some kind of weird vague virus that would pass. Three days later I sit here in my bed after having to leave work early because my fever spiked (I'm sorry if I make no sense), and I began having severe flu symptoms. Looking back, I probably should've called off yesterday, and now I feel TERRIBLE because I'M the one who's "patient zero", potentially exposing my patients and coworkers to what appears to be the flu. My coworkers, genuinely concerned for my health, were slightly upset that I had to leave early,and gave a look like "who did this poor girl give it to?".
So I ask on behalf of the new nurses, when is it okay to tough out the little stuff and when do you need to call off? I feel like I've been surrounded by an attitude of "don't call off unless your actually dying", but it really doesn't seem appropriate. Even sometimes the little stuff can have a big impact on your patients.
Chrisine
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March 11th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Chrisine,
I work in an neonatal intensive care and since the small, already immune compromised patients we have get sick easily without any help from the nurses, we have a strict policy for illness. If your fever is greater than 99.8–BEFORE taking Tylenol–, or if you have any respiratory symptoms, call off. If you have diarrhea or are vomiting, call off. If you have a cold sore that has not scabbed over, call off. This applies to the nurses working in the unit, but it also applies to the family members visiting our patients–we don’t want anyone in the unit that could possibly make a sick baby ‘sicker’.
Things may be a little more strict for our unit since we have babies that are already immune compromised, but we make it work. As a new nurse myself, it took me a minute or two to grasp the concept of missing work for a simple fever, but when you see how sick your patients can get if they are exposed to even the mildest of bugs, you remind yourself to step back and do what’s best for them.
Hope this helps,
Keely