Hospitals Are Bad For Your Health!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi,

My mother recently came out of ICU with a tracheotomy and "Mercers" disease. She was almost re-hospitalized for a round of intravenous antibiotics. Fortunately, she is on bactoban and doing well. (She has metastic breast cancer and 2 tumors in her chest cavity have damaged nerves that have paralized her vocal chords- DEEP BREATH & PRAYING TO GOD FOR RECOVERY)....

My question is- WOW- How do you stay healthy while working in hospitals? Does your immune system get boosted after awhile? Have you ever gotten sick from a patient? How safe is it working with all these germs?? How sanitary are hospitals really?

Thanks,

Julie

:confused: :confused:

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You mean, MRSA? which stands for methicillin-resistant staph aureas.

And how do we stay healthy? We have better immune systems, plus we use standard precautions.

(((prayers for you and your mom))))

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It takes it's toll. Some people seem to breeze right through without picking up a germ. Others catch a lot of what is going around hospitals and otherwise.

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It's an interesting question. You hear about health-care professionals spreading diseases to and amongst their patients, but *I* haven't really thought about getting something *from* the patients.

Strange, in all my experience, my friends and I have picked up ms that're running through the STAFF and stuff running through my daughters' schools, but nothing from a patient.

I guess that shows that universal precautions works. Mostly. I'll betcha I've got a colony of MRSA and other evil things in my nostrils. But that's obviously held at bay. I've taken care of people with particularly hideous diseases and I've found myself running an alcohol prep pad up into my nares. Whoooo - bracing! Probably didn't do a thing, but it made me feel a little bit better.

Love

Dennie

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Hi NurseDennie

"I've taken care of people with particularly hideous diseases and I've found myself running an alcohol prep pad up into my nares. Whoooo - bracing! Probably didn't do a thing, but it made me feel a little bit better."

Now THAT I find interesting....Not to sound like a weirdo, but what have been some of the most hideous diseases you have seen?

:)

Julie

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We had a 5 year old admitted who was infested with lice and fleas. Made my skin crawl! Wanted to take that kid home with me and clean her up and make her pretty. You could put the entire family's brains inside a thimble. (That includes the grandparents too.) Mom kept swearing that the kid didn't have lice, that she just really had a bad eczema. I can handle about any disease, but creepy crawly things that I can see about do me in.

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The easiest thing for everyone to do... wash your hands.

When I started in ICU, everyone told me, oh you will be sick, esp since I started in November........ and I have been totally healthy. I too have seen bad and nasty things.........but I think you build up your immune system and wash your hands every 2 minutes......or more.

I feel better now than I ever did when I worked in the business world- mental health also helps..........I love my job now!

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