Always sick!

[daniela095]

A little background.. Im 24 and have been a nurse for about a year and a half. I am a float, med surg floors as well as ED on day shift. I’m in the ED a lot. This fall- winter I have been sick 4 times. Once in October with a cold, December with stomach virus, January with a minor cold, and now the flu. Last year In the winter I got sick a few times but not as frequently and close together. I was not sick at all spring and summer. I don’t take vitamins like I should and my eating habits aren’t the best. I also suffer from insomnia especially before shifts sometimes causing me to work on very little sleep. I want to go to the doctor about this issue as well anyway. I had basic blood work back in December for something else and everything was fine but can probably go back for more testing just in case. My coworkers seem to never get sick as much as I do. I guess I’m just posting this to see if anyone is in the same boat as me? I’m starting to get very fed up and upset over this as it effects my work and even my quality of life if I’m spending a lot of my days off sick!! Maybe my immune system can’t handle bedside ??

["nursy", RN]

Your immune system can't handle poor sleep and eating habits. You need to take of yourself.

[AnLe, ASN, RN]

I have a few coworkers who are similar. One has had syncope episodes at work causing her to go home early although her bloodwork looked fine. She has also been out for the flu and other ailments. We now remind her to drink water periodically during the shift and encourage her to eat a healthier diet. She meal preps now. I'm not sure how her sleep is, but at least we can help out with the other two.

You're not alone in this.

[verene, MSN]

3 hours ago, daniela095 said:

A little background.. Im 24 and have been a nurse for about a year and a half. I am a float, med surg floors as well as ED on day shift. I’m in the ED a lot. This fall- winter I have been sick 4 times. Once in October with a cold, December with stomach virus, January with a minor cold, and now the flu. Last year In the winter I got sick a few times but not as frequently and close together. I was not sick at all spring and summer. I don’t take vitamins like I should and my eating habits aren’t the best. I also suffer from insomnia especially before shifts sometimes causing me to work on very little sleep. I want to go to the doctor about this issue as well anyway. I had basic blood work back in December for something else and everything was fine but can probably go back for more testing just in case. My coworkers seem to never get sick as much as I do. I guess I’m just posting this to see if anyone is in the same boat as me? I’m starting to get very fed up and upset over this as it effects my work and even my quality of life if I’m spending a lot of my days off sick!! Maybe my immune system can’t handle bedside ??

It's really hard to be at your best when struggling with nutrition and sleep.

In terms of diet: Do you meal prep at all? Or if you don't like to make things a head of time can you have some quick items on hand to prevent either not eating or binging on fast food? I like to stock my freezer with frozen fish and frozen veggies - I can toss a filet and some veggies in a pan and have dinner in 10-15 minutes - fast food but more healthy! Things like soups and casseroles are also easy to make up on your days off and keep in fridge or freezer for the days I work. I also went through a period of not eating good breakfast before work - learning how to keep items on hand I'll eat (e.g. hard-boiled eggs, fruit, oatmeal) has helped me start off the day with adequate nutrition.

Hydration can also make a difference to energy levels - I tote around a water bottle - and make sure I drink at least 4 water bottles per day (mine has a counter feature on the top so I can keep track). This is also another good reason to mix in fruit and soups into your diet!

Finally - what is getting in the way of your sleep? Anxiety? Not enough exercise? Rotating schedules? Something else?