Been so sick... working urgent care

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Good morning. :jester: Let me say, I am happy to have a job in this economy. I am working in urgent care and really like it. HOWEVER, I have worked there for a little over two months and have been sick BOTH months. I missed one day the first time and two days this time. Had to be put on an antibiotic this time. Had a severe throat infection with a temp.

For those working in urgent care (or a similar setting), how do you keep yourself from getting sick??? I eat well and take vitamins and rest well. When I worked in the hospital, I only got sick one time. When I worked in admin., I NEVER got sick. But doing this urgent care clinic, I am sick ALL THE TIME. :eek:

Any suggestions to keep from getting the bugs??? I do see it all.... strep, flu, viruses, pneumonia, etc. We see sometimes 100 patients a day with all the germies. :o I am thinking under this environment, I am prone to be SICK. :rolleyes:

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Wash your hands, Wash your hands, Wash your hands....

It will get better as you develop immunities, I always carry alcohol hand sanitizer in my pockets and use it incessantly. If I have someone hacking and sneezing everywhere I make them put on a mask which protects not only me but every other person in that department. I wipe off phones with sanitizing wipes and never touch my face until I've washed my hands again.

Sounds obsessive....but in this setting you can't be too careful. You never know what someone has and how contagious it is.....

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/childcaresettings.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/covercough.htm

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

My immune system got used to that in a couple of months both from inpatient hospital environment and outpatient. It's a bummer though -- Just when you want to shine and make the best impression you have to go through that business. . you are either sick, which is bad, or you call in sick which is also bad. Hang in there. It will get better.

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add Vitamin D .....

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I second vitamin D! I take 4,000 IU/day. There is some pretty amazing research on it that I've been following - some great videos here:

http://www.ucsd.tv/vitamind/

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I used to get sick with initial job changes. I've been a nurse for some time now. I can probably fight off the black plague without antibiotic at this point.

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Specializes in LTC Family Practice.
Good morning. :jester: Let me say, I am happy to have a job in this economy. I am working in urgent care and really like it. HOWEVER, I have worked there for a little over two months and have been sick BOTH months. I missed one day the first time and two days this time. Had to be put on an antibiotic this time. Had a severe throat infection with a temp.

For those working in urgent care (or a similar setting), how do you keep yourself from getting sick??? I eat well and take vitamins and rest well. When I worked in the hospital, I only got sick one time. When I worked in admin., I NEVER got sick. But doing this urgent care clinic, I am sick ALL THE TIME. :eek:

Any suggestions to keep from getting the bugs??? I do see it all.... strep, flu, viruses, pneumonia, etc. We see sometimes 100 patients a day with all the germies. :o I am thinking under this environment, I am prone to be SICK. :rolleyes:

I feel your pain, I worked clinics Family Practice and Peds and I was sick alot. There have been some good suggestions but I can tell you it's the kids that are gonna get you...they are walking bug transfer machines...as everyone else sez...wash wash wash those hands, wear a mask around the sickies and even a gown with the kids, take Vits. Also, keep your work shoes at work take an extra pair of socks with you and during cold and flu season, take extra clothes with you to change into after work and bag those scrubs...you wouldn't believe the gunk you carry to your car to your home and family.

Good luck

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One of my doctors recommends for me to use nasal irrigation during cold and flu season.

http://www.neilmed.com/usa/index.php

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10892694

http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/research/past-projects/nasal-irrigation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_irrigation

There are a lot of recipes out on the net, but it is important to boil or use filtered water.

Our recipe.

Boil 1 pint of clean water. add 1 tsp kosher salt. (important to not use iodized, or sea salt that can have impurities)

Let cool, then add 1 tsp baking soda.

After every use, Clean the neti pot or nasal irrigator and let air dry.

I use the nasal irrigator, my husband uses a neti pot.

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Elthia - Neil Med is great! My wife's ENT recommends it to all his pts.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

Wash your hands, and sanitize common surfaces like door knobs, toilet handles, pens, anything that everyone touches. I stayed sick the first couple of months, but then my WBCs grew to the size of squirrels and I don't get sick very often at all...

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Yikes! I have worked in the walk-in clinic for 4 years now. The first two years I got sick maybe 3 times and we didn't wear masks at all then. In October 2020, I got strep for the first time in my life and I have had it 8 times since then. I just tested positive again this evening ( which is what brought me to this search!) So from May to December 2022, I had covid 7 times! I was out of the walk-in for 4 months January 2021- May 2021 and did not get sick once. We are required to wear masks and I also wear goggles whenever doing strep swabs. At the end of December 2022, I started always wearing an N95 and goggles and washing my hands with actual soap and water religiously, and up until today I haven't had strep again. However, I let my guard down on Monday and sat by a coworker, and took my mask down several times without thinking. Turns out her husband and daughter were both sick. I can honestly say that I have mainly picked up strep from my coworkers. They don't wear masks at the nurse's station and everyone is constantly passing strep around. UUUGHHH! I just can't stand it anymore, especially because the last few times I was on multiple antibiotics that did not work until finally, I got 1 gm of Rocephin 3 days in a row.  I do think as long as I am more careful and keep that mask on and stay away from my coworkers as much as I can it will be okay. However, as much as I love the walk-in if that doesn't work I am seriously considering moving on. ( Sorry so long! just ranting!)

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Working Respiratory/Telemetry, rarely got sick.  Asked to move to Renal/dialysis floor while completing my BSN -- got so sick within 10 days as different germs there despite being around the corner from my home unit, so can share your experience.

Don't forget to clean DAILY your work counter, phone,  computer keyboard, desk at nurses station at start of shift-- germ magnet.  Might look at adding Zinc and Vitamin C  --immune boosters that fight colds/URI. Neti pot saline rinse helps to clear upper airways too.

Best wishes for improved health. 

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mathia2171 said:

Yikes! I have worked in the walk-in clinic for 4 years now. The first two years I got sick maybe 3 times and we didn't wear masks at all then. In October 2020, I got strep for the first time in my life and I have had it 8 times since then. I just tested positive again this evening ( which is what brought me to this search!) So from May to December 2022, I had strep

 7 times! I was out of the walk-in for 4 months January 2021- May 2021 and did not get sick once. We are required to wear masks and I also wear goggles whenever doing strep swabs. At the end of December 2022, I started always wearing an N95 and goggles and washing my hands with actual soap and water religiously, and up until today I haven't had strep again. However, I let my guard down on Monday and sat by a coworker, and took my mask down several times without thinking. Turns out her husband and daughter were both sick. I can honestly say that I have mainly picked up strep from my coworkers. They don't wear masks at the nurse's station and everyone is constantly passing strep around. UUUGHHH! I just can't stand it anymore, especially because the last few times I was on multiple antibiotics that did not work until finally, I got 1 gm of Rocephin 3 days in a row.  I do think as long as I am more careful and keep that mask on and stay away from my coworkers as much as I can it will be okay. However, as much as I love the walk-in if that doesn't work I am seriously considering moving on. ( Sorry so long! just ranting!)

 

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