Common infectious disease in the ER

AirforceRN, RN · Jan 23, 2008

TB, meningitis, shingles, I've seen these in my 5 months in the ER. I am in an inner city level 1.

Shingles is not contagious...you cannot "catch" shingles from close contact with some who has shingles. If you have never had chicken pox (but really...who hasn't had chicken pox?) then you can get chicken pox from someone with shingles.

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jan 23, 2008

(but really...who hasn't had chicken pox?)

Me. No mater what my mom did to expose me (she had it as an adult and did not want me going through that) I never got it. I got tested at the last summer (before I started college) and I was not immune.

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2008

Was 27 when I got chicken pox....I will never forget it! I currently work with nurses who have never had it....I'd get the vaccine if I was them.

Maisy;)

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jan 24, 2008

Was 27 when I got chicken pox....I will never forget it! I currently work with nurses who have never had it....I'd get the vaccine if I was them.
Maisy;)

yup. i got the vaccine. my doc HIGHLY recommended it since I was not immune.

AirforceRN, RN · Jan 25, 2008

I stand corrected...when I was a kid there were "chicken pox parties" where your parents would take you over to a sick kids house just to expose you and get it over with...strange huh?

not now, RN · Jan 25, 2008

I stand corrected...when I was a kid there were "chicken pox parties" where your parents would take you over to a sick kids house just to expose you and get it over with...strange huh?

It's actually quite common among the non-vaxing crowd.

My boyfriend comes home with strep throat at least twice a year. Right when he's looking in the kids throat they cough. I never get it from him though....

lpnstudentin2010, LPN · Jan 25, 2008

I stand corrected...when I was a kid there were "chicken pox parties" where your parents would take you over to a sick kids house just to expose you and get it over with...strange huh?

Ya I only just got the vaxine last year before going off to college. Before that my mom exposed me as much as she could. but i just NEVER got it.