Covid and family

Nurses COVID

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Hello, I live in CA and went on maternity leave a week before the stay at home orders started and will be going back in August. I guess my question is are nurses with families doing anything differently before going home? I have my husband and 3 kids at home and have been so nervous. I work on a mother/baby floor and hear from my coworkers that we do have Covid positive patients. Also nurses, cnas, and other staff on my floor have been positive with Covid. Unfortunately I can’t extend my leave any longer. Just looking for some advice on what you all do to decrease the risk to your families.

Also I don’t mean to sound ridiculous since obviously working in this pandemic was an adjustment for everyone. I’m only asking because everyone has about 4 months more of experience in it than I do.

I have high risk family members and unfortunately there is nothing I can do to completely avoid them.

also sorry if this was already discussed. I tried scrolling but I was getting too anxious and thought I would just ask.

allnurses Guide

Nurse SMS, MSN, RN

6,843 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

This is a very good question to ask and you will swiftly get your routine down to decontaminate before rejoining your family.

The providers I know change out of their scrubs and into street clothes prior to going to their car. They bag up their scrubs, wash their hands, use sanitizer prior to getting into their car. Drive home. Wipe down the car before getting out. Enter through the same door, clothes right into wash, no hugs or kisses yet, go shower, then come out, see family, hugs and kisses. Or something similar.

JKL33

6,777 Posts

6 hours ago, cmag_17 said:

Also I don’t mean to sound ridiculous since obviously working in this pandemic was an adjustment for everyone. I’m only asking because everyone has about 4 months more of experience in it than I do.

You don't sound ridiculous and don't need to worry about the appropriateness of your question.

Do know that many, maybe most (?) of us have some kind of regular contact with a loved one who could be considered high risk by one gauge or another. Some of our working colleagues themselves have health situations or histories that increase their personal risk.

@Nurse SMS described my basic procedure. A couple of people have posted rather detailed routines based on how they had thought through their own situation and their steps between work and home.

Think through your steps and come up with your own routine. If you will be pumping at work, include thinking through the steps of not contaminating your equipment.

Regardless what anyone says, it is wise (IMHO) to practice kind of universal covid precautions. Masks should be worn at all times, practice distancing whenever remotely possible, use excellent hand hygiene, keep your hands off your face.

Don't let fear overtake you. Make a good plan and stick to it. It'll be okay.

kuroangel1

5 Posts

Hi, first of all CONGRATS on the new baby! Last weekend was my first week back from maternity leave. As the previous poster stated, I would change out of my clothes and put them in a zip lock bag. I have some isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle so I spray my items before leaving. I wash my hands. I spray my shoes as well and change into sandals that I have in my car. If you don't have isopropyl alcohol, you can use the medela quick clean spray. It is supposed to kill germs and I use it for my pump parts. I wash my hands with hand sanitizer, and I drive home. When I get home, I immediately put my clothes in the wash and take a shower. I hope that helps!

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