Dilemma: miss class before exam due to illness?

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I'm in a big dilemma. I haven't been sick in 2 years. After 2 days of clinicals in the hospital last week, I'm sick with an upper respiratory infection.

We have class tomorrow and it's our last lecture before our exam on Monday. What do I do? Stay home, rest and study on my own? Or go to class and risk getting everyone sick, but I get the last lecture info before the exam?

We've only got 5 weeks left in the semester and I'm trying to keep my good grades up. I don't want to end up getting a B because I missed lecture. But I'd hate for someone to get sick because of me. I just don't know what to do!!!

Opinions please, either way.

I would wear a mask and sit away from everyone.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

You're much nicer than I am...there's no way I'd miss class just to MAYBE keep my classmates from catching my cold. Odds are they gave it to me in the first place!

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
You're much nicer than I am...there's no way I'd miss class just to MAYBE keep my classmates from catching my cold. Odds are they gave it to me in the first place!

​Consideration is still classy.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

You're just helping them build immunities. Go to class.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
You're just helping them build immunities. Go to class.

Yes, that must have been what my co-worker had in mind when she came to work with a raging URI and fever. And even though she passed her germs on to me, making me so ill I needed to spend several days in the hospital and ended up with asthma as a result of the infection, I know she had my best interest at heart.

People should use common sense when it comes to going to class/work when ill. Based on some of the replies here, common sense isn't so common.

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Specializes in psych/dementia.
Yes, that must have been what my co-worker had in mind when she came to work with a raging URI and fever. And even though she passed her germs on to me, making me so ill I needed to spend several days in the hospital and ended up with asthma as a result of the infection, I know she had my best interest at heart.

People should use common sense when it comes to going to class/work when ill. Based on some of the replies here, common sense isn't so common.

I agree. If you are contagious, and you KNOW you are contagious, I usually do not go to school/work. Now, I'd probably go to school if I had a test that day unless I was out of it mentally and thought I would do worse on the multiple choice test than I would on the short essay/essay test that you take if you miss the test.

It's a catch 22. On one hand, places tell you to stay home when you are sick and then they lambast you when you get sick and stay home.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
​Consideration is still classy.
Perhaps, but staying in nursing school is still priority. My education might not be YOUR priority, but that's just the way it goes.
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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Your desire for an education does not trump the rights of your classmates to learn in a safe environment. That includes not having someone sick as a dog coming to class and sharing her pestilence. Pretty much you're saying you have no respect for your classmates, instructor and patients (if you go to clinical sick).

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Drugstores sell masks. Get some. You can go to class and still keep it to yourself. The nice thing is, if you wear a mask, everyone will go out of their way to stay away from you. If you're just hacking and sneezing without a mask, people will still sit next to you. I've noticed this recently. It makes no sense, but the mask is like a scarlet letter.

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Your desire for an education does not trump the rights of your classmates to learn in a safe environment. That includes not having someone sick as a dog coming to class and sharing her pestilence. Pretty much you're saying you have no respect for your classmates, instructor and patients (if you go to clinical sick).

Generally laudable, I hear you, and would that all people were like that. But you might just as well have caught the same bug standing in line at the post office behind someone who had to pick up the check they needed to prevent being homeless, or the person at the pharmacy who had to pick up her meds. Life happens.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.
Your desire for an education does not trump the rights of your classmates to learn in a safe environment. That includes not having someone sick as a dog coming to class and sharing her pestilence. Pretty much you're saying you have no respect for your classmates instructor and patients (if you go to clinical sick).[/quote']

Safe environment? In what world is there ANY environment safe from colds?

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Go to class

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