Diseases????

Are you all afraid of becoming ill or catching diseases as a result of working in the healthcare industry? Have you ever contracted a disease or been ill? Potential student and curious....thanks

I practice standard precautions and observe correct isolation protocols....so no, I'm not worried.

I realize there's still the *possibility* of transmission, but it's a chance I'm willing to take.

I practice standard precautions and observe correct isolation protocols....so no, I'm not worried.

I realize there's still the *possibility* of transmission, but it's a chance I'm willing to take.

I have been working for 2.5 years now since being out of college. The first winter I worked, I caught a terrible bout of bronchitis and pharyngitis, but several of my co workers were also sick at the time, and I think it was just something I picked up from all of them coming to work sick. I also picked up a nasty stomach bug a few weeks ago and that could have been floating around the hospital because it hit me the day after I worked. I work in NICU so the only things we are around that are really bad are MRSA and CMV sometimes. I have floated to the pediatric unit several times and take care of the sickest kids up there with RSV and rotavirus. It always freaks me out to be there because they sneeze on you sometimes, but as long as you wash your hands constantly and try to get enough sleep (especially if you work nights) that seems to help.

I have been working for 2.5 years now since being out of college. The first winter I worked, I caught a terrible bout of bronchitis and pharyngitis, but several of my co workers were also sick at the time, and I think it was just something I picked up from all of them coming to work sick. I also picked up a nasty stomach bug a few weeks ago and that could have been floating around the hospital because it hit me the day after I worked. I work in NICU so the only things we are around that are really bad are MRSA and CMV sometimes. I have floated to the pediatric unit several times and take care of the sickest kids up there with RSV and rotavirus. It always freaks me out to be there because they sneeze on you sometimes, but as long as you wash your hands constantly and try to get enough sleep (especially if you work nights) that seems to help.

Thanks for responding....I was looking at COPS one night, and the police officer responded to this house. The person that he was going to see had active TB, and he had to have all of these test and shots. This just made me wonder about people in the Health Care industry.

Thanks for responding....I was looking at COPS one night, and the police officer responded to this house. The person that he was going to see had active TB, and he had to have all of these test and shots. This just made me wonder about people in the Health Care industry.

I caught many more bugs from my kids when they were little than I ever got in nursing. Now that they're teenagers I rarely get sick.

I caught many more bugs from my kids when they were little than I ever got in nursing. Now that they're teenagers I rarely get sick.

I've not only never caught anything I don't know anyone who has :)

I've not only never caught anything I don't know anyone who has :)

I have never caught anything either. I have over 5 years of working in Peds and in HIV/AIDS. Never got sick and never had a positive PPD.