Do you go to work when you have fever/cold?

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well, heck... I'm sitting here with a light fever and a runny nose, and a slightly sore throat....I'm off work today anyway,,,but,,,I got thinking,,, do you go to work when you feel like this? what's your workplace policy when you have fever? Scared you'll get fired if you call in sick?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
EvaSanDiegoCA said:
Rarely is anyone "to sick" to not work.

This attitude among health care providers is my pet peeve.

I have a lung-impaired spouse. Any virus or bacteria that I carry home to him could be lethal. My peers who come to work hacking and spewing are personally endangering my husband.

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dscrn said:
Just because you got both vaccines, doesn't mean that your body produced antibodies...

And the flu vaccine doesn't protect you from catching (and spreading) other illnesses that also cause similar flu-like symptoms. It's unfortunate that some facilities risk the health of their patients and employees rather than dealing with their staffing issues.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
ivanaBEEaRN said:
we are to call the staffing office and they are not supposed to "judge" us, with the

H1N1 we were encouraged to not come to work sick, that if we stayed home sick we had to be cleared by the employee health nurse.

So I got sick, but had, had both flu vaccines, I called into work and told them I had flu like symptoms...."flu like symptoms...but you have had both vaccines"...."Yes, I know I have had both vaccines, but I have a temp, cough, body aches" "HMMMMM, interesting.....really! FLu like symptoms Uh Huh"........

So next time I get sick I dont call in, I drag my self in.....I have a horriable cough, I can hear inspiratory crackles.....my charge nurse hears me coughing, and calls the staffing office, they want totalk to me, I get a lecture from them about coming to work with a cough, (I had no other symptoms) and I get sent home sick not allowed to come back untill my cough clears up.

So I guess they are hinting that you are a faker with the hmmmmm. . . interesting comments? :mad: They just show their lack of knowledge when they do that.

I have gone in with cold symptoms, but not with a fever. In my first 6 mo. of work I caught some sort of nasty that lasted for 3 weeks. I would spike a temp of at least 101F every evening and had rattle-y stuff in my lungs. I was afraid to call in sick, but I worked with babies 0-18 mo.. If I had to do it again I would either call in or get checked by the MD. I know now I put the babies at risk by taking care of them when I had an infection with symptoms like that.

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EvaSanDiegoCA said:
Rarely is anyone "to sick" to not work.

Really? I think that's a pretty offensive statement.

The last time I called in sick, I had the flu so bad I couldn't get out of bed. There was no way I could do anything remotely physical, much less remain on my feet for 8-12 hours. The time before that, I had a migraine so bad I couldn't open my eyes.

For the record, if I have anything remotely contagious or have a problem that requires me to remain within 10 feet of the bathroom, I'm staying home. Anyone who wants to catch what I have is welcome to come to my house to get it, 'cause I'm not bringing it to them.

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

You can get whatever flu vax's there are, and still wind up getting the flu. There are strains not covered in any given season's vax. They do their best to include any strains that have been circulating but flu virus mutates and there are many strains.

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Not hardly....esp. if you are around patients with chronic illness and immunosupressed patients...and you have a temp! I would send you home if you came to my unit....and be rather straight and upset with you for coming in an exposing everyone.

DON's and manager want you to come in because you are a BODY...and filling a hole on their unit. Be real. Their staffing issues are "not your problem." If you are sick, gettting well is your issue. They will solve their staffing crunch..and if they do not, maybe they will have to put on scrubs and take care of patients. When are nurses going to STAND THEIR GROUND and do what is best for themselves. I hear nurses whine all the time...and yet, there are many nurses who do not have good "self-care" boundaries. Remember this...if the "well is dry there will be no water." If you do not care for yourself and I mean care for yourself well (exercise, eat well, sleep, spend time with family/friends, cultivate a life outside of nursing) you will eventually burn-out and be of no use to anyone, least of all yourself.

So, not just no to going in sick, but H_ _ _ NO! Take a bubble bath, drink some fresh OJ and snuggle down in your bed and read magazines for a day....and get well!

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

I think EvaSanDiego was saying that in her DON's opinion, people were very rarely too sick to work. In her facility apparently you weren't allowed to take a sick day unless the DON actually saw you, and decided if you were "sick enough" to stay home. Pretty cr@ppy way of doing things!

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Yes, pretty dumb way of doing things....wonder if their infection control department or employee health is in on that kind of human resource strategy?

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northmississippi said:
well, heck... I'm sitting here with a light fever and a runny nose, and a slightly sore throat....I'm off work today anyway,,,but,,,I got thinking,,, do you go to work when you feel like this? what's your workplace policy when you have fever? Scared you'll get fired if you call in sick?

Fever-No

Cold-Yes

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The nursing home I used to work at made come to work sick or not. I thought that this was horrible because we have signs on the doors that say do not come into the facility if you have flu like systems. We had only a certain number of days that you could miss before they would fire you. I am glad that they did not make me work there when I had the Swine Flu.

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nursel56 said:
I think EvaSanDiego was saying that in her DON's opinion, people were very rarely too sick to work. In her facility apparently you weren't allowed to take a sick day unless the DON actually saw you, and decided if you were "sick enough" to stay home. Pretty cr@ppy way of doing things!

Gotcha. Sucks for you when your DON is a putz. Sorry, EvaSanDiego!

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Good Question....Ive always wanted to know this. Thanks

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