Do you work with a cold sore?

Nurses General Nursing Nursing Q/A

Specializes in Acute Care.

Just curious if any of you who have cold sores still go to work when you get one?

I am asking this because I currently have one and it's still in the blister-stage. For some reason, I never get the prodrome stage with the tingling. I just usually notice it once it starts to blister, so I never know when one is coming.

I saw a couple of (way old) posts on this board where nurses have said their job has a policy about not working if you have an active cold sore. I work in an adult critical care area. I did go onto my hospital's policy site and wasn't able to find anything about whether or not staff should work with an active cold sore.

24 Answers

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I know that in some facilities places like NICU or immune-compromised patients nurses with cold sores are not permitted to work. Some if it is draining you are not permitted to work. Most require a mask if in direct contact.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I think this is best asked of your manager.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We have to wear a mask, but we can work.

Only when I run out of paid sick days. Money is money.

Specializes in NICU.

No admittance to our NICU with a cold sore, staff or families. Supposed to be anyway.

I worked with a fever all last week, and even one day as the only nurse in the office! The provider knew I had a fever and URI sx but I still couldn't leave!

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

We are allowed to, with PPE. So I save my sick days for when I'm uuuuuhhhhh-need-to-stay-in-bed sick. I have five petri dishes, er, children in my home so I do get sick a fair amount. :scrying:

Specializes in Critical Care.

We can't work with newborns or immuno-compromised patients with active sores, with the general patient population there are no restrictions, only standard precautions.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Since cold sores aren't covered under FMLA our hospital's ID department decided we can work with masks on. With our sick policy, we could rack up some serious points and get fired.

Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.

Good topic! I wouldn't be worried about being cared for by a nurse with a cold sore. As long as she was practicing good hand hygiene and not touching it then touching me lol! I grew up in a family where EVERYONE had cold sores. I never caught them surprisingly. And I can't count how many times we shared drinks or kissed.

I have not read through this whole thread yet to see if anyone mentioned this yet, but you can always ask for a prescription to nip those cold sores in the bud before they have a chance to grow. There is no reason with today's prescription meds available to have have the sores get to the point of being visible and troublesome. It also shortens the time that it is contagious.

I have been a sufferer my whole life and about 10 years ago I was at the doctor for another issue and he offered to write me a prescription for the cold sore I had at the time. They not only hurt, they look extremely unprofessional. I don't always know it's coming until it starts to get red, but even then when I take the pills the blister stays very small and heals very quickly. No one even notices them anymore.

I hope this is not construed as medical advice per the policy at allnurses.com. Just some gentle encouragement to see a doctor.

Specializes in PACU, pre/postoperative, ortho.

I don't get them often, maybe one every few years or more. Meds never help much but a little salt water dabbed on a few times a day dries it up quick.

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