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Discussion

Do you work with a cold sore?

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.

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    • Solved by Esme12

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    • Expert

    I think this is best asked of your manager.

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    • Author

    Well, my director actually came into work and asked me about my lip. I explained it was a cold sore and nothing else was said.

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    A bit off topic,....but it still amazes me how as nurses we are expected to go to work no matter what. I have been sent home when I had pink eye,.a co worker with shingles on her face,....only after a patients family member questioned our manager about the safety of such a nurse caring for her elderly family member,....cold sores should be the same.

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

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    • Expert
    • Solution

    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.

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

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

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    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!

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    This is a little off the topic but I went in for preterm labor, my nurse had what looked like a cold sore on her lip. While she was starting my IV, she pulled the end cap off the end of the IV tubing with her teeth! As politely as I could, told her to bring me new IV tubing and I would set it up myself. Cold sore or not, that is disgusting. I would call your employee health department and ask what your facility's policy is.

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    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:

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    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.

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    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.

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