Do you work with a cold sore?

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.

Thinking your ID department is not up to date. There is no way a fragile newborn should be exposed to herpes, mask or no mask. How often are you directed to change the mask?

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

So your salary is more important than the health and safety of a fragile newborn?

Thinking your ID department is not up to date. There is no way a fragile newborn should be exposed to herpes, mask or no mask. How often are you directed to change the mask?

It's not like the nurses are rubbing the newborns on their lips.

So your salary is more important than the health and safety of a fragile newborn?

When too many sick calls results in disciplinary action and/or no work=no money for mortgage and food, yeah. It's not right, but it happens :-(

It's not like the nurses are rubbing the newborns on their lips.

No, but masks have been known to fail. We are human and it is feasible we would inadvertently touch our face, then touch the infant. I realize it is unlikely to transmit the virus.

Thinking why take ANY chances . If it were my infant struggling for it's life in NICU and the nurse had to wear a mask, I would get a different nurse.

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.

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.

Our policy actually says not to work with active oral HSV. I am Oncology but that is hospital not floor policy.

I'm just wondering, for your facilities who have a policy against working w/ active HSV...do they have a more relaxed attendance policy? I mean, would you get an attendance warning for getting a cold sore AND an URI or gastroenteritis in one month since you really shouldn't work with an illness either? (or in some cases, can't because you're too weak)?

I'm just wondering, for your facilities who have a policy against working w/ active HSV...do they have a more relaxed attendance policy? I mean, would you get an attendance warning for getting a cold sore AND an URI or gastroenteritis in one month since you really shouldn't work with an illness either? (or in some cases, can't because you're too weak)?

Just because the policy is in place doesn't mean it is enforced happily. We also aren't supposed to work with pink eye but I got unhappiness from management when I actually called in with it.

I'm just wondering, for your facilities who have a policy against working w/ active HSV...do they have a more relaxed attendance policy? I mean, would you get an attendance warning for getting a cold sore AND an URI or gastroenteritis in one month since you really shouldn't work with an illness either? (or in some cases, can't because you're too weak)?

Sick calls are tracked for 12 mos and more than X is verbal warning, more than Y is written warning, etc. Idon't think it leads to termination unless you are already on the radar for other reasons. If you have a lot of sick calls it really doesn't lend itself to staying home when sick does it?