Employee treatment after exposure

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Do you think that the way employees- nurses, techs, etc. are treated after exposure by the company/hospital will effect self-reporting during employee risk management? I work on a COVID negative unit and later found out a patient I care for was COVID positive. Later I found out that out of several emloyees I was the only one who was sent home (several days later) & tested. I'm upset I'm the only one sent home & tested & later found out I am the only one who started after XYZ date and doesn't get COVID pay. Other nurses are upset they don't even get a test. I've been told the outcome is determined by who the risk management screener is. Do you think it will ever get to the point employees learn the answers to get a certain outcome?

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14 hours ago, Ele_123 said:

Do you think that the way employees- nurses, techs, etc. are treated after exposure by the company/hospital will effect self-reporting during employee risk management? I work on a COVID negative unit and later found out a patient I care for was COVID positive. Later I found out that out of several emloyees I was the only one who was sent home (several days later) & tested. I'm upset I'm the only one sent home & tested & later found out I am the only one who started after XYZ date and doesn't get COVID pay. Other nurses are upset they don't even get a test. I've been told the outcome is determined by who the risk management screener is. Do you think it will ever get to the point employees learn the answers to get a certain outcome?

In which state do you live if you don't mind me asking?

Where I am they mandatory test us every 2 weeks , at least in my facility.

I can't even fathom that your employer is denying tests for the posibly exposed staff?? Is that what you said?

WOW!..

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19 hours ago, Ele_123 said:

Later I found out that out of several emloyees I was the only one who was sent home (several days later) & tested. I'm upset I'm the only one sent home & tested & later found out I am the only one who started after XYZ date and doesn't get COVID pay.

I am sorry.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but this is a solidly par for the course type of behavior for healthcare corporations. They do *exactly* what suits their interests and nothing more and nothing less. Understand this early-on; it is necessary information as you go about making life and career decisions.

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3 hours ago, JKL33 said:

I am sorry.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but this is a solidly par for the course type of behavior for healthcare corporations. They do *exactly* what suits their interests and nothing more and nothing less. Understand this early-on; it is necessary information as you go about making life and career decisions.

I pretty much already know this & that no matter how much better one healthcare Corp looks than the rest they always have their own "quirks".

I can see it getting to the point where nurses who want a COVID test after exposure will have a "sore throat" just so they can get one to help protect elderly parents they care for.

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Specializes in CCU, CRRT.

sadly this is par for the course. I've been exposed multiple times responding to rapid responses on covid-negative units for patients in respiratory distress and emergent intubated with no n95's available for staff only to find out that they were not covid-swabbed on admission. When I became sick, the hospital refused to acknowledge that it could have been due to exposure at work and I had to seek my own testing. I self-quarantined for the protection of my patients and was told that I could not use my PTO for my time off until my test results that I had to go out of my way and get tested at a drive through test center as the hospital refused to test me came back. They said that they would not honor my PTO and consider my call-outs as a 'leave of absence' if my test results came back negative as too many people were calling out for being 'exposed' and coming back negative. Sadly, Here in Florida this is completely legal as we are a "right to work" state, and the state determines the individual corporation can determine how and when an employee uses their PTO and has the right to deny PTO hours if they deem it is an improper use of it.

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8 minutes ago, IRN2011 said:

sadly this is par for the course. I've been exposed multiple times responding to rapid responses on covid-negative units for patients in respiratory distress and emergent intubated with no n95's available for staff only to find out that they were not covid-swabbed on admission. When I became sick, the hospital refused to acknowledge that it could have been due to exposure at work and I had to seek my own testing. I self-quarantined for the protection of my patients and was told that I could not use my PTO for my time off until my test results that I had to go out of my way and get tested at a drive through test center as the hospital refused to test me came back. They said that they would not honor my PTO and consider my call-outs as a 'leave of absence' if my test results came back negative as too many people were calling out for being 'exposed' and coming back negative. Sadly, Here in Florida this is completely legal as we are a "right to work" state, and the state determines the individual corporation can determine how and when an employee uses their PTO and has the right to deny PTO hours if they deem it is an improper use of it.

I live in a different "right to work" state. They sent me home and once they determined I didn't qualify for COVID leave/pay like they thought they tried to insist I use what little PTO I have to help cover the unpaid days. I was then told unless I tell them not to use PTO they're free to use up all my PTO for me.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I was told by employee health I was exposed, but they too refused to test me or take me off the work schedule. They told me I didn't need to self isolate just watch for symptoms or take my temp! Later after speaking to the hospital for testing I was told I would need to get a Dr's RX to be tested and I should just go to a drive thru testing center in my city which I did and thankfully was OK.

Of course they don't want to test us as they don't want to spend the money nor do they want us out of work in the meantime.

I was having breathing problems in March went to the ER twice, and I never go. and have the medical bills to show for it, but wouldn't test me then either as I didn't have the classic triad of fever, cough and SOB. I still think I probably did have corona but no way to verify that.

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Specializes in SCRN.

This is how we were back in March. Non-COVID unit, couple of positive patients with no isolation whatsoever, many employees exposed. I asked the manager: "Should we just wear masks?", she replied: " Now, we don't want to scare patients!". For those exposed, if you had no symptoms, you were not eligible to test, no quarantine, go to work as usual. 3 weeks later they implemented universal masking. Last week a survey came out to the employees asking how organization handled COVID crisis. They've got a failing grade from me, because I was one of the earlier exposed people.

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Specializes in SCRN.
17 hours ago, brandy1017 said:

Of course they don't want to test us as they don't want to spend the money nor do they want us out of work in the meantime.

The truth and the core of it all.

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Specializes in SNF, Home Health & Hospice, L&D, Peds.

I am a nurse who was exposed at work & has since become sick with COVID symptoms.

I was tested & before the results were even back the Dept. of Health Medical Officer contacted me to dicuss my symptoms & we went over my exposure to positve patients & coworkers. The DOH Medical Officer told me my results, at this point, were moot. That even if the result came back negative, with my positive exposure along with my symptoms, I would be considered & was diagnosed COVID-19 positive. The DOH MO stated if negative there may be reasons I.e. false negative result or I tested during the virus' incubation period etc.

I received official documentation from the DOH with the OFFICIAL diagnosis COVID-19 positive with the MD signature.

I have been sick going on 3 weeks so I started a workers comp.claim. I provided my employer & the worker's comp. case manager with that document as well as the test results. The test results were negative.

The worker's comp case manager denied my claim because I tested negative, even after I gave her all the information above & my description of all my symptoms. Now I have to appeal the decision. Is anyone else finding these kind of issues? How are others dealing with becoming positive & sick after being exposed at work??

Stay safe everyone ?

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