I have the FLU!!! What now??

[ShortStackRN]

I'm just begining to panic because the semester is almost over and I graduate in May. I tested positive for Type A influenza Thursday night and have been told to assume that it is H1N1. Funny enough, my symptoms have not been bad at all aside from an excruciating headache, but I am forbidden at work, school, and clinical until next week! We are only allowed to miss one day in our program...2 days constitutes expulsion from the program. I'm not sure where to go from here...I don't want to make my classmates sick but I don't want to get kicked out of school!!!

[Chapis]

to the op-how are you feeling and have have your instructors said about your situation? keep us posted as we all want to know how your school is going to deal with this national emergency.

[goodstudentnowRN]

Well, I had flu-like symptoms recently but I went to the doctor and got some antibiotics and other meds and I went to my clinical feeling very ill but I try not to talk too much. I got my work done in pain all because I cannot miss a day in clinical. No one knew how sick I was and here am I feeling good at the end of the semester, I pass!!!!

[ShortStackRN]

I'm feeling okay...better than I did a week ago. I'm still fighting a nagging fever and excrutiating headache, but the H1N1 seems to be easier on me than the seasonal flu has been in the past. No 104 temps and body aches to report. I have spoken with my instructors, one of which is AWESOME and is totally understanding. The other, not so much. She said that since I have missed one day of class I will have to attend class tomorrow and wear a mask. However, I am waiting for a response from our director as to what she feels is best for me. I really don't want anyone else to get sick...don't think I could handle the guilt. As for now, I've been sitting home studying trying to maintain my A average in medsurg 2 and hoping to make it to school tomorrow for my test. It's looking like this whole thing is going to work out in my favor, however you NEVER know with nursing instructors!! I will keep ya'll posted on what ultimately happens! I will be sitting at home oinking until I am allowed to return..

[JennNJ83]

Glad to hear your feeling better, I'm surprised to hear about your one instructor, over half our class has been out missing multiple classes our professors have been sending people home because of illness, but at least you've got majority on your side, good luck

[peytonsmom]

I talked to a kid a few weeks ago who was wearing a mask because he had the flu but was told that unless it was CONFIRMED H1N1 he would not be excused from class. Well, around here they aren't even sending the tests to the health dept anymore, they're just telling you that if you have the flu, a cough, and a fever, you probably have H1N1 and to treat it like you do. So that kid was screwed because the dr's office wouldn't confirm it was H1N1. It was too late for him to even try and get a note from the dr's to back up what the kid was saying (they were closed) so he came to school.

But you're screwed the other way too because our professor was telling us that she had a student show up to clinical obviously ill and when the prof told her to go home she refused so she got written up by the head of the program and now she may not get to continue.

*eta* she apparently refused to go home because of the school's policy on only missing ONE clinical day for any reason including illness - and no, our policy has not been changed due to H1N1.

[JennNJ83]

Wow that's crazy, can't miss not even one due to illness? I'd refuse to leave to probaly, we can miss 2 before failing.

[shrimpchips, LPN]

Talk to your instructor or the dean or someone...I'm sure they will be able to accomodate you.

[CeilingCat, ASN, RN]

Funny that Nursing schools are least understanding if sick days.

Talk to the instructor about options. Can you wear a mask? What is their make-up day policy?