when illness interferes...

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So I have a problem... this has not been my year for good health. I've been struggling since January with all sorts of things... asthma, appendicitis, the flu, colds, mono, and now my newest diagnosis... SHINGLES!

My school only allows so many absenses, 2 clinical days and only a handful of lecture. We have our first final next week too. Sitting in class sucks, because the longer I sit, the more I hurt and itch. To make matters worse, I need to get a rubeola vaccine, and I can't get it until I'm completely recovered from shingles. I have to have it by next Friday! I talked to the DON today, she was real iffy about letting me stay in class and flat out told me I would have to miss the first week of clinicals (starting 11/13). I told her I would just get the shot early then against doctors orders. She again got all iffy and I told her I COULD NOT miss class or clinicals. She told me that since our first week we're not around patients too much, she my be able to let the vaccine slide unti the next week. I have to talk to her tomorrow...

I have a feeling that tomorrow she's gonna renig on what she said today, tell me to go home and I'm going to be screwed. I can't miss class!!! I am willing to sit through lecture and be miserable, even if they want to sit me in a corner and put me in a bubble! Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fight it if they try and keep me out of class and clinical?

(By the way, my doctor said that I should be fine by my clinical start date, and that she didn't have a problem with me going to class.)

Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

Well I talked with my DON today. She doesn't have a problem with me going to class or clinicals with shingles. But, she says that I have to have the vaccination before I start clinicals. She suggested I finish up next week, take my final and wait until the next class to get to 106 (the second half of term 1) and join them in Feb. I'm pretty much planning on taking my chances and getting my shot, probably a bad idea but I do not want to wait 3 more months.

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Specializes in ICU/PCU/Infusion.
Well I talked with my DON today. She doesn't have a problem with me going to class or clinicals with shingles. But, she says that I have to have the vaccination before I start clinicals. She suggested I finish up next week, take my final and wait until the next class to get to 106 (the second half of term 1) and join them in Feb. I'm pretty much planning on taking my chances and getting my shot, probably a bad idea but I do not want to wait 3 more months.

I'm very sorry for your misfortune in this situation, but I do have to say that I feel your attitude is selfish in this instance. You are allowing your personal desires (to not wait 3 months to continue your NS journey) to interfere with what should be the priority as a caregiver, and that is to always DO NO HARM.

If there is the chance that you could compromise an already compromised patient by exposing them to chickenpox, that IMO is reason enough to delay your clinical experience until the shingles are completely crusted over.

I hope that can happen before the start of your clinicals, but if it can't, then I really hope you reconsider your decision to start them anyway, no matter if the DON would allow it.

Again, I am truly sorry you're having to even be put in this situation. I wish you good health very soon!! :)

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.
I'm very sorry for your misfortune in this situation, but I do have to say that I feel your attitude is selfish in this instance. You are allowing your personal desires (to not wait 3 months to continue your NS journey) to interfere with what should be the priority as a caregiver, and that is to always DO NO HARM.

If there is the chance that you could compromise an already compromised patient by exposing them to chickenpox, that IMO is reason enough to delay your clinical experience until the shingles are completely crusted over.

I hope that can happen before the start of your clinicals, but if it can't, then I really hope you reconsider your decision to start them anyway, no matter if the DON would allow it.

Again, I am truly sorry you're having to even be put in this situation. I wish you good health very soon!! :)

Well thankyou for your concern and insight. I guess I am being selfish in a way by not wanting to postponed my schooling. But the shingles aren't the issue. They aren't that contagious, and if I keep them covered, the risk of a person catching them that hasn't had chicken pox is practically none. Its the shot that is keeping me from clinicals. My rubeola vaccine.

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Specializes in ICU/PCU/Infusion.

the vaccine is to protect YOU. the shingles may infect/do harm to your patients.

that's the difference.

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Specializes in NICU.

I do wish you the very best outcome. I totally know what you're going through. I had to have surgery in late August and had to take off a semester of school. I had a million reasons why I could absolutely not take off that semester...my doctor always pulled me back to reality. Truthfully it sucks to miss this semester, watching my friends move on while I'm left behind but it was what was best for me in the long run. My mom put it to me this way and it made me think a little about what I was saying. She said, "Can you honestly tell me that you would tell a patient to disregard everything their doctor told them because it doesn't work with their (the patient) plans?" When put that way it made me think no I wouldn't tell a patient that even though the doc told them not to lift for 6-8 weeks, "go right ahead if you want." Not saying you need to take the semester off or anything, just wanted to share the conversation between my mom and myself. Also to say best of luck in whatever happens.

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