Like my job but the building is making me sick!

morte, LPN, LVN · Dec 17, 2012

Honestly I have a great job, enjoy what I do, get along with my co-workers, etc. My problem is I have bad allergies and I work in an older hospital. I feel great .. until I have been at work for 10 to 20 minutes and then my nose is running, I am coughing, my throat starts getting scratchy, my eyes are watery and itchy .... I take allergy medications and even double up on nights that I work but no relief. When I have to work 5 and 6 nights in a row I am usually in bed sick for the next 2 to 3 days. I don't want to leave my job but I am done with being sick. I have been to different allergists and they have tried different things which never work. And don't think of telling the hospital that they need to have their ducts all redone, filters changed, etc, because its not gonna happen. Any other suggestions?? Getting desperate.

anon....the dept of health and/or OSHA

mappers · Dec 18, 2012

Do you have a latex allergy? Could it be one specific thing (like the brand of soap, hand sanitizer, gloves, etc) and not the building?

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Dec 19, 2012

I have issues with the air freshener. I figured out only when it is sprayed do I feel tight chested. I am sensitive to smells, and this airfreshener is strong. I wish they would get rid of it.

I love my cat! · Dec 21, 2012

I will second the latex allergy!

It's serious stuff. Get a skin/blood allergy test done.

See, the part of a latex allergy which is really frightening is that nobody knows how much latex will actually cause that first anaphylactic reaction.

Cougar1113 · Dec 30, 2012

I think its something in the building itself because the runny nose, etc will normally start while I'm still in report (which is normally 30 minutes), meaning I haven't even started pt care or charting. I have actually started sending out resumes for a new job.

Ruas61, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2012

Unfortunately, that sounds like the only option. No job is worth that kind of constant illness and it could turn worse someday.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2012

Yeah, I have that problem, too. With me, it is mostly the cigarette smell that lingers on the smoker's hair and clothes. I come into the report room, and immediately start coughing and my eyes water. Some of our staff are heavy smokers, and have just had a cigarette on their way to work. I can smell cigarette smoke on someone, and immediately my nose stops up.