Nurse calls in because of herpes outbreak

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My good friend is a charge nurse at the hospital I used to work at. She told me that a nurse called in sick because he had a herpes outbreak (genital). What the blank? Is that legitimate? I think I would rather have made something up like a cold rather than that..

I vote for I don't feel well today when calling in sick.

His medical issues should remain private especially when it involves his privates. (Sorry for the bad joke...)

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Specializes in oncology, trauma, home health.
Nurseby, I believe that you thought you were sharing, I don't mean to flame you for that. It's just such a fine line between sharing and opening wounds. Imagine being that nurse, reading this thread.

Confidentiality should exist to protect nursing staff as well as patients.

Again, sorry. I did think I was sharing. I'll think thrice before posting again.

I had a pt yesterday (this is not gossip) who had an outbreak of shingles. I had to stop and think about universal precautions and her safety as well as the safety of my other patients. Herpes is contagious, but genital wouldn't be if precautions were followed, or am I wrong? I remember working as a cna and when the charge found out that there was a pt with active shingles there was a huge upset to the managment about it. So genital or shingles, how protective should a nurse be? That was my only point, not the gossip. Hell, I may not have herpes but it is only by the grace of God.

PS, I mean herpes without sexual relations, not as in nurse to pt transmission.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
I vote for I don't feel well today when calling in sick.

His medical issues should remain private especially when it involves his privates. (Sorry for the bad joke...)

So true, so true. I personally don't need to hear anything involving someone's gentalia. Just a "I am sick and won't be able to come in" would suffice.

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

Three things. Yes, a violation of privacy - I personally wouldn't want to know that kind of info and the charge is really wrong, wrong, wrong.

Second thing: I had a party with my co-workers and spouses invited. There was an ongoing problem between my tennis partner and her husband. My friend ended the party by saying LOUDLY "my husband has herpes". The party was over!

Lastly: a situation came about this past weekend with one of our long-term patients. She has a "hired sitter" in the room (paid for by the family)...they are there to reassure the patient (should she overcome multi-system failure and a 12 minute period without O2 to the brain) that she is not alone. The two sitters who work the weekend night shift really burned my toast! One slept with her head on the patient's bed (chair pulled to the bedside), interjected herself between her employer and me while we were discussing patient care. The other was constantly out at the desk or in the nurses lounge or the supply room (who gave her the code to the door?) LISTENING about and COMMENTING on patient care despite my warnings that she was violating federal law and so was the nurse who encouraged her to do whatever she felt like.

The latter actually did herself in -- she mouthed off to the charge who asked her why she was in a newly admitted patient's room listening at the door while we settled the patient in.... charge made a call and she was gone! Way to go!!

I kind of veered off the herpes subject, hope you don't mind!

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EWWWWWWW!!!

Yeah - if I have to call in - I will usually say, I have a cold... OR I have been stuck in the bathroom all day (or night) - no questions asked with that last one....

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Specializes in ICU.

whether his herpes is common knowledge or not it should not have been shared especially by management. bottom line......herpes IS isolated in hospitals....he is a risk to any patient he takes care of. the virus sheds regardless of any precautions he might take.:o

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Specializes in Homecare Peds, ICU, Trauma, CVICU.
whether his herpes is common knowledge or not it should not have been shared especially by management. bottom line......herpes IS isolated in hospitals....he is a risk to any patient he takes care of. the virus sheds regardless of any precautions he might take.:o

Really?? So as a nurse if you are currently having a genital herpes outbreak you cannot work d/t the risk of spreading the virus? I'm not being smart here, I'm curious. Please explain because this doesn't make sense to me. :confused:

I do know that you can shed the virus even if not currently having an active breakout. And I remember during my rotation in the newborn nursery in school that if any student had any cold sores on their lips they were not allowed to participate which I fully understood why. But I don't understand why a nurse with an active genital outbreak couldn't work. You don't shed the virus except in the genital area, correct? So as long as proper handwashing is used, there shouldn't be an infection control problem, right?

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Specializes in Home Health currently, med/surg prev.

The nurse probably called in because he is experiencing pain and discomfort from the outbreak. I've never experienced it myself, but I've seen the ulcerations which appear very painful especially when considering the location. :eek:

Some people are very trusting and share TMI. Poor guy.

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Where I work, the statement, "I can't come in, I am sick"-just does not fly. We to have to prove how ill we are by describing in detail the situation. About a month ago I was floated to another dept. to cover shift. The NM let me know "Nellie nurse" was out because she was having a heavy period and had "soaked 3 pads" before 6am! Good Lord!

I let her know Nellie's problem was none of my business nor was it hers!

Maybe this guy feels the need to justify his absence.

Last year my grandfather died and I let the DON know I would be taking 4 personal days to travel out of state and attend his funeral.

I was called to administration. The big cheese wanted to know if I was "really that close" to my grandfather and needed to go.

People never cease to amaze me:smackingf:smackingf:smackingf

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Where I work, the statement, "I can't come in, I am sick"-just does not fly. We to have to prove how ill we are by describing in detail the situation. About a month ago I was floated to another dept. to cover shift. The NM let me know "Nellie nurse" was out because she was having a heavy period and had "soaked 3 pads" before 6am! Good Lord!

I let her know Nellie's problem was none of my business nor was it hers!

Maybe this guy feels the need to justify his absence.

Last year my grandfather died and I let the DON know I would be taking 4 personal days to travel out of state and attend his funeral.

I was called to administration. The big cheese wanted to know if I was "really that close" to my grandfather and needed to go.

People never cease to amaze me:smackingf:smackingf:smackingf

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I would quit if someone asked me that. That's so rude.

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I once was a CNA in a nursing home that was amazing to residents and staff with one exception - whenever you called off it was posted on the board next to the schedule with the reason. And they would put all the details - like one of my coworkers did call and say she had diarrhea and would not be able to come because of that, and that was posted for all to see.

Glad I never called off. I am a firm believer it being not anyones business why a person calls off. (Unless it is excessive and needs medical documentation)

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I am on my last two weeks. I gave notice in may. Moving to a large teaching facility and pursuing my RN! When I do my exit statement that situation will be included!

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