Nurses Oppose New CDC Rule Lowering Isolation Time for COVID-Positive Nurses

[tnbutterfly - Mary]

Many nurses have responded negatively to the new CDC guidelines for shortening isolation time for health care workers who test positive for COVID as it anticipates a surge in hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant. Healthcare workers with COVID-19 who are asymptomatic can return to work after 5 days with a negative test, and that isolation time can be cut further if there are staffing shortages. “Healthcare workers who have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including a booster, do not need to quarantine at home following high-risk exposures,” the CDC stated.

"This new policy will be a disaster for nurses and other essential workers on the frontlines," Minnesota Nurses Association President Mary C. Turner, RN, tweeted Dec. 29. "It may be good for businesses’ bottom lines to push their employees back to work faster, but it will put nurses, other workers, and the public at greater risk of contracting and spreading the COVID-19 virus."

What Do You Think?

Nurses Take to Twitter to Oppose Lowered Isolation Time Post-COVID

[AngelKissed857, BSN, RN]

My husband tested positive, I tested negative. He was seriously sick- we are all vaxxed, boosted, and rabid double maskers for 2 years. I was cleared to go back to work. I was required to test again in the next week, but the night before going back to work, just had this brain worm telling me to test again on a rapid we had . Positive. Then I realize that I haven’t been really paying attention to the headache and sore throat that I was putting down to lack of sleep caring for the hubs. Fast forward 24 hours and I was SICK. Screw this “mild symptoms” crap, we’re taking SICK. Another 24 hours and I’m in a wagon going Code 3 up the freeway. It’s been 9 days since this thing started. It’s my first day of feeling like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I’m still really sick.  I’m grateful my unit required one more negative test- grateful I listened to the little voice. It would  destroy me to have gotten any of my very vulnerable patients sick.  This policy is absolutely being advanced by the for profit health organizations to keep profits up. This is not in the public interest. This is not in the best interest of patients or staff. This will only sink us deeper into this pandemic. We need to march, picket, scream, and dismantle the existing CDC and starter Public Heath departments and build them back with science and common sense. 

By the way, someone needs to go knock on Common Sense’s door and see if that sob is still alive. 

[summertx]

Just recently I had 25 patients, 2 were in covid isolation. The man who was positive was elderly and coughing so bad he didn't know to cover his mouth. Yes I had PPE on, but you have to take extra precautions when they are coughing, perhaps step back and then reinitiate care. This takes more time to protect yourself. Then you have to go to non covid patients and address their needs. They still want water, ice, baths, changing, have questions. The patients are not being told upfront by the corporation/company that this is happening.  

Now, our state and probably others have said it's OK for the nurse to care for covid + and non covid patients at the same time, even though all the exterior barriers are up, isolation signs, N-95, gowns, area designated as covid isolation. And they aren't required to have one nurse and aide designated to that unit

 

 

 

[dianah, ASN]

Several posts have been moved from view to comply with the Terms of Service.  The posts were veering off-topic.

Please post to the subject of the thread at hand, and refrain from off-topic comments and personal insults.  Thank you.