Protecting our families?

Nurses COVID

Published

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Depending on our location, many of us are already starting to be in contact with patients who are either rule out or have tested positive. Even though we are wearing the proper PPE and taking precautionary steps to avoid spreading the virus, the reality is we all have to go home to our families each night. This has me seriously considering the most responsible steps to take to protect my family after I come home from my shifts.

Currently, I am taking my scrubs off in the garage, bagging them, putting them directly in the washer, and walking to the shower without going anywhere else in the house. Whether this is enough I do not know, which is why I am looking for the opinions and ideas of other nurses.

What are you each doing when you get home to reduce the chance of transmission to your family members/housemates? If you are treating an actively positive patient are you separating yourself in a different room of the home when you go home? Do you feel confident that practicing regular common sense hygiene is enough to limit exposure to our loved ones? (I am referring to nurses who have not tested positive and are exhibiting no symptoms.)

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Protecting my family is my number one worry about the Covid virus. I am worried I could catch it, which would be bad, but I made the decision to help people and to risk my life at times to do so. My family never made this agreement. As bad as the news media is blowing this out of proportion, the hospital that employees me seems to be doing the opposite. ALL of out N95 masks have vanished and rumor has it they are under lock and key somewhere. They will issue you 1 N95 mask (you have to sign for it) and it will be your masks for the foreseeable future. However, you will only get your n95 mask after the pt has been worked up and everything else has been ruled out. This includes a negative A/B Flu test. Then they will "give" you a mask. All the bottle of hand sanitize at my hospital have also gone missing....no I blame ppl not the hospital for this. I asked to see what our policy was for treating pt's with Covid or suspected of Covid and was told I would be notified when I needed the info. Apparently we have converted a single person ER room into a multi person (ie 6 person) room. They have some catchy acronym for Vertical Care Stations, but it just means a hard chair. I was told that the loss of privacy and HIPAA was acceptable due to the current pandemic. I am not sure what frightens me most, how easily we disregard privacy or the virus itself. I am not saying I am 100% correct on this, just that for me this is a concerning issue. And then we send pt's home to "self quarantine." 50 years ago, this would have worked with no problem. Today? Yeah, some people with morals and concerns for the greater good will follow these recommendations. But I don't think most people will. People don't even seem to want to bother getting dressed to go shop at Wal Mart. And now you ask them to stay home and delay their need for instant gratification? I can't see that happening. And what is a person is positive for Covid and they know they are suppose to isolate themselves but they go out shopping? Or to a movie or church? Will we do anything? You probably will not be able to tell this person for a well person. I am sorry this is a bit of a rant. I worry that "my" hospital is not doing all it can to keep me informed or to keep me protected. The new rules come down from "on high", ie, Management type that do no pt care and the only way they would catch the Covid is from the person delivering their coffee. And as I said, as much as I worry about my own life, my family's lives are my most pressing concern. At the lest, I would like to thank anyone reading this for allowing me to vent a bit. Seriously, thank you. I know so many people worry about this, but as nurses, we are the front line fighters in this battle and we seem to be some of the most unprepared in this war.

And, IMHO, the USA always seems lax in being proactive, once you wake her up, changes will happen. Probably not today or tomorrow. However, I couldn't even guess on what laws and practices will go into effect at the start of the next flu season. I even wonder if the Flu Vac will become compulsory. I understand that doing that will not "fix" anything but logic flies out the window in times like these.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.
50 minutes ago, Irving said:

50 years ago, this would have worked with no problem. Today? Yeah, some people with morals and concerns for the greater good will follow these recommendations. But I don't think most people will. People don't even seem to want to bother getting dressed to go shop at Wal Mart. And now you ask them to stay home and delay their need for instant gratification? I can't see that happening. And what if a person is positive for Covid and they know they are suppose to isolate themselves but they go out shopping? Or to a movie or church? Will we do anything? You probably will not be able to tell this person from a well person.

You're so right, Irving. I grew up in a different America. Our culture has gone down-hill.

Is it illegal to knowingly go out and infect others? Do we have such a law, aimed at those who know they are infected with HIV?

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

The news media is not blowing this out of proportion...this is a dangerous pandemic...the actions we take will actually matter.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
2 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

The news media is not blowing this out of proportion...this is a dangerous pandemic...the actions we take will actually matter.

Which is why I would like to encourage a conversation about practical measures, suggestions and ideas that we, as healthcare workers, can take to limit the risk we bring home to our families after we work with these patients.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
10 minutes ago, Shandler said:

Which is why I would like to encourage a conversation about practical measures, suggestions and ideas that we, as healthcare workers, can take to limit the risk we bring home to our families after we work with these patients.

Ask your employer about washing your scrubs for you. Change and shower before getting home. Strict personal space and hygiene standards. Exacting attention to infectious disease protocols. Follow the science, not the politics.

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My units are providing scrubs to change into that we leave there. I change my shoes at my trunk, use "purple top" wipes on my badge and vocera clip, cell phone, keys, anything I'm leaving out of the building with. I have goggles and N95 I wear ALL day. After that covid intubation I asked my ex bf for his spare chem lab goggles as the hospital ones are ***. I also started wearing disposable surgical caps. Most of these resources are starting to diminish so they gave us brown paper bags to keep our masks in. I'm pregnant with a 2 year old and my babysitter is my 63 year old mother with lupus. I have seriously considered sending them away from me, but our peak is not until mid May. So what...I don't see my son for 2 months?? When is safe anyway? My OB sent me home with a FHR doppler and auto BP cuff and basically said "see you when I see you". WOW!!.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
On 3/29/2020 at 8:48 PM, BlueJsMomma said:

My units are providing scrubs to change into that we leave there. I change my shoes at my trunk, use "purple top" wipes on my badge and vocera clip, cell phone, keys, anything I'm leaving out of the building with. I have goggles and N95 I wear ALL day. After that covid intubation I asked my ex bf for his spare chem lab goggles as the hospital ones are ***. I also started wearing disposable surgical caps. Most of these resources are starting to diminish so they gave us brown paper bags to keep our masks in. I'm pregnant with a 2 year old and my babysitter is my 63 year old mother with lupus. I have seriously considered sending them away from me, but our peak is not until mid May. So what...I don't see my son for 2 months?? When is safe anyway? My OB sent me home with a FHR doppler and auto BP cuff and basically said "see you when I see you". WOW!.

There are not too many prayers to be said for you and your family. May the mercy of my God be your shield and yourr cover.

Be safe

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Since the dirtiest place in the hospital is the floor no matter how many times they mop it, I have always taken off my shoes in the parking lot placed them in a plastic bag in the trunk of my care and change into sandals I keep in the car. Scrubs come off in the back porch laundry area and are washed immediately. Then to the shower and a bathroom thoughtfully left hanging in bathroom by my hubby.

When I was self quarantined a few weeks ago I was treated like a pariah in my own home - basically stayed in one room had food and cloths etc delivered and watch unlimited NETFLIX.

The basic precautions I mentioned above are ones I have always used. Now my husband who is an aerospace engineer has installed UV lights in the laundry area and I have to stand naked under them with my arms outspread for 1 full minute while making a full 360 degree turn. (seriously - he actually wants me to do this!)

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
2 minutes ago, hppygr8ful said:

Since the dirtiest place in the hospital is the floor no matter how many times they mop it, I have always taken off my shoes in the parking lot placed them in a plastic bag in the trunk of my care and change into sandals I keep in the car. Scrubs come off in the back porch laundry area and are washed immediately. Then to the shower and a bathroom thoughtfully left hanging in bathroom by my hubby.

When I was self quarantined a few weeks ago I was treated like a pariah in my own home - basically stayed in one room had food and cloths etc delivered and watch unlimited NETFLIX.

The basic precautions I mentioned above are ones I have always used. Now my husband who is an aerospace engineer has installed UV lights in the laundry area and I have to stand naked under them with my arms outspread for 1 full minute while making a full 360 degree turn. (seriously - he actually wants me to do this!)

LOL

Life with an engineering wired brain...

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Specializes in pediatrics, school nursing.

I'm curious for people's thoughts on my specific situation; I'm a school nurse and so I have been working remotely as of 3/13; About a month after schools closed, my grandparents were in dire need of PCA help, and so I volunteered to go into their home 2x per week for 3-4 hours, to cover the space between their hired help. My grandmother requires minimal hands-on care (mostly just toileting and feeding when I'm there). I wear scrubs and my cloth mask while I am there, gloves while toileting, in addition to typical standard precautions (LOTS OF HANDWASHING). She is my grandmother, and so we hold hands and hug etc, but I change out of my scrubs before I leave in their breezeway, which is unoccupied 99% of the day. I've been basically treating this gig as if I were working in LTC. The hired PCAs do not change (that I know of) and have not been wearing masks.

Last week, I found out that one of them, who directly preceded me (we crossed paths for around 5-10minutes in the living room for a "change of shift") had tested positive for COVID-19. She had been tested on Tuesday (she was asymptomatic and we are assuming must have been contacted by DPH due to a significant contact on her end) but still showed up for her shift on Wednesday without having told anyone. I also followed her 1-2x the preceding week.

I have been quarantined at home ever since we found out; I got tested last Saturday (negative) and again yesterday (will likely not find out those results until Monday). My grandparents are not in a position to leave their house to get tested and cannot wear masks due to respiratory problems. Thus far, no one who has been in the home has had symptoms, and no one other than the original PCA has tested positive.

At my home, it is just myself and my husband, however he makes hay for a living and has frequent, unavoidable contact with customers when they come to pick it up from the barn. It is not so much face-to-face direct contact, but he is picking up bales, throwing them down to people, who then load them onto their trailers. Having this positive contact for me has upended his ability to conduct business as usual, and we cannot continue in this manner. SO.

Should I go back to my grandparents and continue as I have been or is that extremely irresponsible? My heart is telling me I cannot leave my family hanging, but my gut is telling me different. Any extra advice?

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