Shingles

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

One of my teachers has shingles on her lower back, covered. Admin wants to send her home, more as a safety for other staff. I argued that it is covered and contact only, she can stay, but they ultimately make the call. Their concern is moving day in a week. Ugh, the real fun of the only medical person in a facility.

[WineRN]

Our guidelines are exactly what you said, if they are covered there is no need for exclusion

[grammy1]

Cover the rash, no exclusion needed. Then again, admin will do whatever they want anyway.

[KKEGS, MSN, RN]

Our policy is the same as yours. Good luck.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I don't have a policy in place for this situation (working on it), but I'd recommend exactly what you did. Not to mention that most of the teachers here are 5-10 years younger than me and therefore actually immunized against varicella.

Also, share this link: Vaccine Information Statement | Shingles | VIS | CDC

It contains this statement: "You can't catch shingles from another person with shingles. However, a person who has never had chickenpox (or chickenpox vaccine) could get chickenpox from someone with shingles. This is not very common."

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

We had this exact same argument here about 2 years ago. Employee came in with shingles (smallish patch under side of bra, so covered) and the supe (who is a bit of a germophobe) freaked out when he found out. I gave him info sheet after info sheet, but couldn't talk him off the ledge. It was worse in his mind because the IT guy was out for an extended time because he had a bad case that was all over his face. To make matters worse, I told her to go back to the doctors office to get a note releasing her back to work and they misunderstood and wrote a note writing her out of work.

[Farawyn]

Was she sent home?

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

The whole school should shut down early for the summer.

Really.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

Was she sent home?

She continued yesterday, but is out for today, which is a planning day, so she would be in contact with all the staff.

[MrNurse(x2), ADN]

The whole school should shut down early for the summer.

Really.

I will forward your recommendation. I tend to agree.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

Ugh, the real fun of the only medical person in a facility.

I am guessing that the CDC recommendations mean nothing to them....but none of the admin folk here blink at picking up someone else's walkie talkie or using someone else's phone (not on speaker). And mine all touch things the kids have touched - eeeesh!

Smile and wave, MrNurse(X2). Smile and wave!

[denstar]

When we had this situation, we just asked the staff member to provide a note from the doctor okaying them to return. The rash was in a coverable area as well.