SO sick

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Specializes in Critical care.

So, I am in my second month of nursing school... and I have the plague. Actually, it's strep, accompanied by high fevers that tylenol hasn't touched and general not-being-able-to-move. I have not felt this sick in a very long time.

I've missed two days of class and my professors have been very understanding, but I'm getting anxious. I want to get back to class! I did try to go to class Monday, only to head home 45 minutes into lecture. I wanted to try for class tomorrow- but I still have a fever, throat is still killing me, and I generally just. don't. feel. good. Also, I don't want to infect everyone else. At this point I've been on antibiotics a little bit less than 24 hours (it took me a few days to realize it wasn't a cold and I needed to be seen).

I have all the powerpoints and the book at home, so theoretically I can keep up (when I get the energy to even move... no joke, been in bed all day the last few days). But I'm worried about being seen as weak, or as "not wanting it" or idk, just generally looked down on by professors because of this. Is it all in my head? Is there an expectation to "tough it out and show up?"

What have you seen and what do your professors/yourself expect?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

In nursing, if you don't have a fever and aren't puking you need to be in class/work/etc no matter how blah you feel. Ok this may be an exaggeration, but fever and/or throwing up are a no no for patient contact. However, in your case, all you say is "I still have a fever and I'm waiting for the antibiotics to start working." When your professors hear the buzz word "fever" they will excuse your absence. Plus, you are infectious! One missing student for a couple days is better than 10 missing students! Feel better :)

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Yes, this is all in your head. If you are really concerned about this then do your best to stay on top of the material, be prepared to meet with your profs to clarify topics in a thoughtful and prepared way, and just keep with it. Through this obstacle your profs will be very impressed that you managed to stay as engaged as possible and used your down time wisely.

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Fever, strep throat, stay home! For the sake of yourself and your classmates. I hate when people come in when they're really sick and then everyone else ends up getting what they had. Once your fever is under control and you've had at least a day or more of antibiotics, you can get to class. Until then stay in bed and try to recover! No one will look down on you for being sick, heck, we work in a profession where we take care of sick people all day - If a person teaching you about SICK patients can't deal with you handling being ill in an appropriate way, then they really need to reevaluate what they expect from people. You are a nursing student, not a robot.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

stay home, get better and do not worry what other people think. They cannot fail you for what they think - that is why we have tests. Hope you are better soon.

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Specializes in NICU.

Don't worry about it. The instructors that you have right now (I had a different Research instructor though) are very understanding and want you to get better and get back up to speed, not linger sick for weeks. Have someone record the lectures for you so you can play them back at home. I am sure your classmates are willing to help you keep up, in addition to the 27 of us across the hall that would be more than willing to help if asked.

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If you come to class looking like warmed-over dog doo, don't sit next to me! If you're sick, you're sick. Your professors seem to be understanding, and you're obviously not faking it. Take care of yourself and get better so you can get back to class healthy, and don't be Patient 0 in the Great Nursing School Strep Epidemic of 2014.

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Stay in contact with your professors! They're much more likely to work with you about attendance issues at the end of the semester if you were upfront about it when it was happening. They all understand the difference between missing class due to strep and missing class due to a hangover.

In my first semester of nursing school, I contracted food poisoning, which led to severe hypovolemia (HR -166, BP 82/40). I was hospitalized for two nights. Luckily, I had enough presence of mind to have my wife shoot an email off my 3 professors. I missed one exam, and a couple assignments. But because I had contacted them, I was able to make-up everything without a penalty. I was required to bring in my hospital wrist band as proof, but that is standard school protocol for a missed exam.

Keep some sort of proof of your illness, like a Dr.'s note or a filled antibiotic prescription. You ALWAYS want to CYA.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Technically you are no longer contagious after 24 hours of antibiotics but you should still give yourself an additional day to feel better....((HUGS))

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Specializes in Critical care.

Well. I went ahead and went to school yesterday (before reading all of your lovely advice. :lol2:). School went okay, but I should have stayed home because I ended up in the ER that evening for severe dehydration and vomiting. Turns out, when your throat is so sore that you can barely drink anything for the better part of a week, you can get pretty dang dehydrated. Who knew! :sarcastic: Anyways, I did get doctor's notes and documentation and today I am feeling 10,000x better. Thanks for the support everyone!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Well. I went ahead and went to school yesterday (before reading all of your lovely advice. :lol2:). School went okay, but I should have stayed home because I ended up in the ER that evening for severe dehydration and vomiting. Turns out, when your throat is so sore that you can barely drink anything for the better part of a week, you can get pretty dang dehydrated. Who knew! :sarcastic: Anyways, I did get doctor's notes and documentation and today I am feeling 10,000x better. Thanks for the support everyone!

Glad you're feeling better. Sorry you had to go to the ER.

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Well. I went ahead and went to school yesterday (before reading all of your lovely advice. :lol2:). School went okay, but I should have stayed home because I ended up in the ER that evening for severe dehydration and vomiting. Turns out, when your throat is so sore that you can barely drink anything for the better part of a week, you can get pretty dang dehydrated. Who knew! :sarcastic: Anyways, I did get doctor's notes and documentation and today I am feeling 10,000x better. Thanks for the support everyone!

Glad you're feeling better...Hope you didn't get all your classmates sick in the process -_-

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