Support chat for stay home parents with RNs spouses at work

Nurses COVID

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Hi everyone, I am a wife to an ER RN and I am afraid he could bring Covid19 to our home.

Our son and I have asthma and it scares me for us both. We also have a little girl that gets really high fevers just with the regular flu, to where we have to take her to the hospital. I have asked my husband to take FMLA but he refuses too ?

am I a bad wife for asking for this? Is there any others out there going through the same situation?

I just feel really anxious and scared. I don’t know how to handle this situation.

Thank you ?

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Specializes in ER.

I’m an ER nurse and my husband is working from home due to COVID. We don’t have young children in the house anymore because I’m 51 and he will be 59 soon. I do understand your concern about COVID and your child. I am worried about my hubby just as much because of his age and some conditions he has.

Here is what I do when I come home from work. First of all before I leave work I disinfect my shoes and my hands. (we use the ambulance entrance so it’s a short walk to my car)

I come home right away (not going to shop as I used to), and get naked (literally) in my garage , put my clothes in a bag and go straight to the shower. I spray the door knobs and other surffaces with Lysol or Chlorox.

I use PPE at work properly, wash my hands all the time.

I think COVID not worse then other viral or bacterial infections when it comes to preventing the spread.

With proper and diligent hand washing, cleaning etc. it can be prevented.

But this is just how I do. I can quit my job anytime luckily my hubby earns well enough for us to survive for a while. But I’m a proactive person who thinks about the what if’s.. We are saving money which is not hard these days because everything is closed so we just spend on essentials. Saving for illness and lost wages. We are just 2 of us no family around who could support us in case we would need it.

We are pretty much isolated, even our neighbor “friend “ (he is 46 and lives alone) doesn’t even want to talk to us anymore because I work in the ER... So much about health care workers heroes...

So I also go to work because at least I’m in a team with emotional support.

I just wanted to share my situation and the things I do for my hubby and myself.

There are so much to consider I know

Hope you guys make the right decision and come through this hard time ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Thank you so much for your reply and thank you both for helping in this time of need.

My husband does pretty much what you do when he gets home. We have a basket with a trash bag in the kitchen so the minute he gets home, he gets naked in the kitchen. And goes straight to the shower. He leaves his shoes outside or in his car.

I use gloves when I put his clothes in the washer and still wash my hands after.

I guess I worry because he tells me how limited they are with PPE at his hospital. I’m afraid he can catch COVID19 if not using the right PPE.
But he assured me that he is taking every single precaution he can. He tells me he never touches his face and he is always washing his hands. He says he talks to patient with a distance and ect.

I am not afraid for me or him, I’m afraid for our children to be honest. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to them.

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