I use standard precautions, isolation precautions, airborne, droplet when in pts profile however....
I've noticed in hind site for newly admitted patients, (where it could potentially be a problem due to not having a complete medical history I.e., Unknown TB exposure or other droplet/airborne diseases) that I could've been a bit more careful. For example, accucheck, ID band check I'm facing pt & next thing, he/she coughs on me :/. We have occasional homeless pts, IV drug users, etc. I have to remember to not stand so close. It makes it hard due to kind of work we do, caring for others but remembering to protect ourselves too!
anyway, what do you do? Have any of you or co-workers picked up something from work? Hope not, but it can make for a good reminder/ learning experience for us all to hear.
I see a seasoned nurse wear a mask all day & my guess it's on to protect herself & family.
Standard precautions are always wise, but in addition you have a "back door" too.
Your infection control department, should they find a patient for instance who tests positive for TB or a serious transmittable infection, they will back-track to those who were in close contact with that patient. The Ryan White Act requires this sort of notification for Emergency Responders but from what I've seen any hospitals' infection control team should be on top of newly identified patients with a transmittable infection.
I'm all about establishing a strong immune system. See that handrail, give it a good lick! Hug that homeless guy fresh out of the slammer. You will feed his need for affection, build nursing rapport with your patient, and strengthen those germ fighters all at the same time. Its time management all over.
I wash my hands and don't worry much. Twenty years in this business, and I have never caught anything from a patient. Remember, most people in hospital are there for things like orthopedic surgeries or DKA and are not particularly germy.
Now, some populations are particularly infectious, and my sons' preschool teachers taught me some of their tips to keep from getting caught up in the illnesses (norovirus, pinkeye especially). The one that I remembered is : don't touch your face or rub your eyes. The teachers would monitor each other to remind other teachers not to keep their hands away from their faces.
My unit typically gowns up for admits and large bowel movements, since we're going to be rolling dead weight that's covered in who knows what onto ourselves. Other than that, we just do whatever's indicated.
It is a risk. I know a friend who was monitored yearly via TB skin test for over 12 years. Ten years ago they went to work briefly at a large veteran hospital. She was learning a new skill, and pt coughed, as she leaned over him. Alarmed but she did not see anything in his chart regarding active TB and no one was using masks on the floor.
New job following year and skin test positive skin reaction (but inactive) TB skin test.
She didn't go back and talk to VA bc for one she doubted she could prove it. And it could have been doing rotations, or passing someone, and felt that would be the response. She does not remember pt name either. She did regret not talking to VA, but felt it would have been met with a shrug anyway.
She does does chest x-ray periodically, and has slim chance as long as not immunosuppressed and only 5-10% chance of active if then.
I wonder how many healthcare, or for that matter how many non-healthcare workers have inactive TB and do not know it?
It is a risk. I know a friend who was monitored yearly via TB skin test for over 12 years. Ten years ago they went to work briefly at a large veteran hospital. She was learning a new skill, and pt coughed, as she leaned over him. Alarmed but she did not see anything in his chart regarding active TB and no one was using masks on the floor.
New job following year and skin test positive skin reaction (but inactive) TB skin test.
She didn't go back and talk to VA bc for one she doubted she could prove it. And it could have been doing rotations, or passing someone, and felt that would be the response. She does not remember pt name either. She did regret not talking to VA, but felt it would have been met with a shrug anyway.
She does does chest x-ray periodically, and has slim chance as long as not immunosuppressed and only 5-10% chance of active if then.
I wonder how many healthcare, or for that matter how many non-healthcare workers have inactive TB and do not know it?
Again, your friend is as likely to gotten exposed at the grocery than from that patient. Truly.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I'm all about establishing a strong immune system. See that handrail, give it a good lick! Hug that homeless guy fresh out of the slammer. You will feed his need for affection, build nursing rapport with your patient, and strengthen those germ fighters all at the same time. Its time management all over.
My official favorite suggestion yet! I just need to make certain my literal son does not read this.
Have worked fulltime in a hospital for 11 of 14 years as a nurse and have never caught anything from a patient. I wear my PPE and wash/gel my hands like I should. The 3+ years I worked in a clinic I got breathed on by kids and adults alike with virus du jour. I spent my first 3-4mo there sick but after that mostly stayed healthy.
I'm in agreement with the posters who say you're at least as likely to get a grody virus from the grocery store as from work. Never know who wiped their butt and didn't wash their hands before touching your bananas.
You are as likely to catch something in the grocery store as you are in the hospital.
The above quote says it all. You are already using standard precautions. You are already washing your hands a million times a day. Honestly, as long as I've been a nurse I haven't caught any life threatening diseases. When I worked in a hospital I think I had a URI three times in 8 years. With a young child in the house, I had one about every month or two. The hospital that I worked at had a couple active cases of TB where the patient was not on isolation until several days and in one case a few weeks (and on the readmission, not the original admit for this one). I was in close contact, had been coughed on, and didn't get it. So were many others. The one person that tested positive on their skin test was only in contact with the patient for a few minutes each day. This is not to make light of TB, I would definitely had preferred to have the proper mask on the whole time, but you can catch it from the person standing behind you in the check out line buying groceries who coughed on you just as easy. Just continue doing what you are doing...and maybe change immediately and shower when you get home, leaving the work shoes in the garage/car.
nrsang97, BSN, RN
2,602 Posts
Standard precautions and hand washing, and following isolation precautions for any indicated infection.