What would you do?

[mamamccoy]

I sub for the nurse at my kid's school. I'm an RN but only sub since I have a daughter with Type 1 and a son with HLHS, pacemaker, asthma. My kids overall are pretty healthy. they have had their seasonal flu shot, waiting for H1N1. I subbed at school two days last week and we had a high rate of illness - over 50% of two classes either out sick or I sent home ill. Health dept called, we need to screen for illness, allow high risk staff/students to stay home. This is a small community - k-12 school - I was asked to come in to help screen kids for illness when we go back to school tomorrow. I know more kids have come down with the illness. Two quandries:

1. My kids are both high risk - do I keep them home?

2. Since my kids are high risk - do I stay home?

Also leaving end of week for vacation - hoping we all stay well. The kids at school were healthy in am - maybe headache, or sore throat - no fever, couple of hours later - 102, 103. SCARY:eek:

[hikernurse]

Speaking only as a mom (I am an RN, too) I would not hesitate to keep my kiddos at home and I would avoid potentially sick people, too, to help protect my littles. Good luck this flu season at your house.

[jennifer0702]

Sounds like you should keep your kids at home. Also you can be a carrier so if you can avoid exposure that would be ideal. These are the tough decisions we are going to have to be making in the coming months. Best of luck.

[mamamccoy]

Thanks. The bummer is - the nurse I sub for is pregnant, high risk and I'm subbing for her maternity leave. We have no other sub nurses and 5 type 1 diabetics at school - let alone asthma!!! this bites