When to use/not use Occupational Health?

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I've only been an RN for a year and I have never had to use Occ Health.

I picked up a bug from my kids that I have had for a week - no fever, just sore throat, sniffles, slight cough. It has now progressed to laryngitis and over the weekend I couldn't speak above a whisper. I still can't but don't want to call in sick - can I use Occ Health for this, or do I only use them for something that happened on the job? I'd rather go in and let NM see that I can't speak and send me to Occ Health, rather than "whisper" in that I'm sick, when I've had to call in previously to stay with my kids. What do you think?

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.

I don't think thats what occupational health is used for, but others can chime in. I remember using occupational health when I was pregnant in the army. Since I was a mechanic and around diesel vehicles it was required to go there for a briefing and assess what I could and could not be around. I don't think you can use them for laryngitis unless it was affected by work like being around smokers constantly at work caused you to get it. Hopefully an occupational nurse will give you the proper answer though. You can check out this website though:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/occupationalhealth.html

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I don't think thats what occupational health is used for, but others can chime in. I remember using occupational health when I was pregnant in the army. Since I was a mechanic and around diesel vehicles it was required to go there for a briefing and assess what I could and could not be around. I don't think you can use them for laryngitis unless it was affected by work like being around smokers constantly at work caused you to get it. Hopefully an occupational nurse will give you the proper answer though. You can check out this website though:http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/occupationalhealth.html

No - I don't WANT to - I'd rather go to my own doc. I just didn't want to call in sick yet again, yet who would believe laryngitis? This hasn't happened to me since I was 10!

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