Working with Low WBC

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This is probably the most stupid question I've ever asked, but is it a good idea to work in a hospital when WBC is low-beneath the "acceptable range," with neutrophils low and lymphocyte % high? No dx yet by the way.

ERNurse752, RN

1,323 Posts

Has 8 years experience.

We can't give medical advice on here, since we don't know anything about you. The best thing you can do is talk to the MD whose care you are under, before you go back to work.

Hope everything turns out ok.

flasandy42

71 Posts

Specializes in 5 years peds, 35 years med-surg.
this is probably the most stupid question i've ever asked, but is it a good idea to work in a hospital when wbc is low-beneath the "acceptable range," with neutrophils low and lymphocyte % high? no dx yet by the way.

when i was on chemo and radiation i worked every day on a med-surg floor with a wbc of around 1.2 and i did just fine except for being extremely tired. i would get my chemo during my 30-min lunch and my radiation after work. there were days that at about 1300 i would go behind the med room door and cry and thought i wouldn't make it till 1500 to go home...but i always did make it!

the only difference in my work was that they didn't assign me isolation patients. it got a little better when i started taking neupogen for my low wbc's.

MellyOne

40 Posts

Specializes in Pediatrics :).

Right...well, thanks anyway...I suppose this isn't one of those "opinion questions"

Added: Thanks flasandy42, sounds like it's do-able in theory...Wish I knew what was going on...so far I'm labeling this as idiopathic...

leslie :-D

11,191 Posts

Right...well, thanks anyway...I suppose this isn't one of those "opinion questions"

Added: Thanks flasandy42, sounds like it's do-able in theory...Wish I knew what was going on...so far I'm labeling this as idiopathic...

is your doctor worried about you working? does s/he mention if you're immunocompromised? are you a candidate for neupogen? i wish you well.

leslie

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