colds

[hurlock1]

There is a tech here at the center with a cold. i don't know what the policy is about colds. I sleep with a c-pap machine. It blows air into my nose so I can sleep. That is an over simplication, but when my nose is clogged up, I can't sleep. Forgetting all of that, one way or the other, like t or not, having a cold is beng sick. Colds are very comunicable. I DON'T WANTA STINKING COLD! The guy said that he asked off and was refusd. I guess that it comes down to being short handed, or maybe they just don't want to pay PTO. I'm thinking about threatening to not come on Wed. I'm thnking about leaving today! If nothing else, I'm going to comlain to the director very loudly!
jms

[billybags]

Hurlock1, Can you ask for a mask, or tell the tec to wear one. It could help a bit. We are having quite a few swine flu colds going around at the moment. That is really scary.
Could it be a cold or is it the dreaded swine flu, thats what we think as soon as any one sneezes.Our unit at the moment is short staffed.

[KICKSTART]

Ive done a thread about nurses working while ill .

[RightSide]

There is a tech here at the center with a cold. i don't know what the policy is about colds. I sleep with a c-pap machine. It blows air into my nose so I can sleep. That is an over simplication, but when my nose is clogged up, I can't sleep. Forgetting all of that, one way or the other, like t or not, having a cold is beng sick. Colds are very comunicable. I DON'T WANTA STINKING COLD! The guy said that he asked off and was refusd. I guess that it comes down to being short handed, or maybe they just don't want to pay PTO. I'm thinking about threatening to not come on Wed. I'm thnking about leaving today! If nothing else, I'm going to comlain to the director very loudly!
jms

Exactly the same situation obtains at my center.

I demanded, and got, a meeting with the head nurse, in which I discussed that and a number of other issues.

For that particular issue, I stated bluntly that I will NOT allow any nurse or tech to work on me if they have any contagious respiratory disease, even if they're wearing masks, even if I'm wearing a mask.  Period.  I will politely request a substitute.  If none is available, I will turn on my heel--and go home.  My kidneys still make some urine, and my lab test numbers are good enough that I can afford to miss one dialysis session.  I would rather let my BUN rise a little bit more than usual, than get the H1N1 flu and be sick as a dog for weeks.

BTW, you should be apprised of the fact that studies have shown that a cold sufferer continues to shed virus for up to THREE WEEKS after the cold symptoms have ceased.  So if a tech or nurse tells you "Oh, I had a cold last week, but I'm all right now," remember that they are very likely still shedding virus.

The fact that a person can spread a cold while they're still incubating it (before symptoms appear), and can continue to shed virus for up to 3 weeks after symptoms have ceased (fooling those around them into thinking close contact with that person is safe), is what makes the common cold so common.

[Rerun]

Both of you wearing a mask is the best defense.  In reality, we don't know if the person in front of us in line at the grocery store is contagious.  But, if you can tell .... switch lines.

I refuse to shake hands at church!  Come on! 

Hi, I have the flu and how are you?                 

[billybags]

To-day my husband said nearly everyone has the sniffles at the unit. He has come home and said he has a headache and also a runny nose and gone to bed.

[Zach]

BTW, you should be apprised of the fact that studies have shown that a cold sufferer continues to shed virus for up to THREE WEEKS after the cold symptoms have ceased.  So if a tech or nurse tells you "Oh, I had a cold last week, but I'm all right now," remember that they are very likely still shedding virus.

Do you have a link to any of those studies?
Thanks.

[del]

Hurlock I don't know what it is like where you are but we have a major nursing shortage here.  If a nurse stays home sick the unit would usually have to be short staffed.  Nurses only stay home if they are really, really sick.  You can wear a mask and ask that nurse to wear a mask (which they should be doing anyway if they have a cold) . Most workers only have so much sick leave as well. I'm a teacher and I can have 3 sick days in a row without a doctors note but I can only have 7 days in total in a year without a doctor's note. No doctor is going to give a sick note for a cold you had last week.  I teach young children and there is usually someone in the class who has a cold.  I am guilty of going to school with a cold because with the contact with young children I usually have at least 4 or 5 colds a year.  If I am sick with a fever or a really bad cough I will stay home but with just a sniffly cold I don't. I figure the germs are in the classroom anyway.  Nurses should wear masks though when they are around people who have are more prone to get sick anyway.  A lot of patients have to come to dialysis no matter how sick they are too.  They are unable to stay home.

[Jean]

Speaking of colds, is it true that if you have a cold you cant get a flu shot?

[breezysummerday]

Speaking of colds, is it true that if you have a cold you cant get a flu shot?

I'm pretty sure that if you have a cold without a fever, you may get a flu shot. 

[billybags]

Jean and breezysummerday, hubby had his flu jab last week and now he says it has given him a cold. Men for you!