To think I should be told about the E. coli

[Want2727]

My job is a care for a lady with very complex disabilities and the carers need to take care of all personal care. We use hand washing and alcohol gel and am always careful mainly because she had a depressed immune system.
At the end of the shift one of the other carers came on shift and mentioned the lady had been dignosed with E. Coli on the Friday. The lady does not verbally communicate, her sister who she lives with said nothing and there was nothing said at handover or in the her notes
During my shift the lady had an issue with the bowels which ended up in me being covered with some stuff. I cleaned her up took a shower and used hand gel and gloves
Anyway yesterday I started getting stomach aches and being sick and also the other end. Rung the docs and she thinks it is likely I have caught it, I need to take a sample in to confirm
Now had i known I would have used complete barrier nursing/caring and been even more careful
I am being unreasonable to complain

Yes you should have been told. But if I’m totally honest, your use of PPE and hand hygiene should be as stringent regardless of her E-coli diagnosis especially as she has a suppressed immune system.

Alcohol gel is also not effective on all bacteria’s, ideally you should use soap and water.

I’d be careful how you word your complaint as they could put in a counter complaint with your own admission that you’ve not used maximum universal precautions.

I do use very stringent hand washing followed by the gel, gloves etc

They don’t provide aprons which is why my clothes ended up soiled luckily I carry other clothes I could change into

Definitely complain. Was it caught in a hospital setting or at home?

I also take my own gloves they requested we only use one glove when suctioning yet I use 2 one of them my own

Home setting