NHS worker and shielding.

[dietnopelovechocolatetoomuch]

Hi everybody.
Hope everyone is coping with the recent 'lockdown'
I have a quandary I was hoping I could get some help with.
I'm a staff nurse working within a ward in a hospital. I also have what is classified as severe asthma.
The government have stated those with severe asthma have to shield I.e. no contact with outside world for 12 weeks. However the NHS rightly or wrongly are wanting me to work in a non clinical area of my ward. This means I will have no patient contact and I will work in a room with a phone and a computer on my own. I will however have to use the ward 'kitchen' facilities and also the ward toilet.
I am completely torn as to what to do. My husband has categorically said I am not going and that they can fire me as my health comes first.
Wise people of Mumsnet what would you do!?
Sorry for long post, trying not to drip feed!

If you have severe asthma (characterised as needing hospital admissions or steroids) then you should be at home in your own home for 12 weeks.
Show your employers the Government guidance, tell them you will be following it and if there is any work you can do from how’s you will happily do it.
Do you meet the definition of severe asthma?

I'd do it. But you are the one who has to make the choice. All of us NHS workers need to come together now and step up.

*work from home

Phone occ health, they’ll have guidance in place for you. IMO you should be sent home and ESR adjusted (ie not sick) but local guidance should be in place

Have you had the shielding letter? One reason we are shielding is because it means less pressure on the ICU if you get ill, so how does your expertise weigh against your potential to use resources if you get ill yourself.

Thanks everyone. I take steroids daily so I do come under the category of severe asthma
Have phoned occi health who are sending me a risk assessment via email that will get looked at by a doctor and then outcome sent back to me. This could take at least 3 days they said.
There advice at the moment is just to stay away from patients.
To be completely honest I want to work I'm already going a little stir crazy but I'm also terrified of the outcome. Completely forgot to say that I had a partial pneumothorax last year in the summer from having a cold (that was a drip feed!! Sorry)
My husband is adamant that I'm not going, he won't even let me out the house apart from in the garden, not in a controlling way he's just worried and being protective.

If you are working non-clinically why can't you work from home?

Forgot to say, no I haven't had my shielding letter yet.

You should be at home. Ring the asthma nurse at the gp surgery.

If you are working non-clinically why can't you work from home?

Can't access the systems from home unfortunately but yes that was one of my questions for occi health.

I just don't want to be one of the unlucky ones that end up on a ventilator as selfish as that sounds. I phoned my GP yesterday and they were not very helpful just said wait for your shielding letter.

Can't they give you a laptop and one of those VPN vouchers to work from home?

If it's a low dose of steroid in an inhaler you may not be in the extremely vulnerable group.
But you could stay home for 3 days till they can sort out internet access.

I believe Asthma UK has given detailed criteria on which asthmatics should be shielded.

There is good info on the Asthma.org.uk website re risk groups
When you say you take daily steroids, do you mean orally or inhaled? Oral steroids are definitely in the shielding group and the website has info on which inhaled ones are included

Does having a pneumothorax make you more vulnerable?

As much as I hate to say it, I am with your husband. Your health comes first!

You should be inside for 12 weeks. That probably goes against your natural instinct and I get that but you need to protect yourself z

I'm a Staff nurse in A&E. didn't get a letter however spoke to my GP who has written a letter outlining my brittle asthma diagnosis and her advice to follow the government shielding advice.

At first my charge nurse was not sympathetic at all to any staff self isolating. Today I called work. Said I had spoken to my GP. They confirmed if I was shielding and said no problem stay safe. I was so shocked as I've been stressing the last couple of days. They don't even want a copy of my letter.

Please look after yourself and stay home. If you can't work from home (I can't) then you should be on fully paid leave. My trust has a guide for charge nurse/managers of what to do in this instance. I have managed to get a copy so know that the correct procedure is being followed.

Having a pneumothorax probably doesn't make you more vulnerable but it does weaken your lung, so if you do get it then I'll be outcome is more likely to be worse.
I take a high dose of inhaled steroids and oral steroids every other month as and when needed according to my asthma plan. Yeah according to the guidance on asthma uk I have severe asthma.
Thanks for all your advice and help everyone.

Our hospital has ‘signed off’ two doctors from my department (not asthma but still high risk).

They are to work from home - they can access patient records via a secure VPN so there’s stuff for them to do that helps but without putting themselves at risk.

Yes, we must all come together/step up to the plate. But equally that means not risking ourselves or risk adding pressure to ICU. If there’s work you can do from home, great. If not, then so be it.

Stay safe. Stay well x

That's really helpful advice mycoloursarebkushandbashful.

Unfortunately part of the problem is my charge nurse is at home isolating.
My trust still don't have a policy in place for staff.
I think I will phone my GP again tomorrow and ask for a letter/sicknote if necessary.
I'm the same I have not slept for two nights due to the not knowing/the guilt.

I honestly would have this time off unpaid as the guilt of not being at work with my patient and colleagues is eating me up, I just hate being in limbo.

I'd stay at home. The shielding advice is very clear.

@dietnopelovechocolatetoomuch. don't feel guilty - it's your health - stay home - your trust should have had something in place by now - that's their fault. Take care and look after yourself - we'll need you when this is over.

@dietnopelovechocolatetoomuch I understand the guilt. I feel awful leaving it all to my colleagues but I just can't risk it. I have a DH and babies. And I struggle with a chest infection so I doubt I'd survive this virus.

I would call your GP for your letter like you suggested. Then call your clinical coordinator or deputy charge nurse and tell them that as per government guidelines you will be shielding and won't be returning to work. I imagine all trusts would be similar in regards to granting special leave instead of sickness. It's unfortunate your charge nurse isn't there but your health also matters. Good luck

Our trust would have you stay off. We've been told if you have the letter then you must be off but they ask to see the letter as proof.