Child's sick. Can I go to work?

[lollypops321]

This might be a stupid question but I don't want to spread any germs! So my 1 year old has been being sick since yesterday afternoon. I'm a nurse and my next shift is Monday. Should I go in or take the day off incase I spread it. I've only recently started my job and don't really know how it works when it comes to children being ill

Well what's wrong with your child? If it's a cold, yeah I would go in. Mine is 18 months and has constant colds since 1. Plus half the people on the bus/train etc probably do too.
But if it's something like a vomiting bug or strep throat, maybe not

If you dealt with a patient who had been sick, would you go home at the end of your shift?

You go in unless it's you being sick

It's vomiting

Not unless you start developing symptoms I wouldn't. Or obviously if you need to take time off to look after them

Childcare is not a problem. I just wanted to check this is all relatively new to me

You deal with sick people all the time. If you didn’t go to work for 48 hours every time you have been in contact with a sock person no HCP would ever be there

You are fine to work, you can’t spread a vomiting big unless you are actually throwing up. The germ is airborne from the vomit bit, hence why parents tend to catch these things while looking after their poorly child! Obviously, it can land on you hands and around the house on door handles etc but so long as you are vigilant with handwashing as soon as you get to work, it’s unlikely you’ll pass it on!

Hope you steer clear OP!

Thanks for the replies. We all seem to have avoided it thank god and bubba hasn't been sick since last night. I'm a worrier and didn't want to spread the bug around the whole ward haha. You hear the horror stories of everyone catching something and I didn't want it to be me that started it but you've all put my mind to rest

If you’re concerned why not phone up and ask exactly what you did here. Check if there are any protocols . If you go check if there are any particular patients that are more vulnerable that day.