SunnieRN said:
As to the RN student. Thank you for choosing nursing! Don't forget the lessons you learn now and continue their practice in 'the real world'.
That's me...HC in da flesh. Had 4/4 contact iso patients today; one w/ C. Dif, the rest with MRSA. Very rough day, but hey...lots of learning and even some good times with my worst off patient (gsw x2, 1 in head...lots of tubes and dressings and MRSA-abscesses to drain...interesting and informative, and lots of good learning done).
I will tell you this...I drive with gloves in my car. Since I live in a large city on the west coast, there are often accident scenes. I do stop at them, but always glove up...not just to protect me, but to protect the actively bleeding person from whatever I've managed to acquire. MRSA is a baddie, for sure and certain, and yes, I do carry through my hospital practice into the real world practice; and make those around me do the same. LOL.
As for me choosing nursing, this is my 4th career - and it chose me. Long story, but after one particular experience, I **knew** I needed to change careers (again!!! sigh), and pursue what makes my heart sing. And that's nursing. So here I am, hopefully graduating in December...and loving every exhausting, stressful moment of it.
California, Massachusetts and Illinois.................that is west, middle and north........USA
anyone from these states?
What should we all do?
I'm in California.
The best thing is to:
a. If given abx, take the whole course. Don't save it for later...this is how the buggies mutate and get stronger against the germs.
b. Viruses do NOT respond to abx. Viruses are things like colds, flu, and so on. Viruses are built differently than bacteria and fungi, and have this hard shell-like thing on them; viruses are not even considered "alive", for the most part, whereas bacteria and fungi are. Totally different sort of medications for viruses, but it's not the Zpak or other abx. (If you get a secondary bacterial infection, that's a different story...but it's still not treating the actual virus).
c. Do not ask the Dr for abx every time you're under the weather. Instead, drink a ton of water, OJ, eat stuff with garlic in it, treat the fever if it's over 100.4 (that's my hospital standard), and get some rest.
d. If you do need abx, make sure you take the whole darned course. Like A says, don't save some for later. Use it now, even if you feel better.
Basic hygiene:
1. Wash your hands in hot soapy water for at least 30 seconds. Wash after toileting, before eating, and whenever you think about it.
2. Please, please, please dispose of used tissue in trash cans. Don't stick them in your purse, or your pocket...throw them out. People don't realize how many nasty buggies are on those things, and tuck them out of sight...until they clean out their purses/briefcases/pockets...and reinfect all over again.
3. Eat a balanced diet, and, if needed, take a regular multivitamin.
4. Get enough sleep.
5. Drink enough water.
6. If you don't feel well, stay home, rest up, and don't get the rest of us sick. I promise I'll do the same.
7. If a family member is sick, give them one set of utensils, wash them separately in hot, hot, hot soapy water, and give them that set again for the next time. Sounds dumb, but it does work at stopping colds/flu in a household setting.
8. If you get a cut or wound, clean it with povidone iodine *(unless you're allergic to shellfish; then use hot soapy water), bandage it well; change the bandage at least daily after cleaning it again with povidone (you can get this at the local pharmacy), and the instant it looks infected, get to a Dr. for a test of what is infecting it. The earliest caught, the quickest cured...
I'll post more if I think about them. But the most important thing is to get clean, stay clean...wash, wash, wash, and then wash some more.
(Sunnie, feel free to correct me...I'm still a student...)
Best-
Herding Cats