Calling in sick revisited: H1N1 edition

[OldPsychDoc]

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Some time ago this topic was discussed.

I'm sitting home today with presumed H1N1 (started the day I was due to get the nasal vaccine--go figure...), knowing that my colleagues are picking up my slack on inpatient and that outpatients that have already waited a month to see me are getting a call to reschedule sometime in December...🙁

At the same time, I know that my feverish, hacking cough would hardly inspire professional confidence, as well as being a potential threat to health and safety of patients and colleagues. Apparently I'm expected to stay home (trying not to infect my family, but that's another story) until I'm symptom free for 24 hours without antipyretics, or 7 days from onset of symptoms, whichever is longer--at least that's how the hospital interprets the CDC guidelines.

Anyhow--was just wondering if others were experiencing the same thing, especially those of you all in residency programs, with overnight call schedules and other worse stuff. Are your "higher-ups" following similar guidelines, being generally supportive? Or not?

 

[gutonc]

Some time ago this topic was discussed.

I'm sitting home today with presumed H1N1 (started the day I was due to get the nasal vaccine--go figure...), knowing that my colleagues are picking up my slack on inpatient and that outpatients that have already waited a month to see me are getting a call to reschedule sometime in December...🙁

At the same time, I know that my feverish, hacking cough would hardly inspire professional confidence, as well as being a potential threat to health and safety of patients and colleagues. Apparently I'm expected to stay home (trying not to infect my family, but that's another story) until I'm symptom free for 24 hours without antipyretics, or 7 days from onset of symptoms, whichever is longer--at least that's how the hospital interprets the CDC guidelines.

Anyhow--was just wondering if others were experiencing the same thing, especially those of you all in residency programs, with overnight call schedules and other worse stuff. Are your "higher-ups" following similar guidelines, being generally supportive? Or not?

Yes. This is the protocol at our hospital. And infection control is actually going around monitoring the floors looking for people with symptoms and forcing them to go home. All departments and divisions (supposedly) have contingency plans in place to manage this. Not sure how well it's going to actually work but we'll see. I know of several house staff who have been sent home by either their attendings or seniors.

 

[sluggo]

Simple philosophy: If you are feeling crappy, tired, "under the weather" or have the blues: SUCK IT UP AND GO TO WORK!

IF you have something that is contagious, that can get worse fast, or that impairs you ability to work, then STAY HOME (you are more danger than help)

 

[sohsie]

Simple philosophy: If you are feeling crappy, tired, "under the weather" or have the blues: SUCK IT UP AND GO TO WORK!

IF you have something that is contagious, that can get worse fast, or that impairs you ability to work, then STAY HOME (you are more danger than help)

I like to say "No XRay, no sick day"

 

[OldPsychDoc]

I like to say "No XRay, no sick day"

Fun to say, but standard of care isn't even to test for H1N1 anymore.

 

[Mistress S]

The policy is the same at my program. Some people have appropriately taken sick time (i.e., the intern in my program who was admitted last night after getting a 6L bolus), a few others seem to be exploiting it (i.e., the night float senior who decided her mild URI symptoms warranted a full week off for flu). As an intern, I still feel like I get really mixed messages- on the one hand, the hospital wants to "walk the line" and tell residents we should all take a week off if we get the flu, on the other hand you know you'll be shafting your co-residents if you do this and on the rotation before last even when I was febrile and coughing so hard I could barely get 2 sentences out at a time (literally) NOT ONE of my senior residents or attendings suggested I actually go home for this. I took one day off and felt guilty, 2 months later I'm still coughing...welcome to peds I guess.

 

[Neuronix]

Simple philosophy: If you are feeling crappy, tired, "under the weather" or have the blues: SUCK IT UP AND GO TO WORK!

IF you have something that is contagious, that can get worse fast, or that impairs you ability to work, then STAY HOME (you are more danger than help)

How do you tell the difference?

 

[Apollyon]

How do you tell the difference?

I was thinking that, too - seemed like a lot of overlap.