Getting Sick and Rundown

[nightowl]

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I've been working really crazy hours at the hospital, like a mixture of 8pm-6am shifts and 4am-12pm shifts, so my sleep has been really erratic, and I've been doing some overtime... Well the next thing I know, I'm sick...and when I get over one thing it's another...eg. sore throat, ears hurt, congestion...low grade fever. nothing really major, but I just feel terrible, and I'm wondering if it's because the job is straining my body... and if this is the case, how to med students and residents keep from getting sick all of the time? Because even doing this job is miserable when you feel like crap... any advice on how to stay healthy and avoid getting sick when you're skimping on sleep and working all of the time 😕

 

[humuhumu]

I've been working really crazy hours at the hospital, like a mixture of 8pm-6am shifts and 4am-12pm shifts, so my sleep has been really erratic, and I've been doing some overtime... Well the next thing I know, I'm sick...and when I get over one thing it's another...eg. sore throat, ears hurt, congestion...low grade fever. nothing really major, but I just feel terrible, and I'm wondering if it's because the job is straining my body... and if this is the case, how to med students and residents keep from getting sick all of the time? Because even doing this job is miserable when you feel like crap... any advice on how to stay healthy and avoid getting sick when you're skimping on sleep and working all of the time 😕

I'd like to know that too. FWIW, my plan consists of the following:

• wash hands obsessively and never touch my face
• do nasal irrigation twice a day
• sleep and exercise as regularly as humanly possible
• eat right, avoid hospital food, and take a daily multivitamin
• take various supplements if I'm "on the edge" (zinc, ginseng, SAM-e), based on anecedotal evidence
• get an annual flu shot
• schedule the most time-intensive rotations for the summer months

 

[Northerner]

I've been working really crazy hours at the hospital, like a mixture of 8pm-6am shifts and 4am-12pm shifts, so my sleep has been really erratic, and I've been doing some overtime... Well the next thing I know, I'm sick...and when I get over one thing it's another...eg. sore throat, ears hurt, congestion...low grade fever. nothing really major, but I just feel terrible, and I'm wondering if it's because the job is straining my body... and if this is the case, how to med students and residents keep from getting sick all of the time? Because even doing this job is miserable when you feel like crap... any advice on how to stay healthy and avoid getting sick when you're skimping on sleep and working all of the time 😕

Unprotected sex.

 

[JohnUC33]

I've been working really crazy hours at the hospital, like a mixture of 8pm-6am shifts and 4am-12pm shifts, so my sleep has been really erratic, and I've been doing some overtime... Well the next thing I know, I'm sick...and when I get over one thing it's another...eg. sore throat, ears hurt, congestion...low grade fever. nothing really major, but I just feel terrible, and I'm wondering if it's because the job is straining my body... and if this is the case, how to med students and residents keep from getting sick all of the time? Because even doing this job is miserable when you feel like crap... any advice on how to stay healthy and avoid getting sick when you're skimping on sleep and working all of the time 😕

Although I don't work those crazy of shifts, I still do work at a hospital quite a bit during the week. I follow several keys to maintain health and mental sanity. First, wash your hands religiously and never touch your face at work. I know a doctor who says he's never been sick in the 10 something years he's been practicing cause he washes his hands like a crack addict does crack 😀 (my words) Anyways, get your exercise in as well. I know you're tired from working so much, but you will surprised at how much more energy you will have at work due to exercising (I suggest running). Thirdly, eat right. If you eat the vending machine stuff around the clock, you will gain weight and feel miserable.

Although not asked, I think you should be worried about your mental sanity as well with working that many hours. Meaning, if you only work, go home sleep, and back to work, then you will mentally start to be tired. With the schedule you work, I guess you have several days off? For me, I work like 3-4 days, then off the rest of the week. I usually take that first day off to lay around and recoup my lost sleep, and maybe straighten my room. I make it a point to do something fun at least one day off a week, so that I'll get my mind off how taxing the previous work days were. I hope something I've said can help you out.

 

[Blade28]

Agreed with the suggestion to wash your hands a lot - after every patient contact, if possible.

And I think some of it might just be luck. I've been lucky to avoid any illness since second year of med school, even though I've had my fair share of contact with obviously ill patients (including babies and kids). I don't do anything special, don't take vitamins, etc.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

If you eat the vending machine stuff around the clock, you will gain weight and feel miserable.

This is soooo true for me, and I'm sure a lot of people are like this. Bring a lunch if the cafeteria only serves pizza and corndogs, and avoid binge purchasing from the vending machine. Nothing will bring you down like simulatenously crashing off a sugar and caffiene high.
And check out the "healthy" frozen meals if you need to bring dinner as well. Lean Cuisine now makes a dinner with "30% more food!", so that can be a light dinner that can hold you over until you can get home for some real food.

 

[angel80]

I'm lucky enough not to get sick too often (maybe once a year). I was the only person on me team who didn't get sick during my Peds rotation (in Jan and Feb, during one of the most brutal flu and RSV seasons in years.) My tricks include washing hands all the time (I go through lots of lotion). I also make sure that I get enough sleep (even if it means not being able to go out and have fun), healthy food, and exercise. I got my flu shot, and take a daily multivitamin.

 

[SoCuteMD]

My advice for staying healthy. (AKA, the words of an MS1 who caught one cold this year - and that was from her SISTER while on Christmas break).

Sleep is your friend
When living communally, so is laundry - especially your towels if you hang them to dry in the common bathroom.
When living communally, DO NOT leave your toothbrush in the communal bathroom.
Sleep is your friend
So is vigorous handwashing.
So is Purell, if no handwashing is possible.
Drink lots of water.
I didn't work out at all this year, but as a confirmed non-class goer I have a revised plan. If I don't have class at 9 AM on any given day, I will get in my 30 minutes of interval training then, shower, and go straight to school or wherever to study.

Overall, I've stayed MUCH healthier in med school than I ever did in undergrad!

 

[JackBauERfan]

Although I don't work those crazy of shifts, I still do work at a hospital quite a bit during the week. I follow several keys to maintain health and mental sanity. First, wash your hands religiously and never touch your face at work. I know a doctor who says he's never been sick in the 10 something years he's been practicing cause he washes his hands like a crack addict does crack 😀 (my words) Anyways, get your exercise in as well. I know you're tired from working so much, but you will surprised at how much more energy you will have at work due to exercising (I suggest running). Thirdly, eat right. If you eat the vending machine stuff around the clock, you will gain weight and feel miserable.

Although not asked, I think you should be worried about your mental sanity as well with working that many hours. Meaning, if you only work, go home sleep, and back to work, then you will mentally start to be tired. With the schedule you work, I guess you have several days off? For me, I work like 3-4 days, then off the rest of the week. I usually take that first day off to lay around and recoup my lost sleep, and maybe straighten my room. I make it a point to do something fun at least one day off a week, so that I'll get my mind off how taxing the previous work days were. I hope something I've said can help you out.

I never get sick either, but then again I have a superhuman immune system, kind of like superman.

 

[JackBauERfan]

My advice for staying healthy. (AKA, the words of an MS1 who caught one cold this year - and that was from her SISTER while on Christmas break).

Sleep is your friend
When living communally, so is laundry - especially your towels if you hang them to dry in the common bathroom.
When living communally, DO NOT leave your toothbrush in the communal bathroom.
Sleep is your friend
So is vigorous handwashing.
So is Purell, if no handwashing is possible.
Drink lots of water.
I didn't work out at all this year, but as a confirmed non-class goer I have a revised plan. If I don't have class at 9 AM on any given day, I will get in my 30 minutes of interval training then, shower, and go straight to school or wherever to study.

Overall, I've stayed MUCH healthier in med school than I ever did in undergrad!

I wish I was as organized, I ended up feeling guilty about not going to class, so ended up going all the time, which didn't give me as much chance to stay as healthy. I think you can go to class and still stay healthy, but you have to be more motivated/organized than me haha.

Lots of water is a good tip too. Washing hands is a given. And never, ever pick your nose (just bad etiquette)

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
I am a PGY-5 general surgery resident. Needless to say, my hours are crazier than most anyones at this point. The one thing that makes the biggest difference in how I feel in keeping hydrated.

The air in most hospitals is very dry to begin with. Couple that with my hours under the bright lights in the operating room and I can get dry fairly quickly. I keep bottles of water everywhere especially since I drink coffee in the morning on rounds which leaves me even more dehydrated.

I avoid the heavy fat hospital food and opt for fresh fruit whenever possible. I also walk the steps if I cannot get to they gym. Overall, keeping myself hydrated makes the biggest difference.

njbmd 🙂

 

[closertofine]

Hi there,
I am a PGY-5 general surgery resident. Needless to say, my hours are crazier than most anyones at this point. The one thing that makes the biggest difference in how I feel in keeping hydrated.

The air in most hospitals is very dry to begin with. Couple that with my hours under the bright lights in the operating room and I can get dry fairly quickly. I keep bottles of water everywhere especially since I drink coffee in the morning on rounds which leaves me even more dehydrated.

I avoid the heavy fat hospital food and opt for fresh fruit whenever possible. I also walk the steps if I cannot get to they gym. Overall, keeping myself hydrated makes the biggest difference.

njbmd 🙂

Thanks for the post-- I have yet to start rotations, and I've already developed a hacking, disgusting-sounding cough (nothing actually serious, though, I'm sure). I'm going to start drinking water now...

but out of curiosity, would a resident/attending actually send you home if you showed up on the first day of a rotation with a cough or obvious bad cold? I don't think this will be an issue for me...I'm sure I'll get over it in time...but how do you handle those kinds of things? I guess take some symptomatic medication and go in...but of course I wouldn't want to get patients sicker either...

 

[MSTP?]

also - never, ever eat from the hospital salad bar. you're pretty much guarenteed to get sick from that.

 

[Doc Oc]

I get sick all the time. I mean, ALL THE TIME. If its not something like your typical cold, mycoplasma pneumonia, influenza, UTI, or strep pharyngitis, then its a kidney stone, asthma exacerbation, extreme fatigue from iron deficiency anemia, my stupid thyroid levels, the list goes on. It is quite ridiculous. I count my blessings that all of my chronic conditions have treatments, and all of the acute ones get better without sequelae. At least I don't have anything life-threatening.

Oh, what's my point?

Do what you can to stay healthy, like the others on this board stated. If all else fails, or if you are just "constitutionally disadvantaged" like myself, don't worry. You get used to it, and your mental strength just has to overcome your physical limitations at the time. Most of the time, you just suck it up and wear a mask.

 

[njbmd]

Thanks for the post-- I have yet to start rotations, and I've already developed a hacking, disgusting-sounding cough (nothing actually serious, though, I'm sure). I'm going to start drinking water now...

but out of curiosity, would a resident/attending actually send you home if you showed up on the first day of a rotation with a cough or obvious bad cold? I don't think this will be an issue for me...I'm sure I'll get over it in time...but how do you handle those kinds of things? I guess take some symptomatic medication and go in...but of course I wouldn't want to get patients sicker either...

Hi there,
If a resident came sick, I would probably send them home as soon as possible. There are loads of things that you can do that would not infect patients but I would keep you out of the OR, NICU, PICU, SICU etc. You could discharge patients and pre-op others but leave early.

njbmd 🙂

 

[PostalWookie]

Every doc I've spoken to about this says the same thing - you're going to get sick a lot as a med student, and there isn't really that much you can do about it. The upside is that by the time you get out of residency, you're immune to pretty much everything.

 

[indo]

I read an article that said the water in caffeinated drinks is more than enough to replenish the fluid loss due to caffein's effect on your kidneys.

 

[outofhere]

When I was a first year med student, I got sick EVERYTIME I went to see my pediatric preceptor. These little children were germ mobiles! By the end of the year, my immune system was much stronger. However, when I did MSIII peds rotation, EVERYONE on my rotation got really sick, GI stuff, respiratory stuff...etc. That miserable rotationw as November/December. So, my advice is, try to do peds in the summer time...
Now that I am a psychiatry resident, I hardly ever see anyone who is infectious...and when these infectious people come see me, I try to tell them in a nice way, that our session can be postponed for a week, there is no need to come in and give me your viruses...

 

[SBlanc]

but out of curiosity, would a resident/attending actually send you home if you showed up on the first day of a rotation with a cough or obvious bad cold? I don't think this will be an issue for me...I'm sure I'll get over it in time...but how do you handle those kinds of things? I guess take some symptomatic medication and go in...but of course I wouldn't want to get patients sicker either...

I have witnessed first hand other medical students on my team getting out of work by faking a hacking cough and having the attending fall for it and send them home. So yes, you do get sent home, and some people even take advantage of it--which made me so sick I wanted to vomit too, but of course I had no choice since then I was the only med student on our team there that day.

 

[njbmd]

I have witnessed first hand other medical students on my team getting out of work by faking a hacking cough and having the attending fall for it and send them home. So yes, you do get sent home, and some people even take advantage of it--which made me so sick I wanted to vomit too, but of course I had no choice since then I was the only med student on our team there that day.

Hey there,
You get basically one shot at medical school. If your colleagues want to squander this learning opportunity that they are paying for, then it's their choice. Believe me, the attending has his/her education and your colleagues have yet to be tested.

They are not "getting out of work" but actually losing out on an educational opportunity. Project forward when they are sitting there as a resident in the middle of the night and those lost educational opportunities come back to haunt them as they can't figure out what's happening to their patient.

So rather than even giving them an extra thought, take advantage of having sole access to the attending, residents etc. and grab for all the knowledge that you can. I didn't miss a single day from clinicals as a medical student and it paid off when I hit residency. That day comes faster than you think.

njbmd 🙂

 

[tupac_don]

Hey there,
You get basically one shot at medical school. If your colleagues want to squander this learning opportunity that they are paying for, then it's their choice. Believe me, the attending has his/her education and your colleagues have yet to be tested.

They are not "getting out of work" but actually losing out on an educational opportunity. Project forward when they are sitting there as a resident in the middle of the night and those lost educational opportunities come back to haunt them as they can't figure out what's happening to their patient.

So rather than even giving them an extra thought, take advantage of having sole access to the attending, residents etc. and grab for all the knowledge that you can. I didn't miss a single day from clinicals as a medical student and it paid off when I hit residency. That day comes faster than you think.

njbmd 🙂

I highly doubt it that missing a day would really kill your ability to be a good clinician. Is it unfair that some students do that sure, they scammed, but will skipping make them a bad clinician, not neccessarily. More of a concern there, is that someone like that, would seize opportunity in other situations.
It's more important in my opinion to pay attention as much as you can when you are there, and read as much as possible at home or during downtime.

Does it benefit you to sit there do scutwork when you can be reading something more useful, probably not.