How do you keep yourself from getting sick?

[malusport]

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I just have a quick question to all the EM residents, doctors out there, how do you keep yourself from getting sick from your patients?

I mean if a patient comes in with a flu and it's contagious how do you keep yourself from not getting it?

It's not like just because you're a med student, resident or an doctor you're super human or anything....

How do you do it? Has anyone ever gotten sick from their patients?

 

[Apollyon]

In the adult ED, I wash my hands all the time - just like they tell you to. That has kept me well. However, in the peds ED, especially in winter, I don't not get sick. I don't have a formula yet, and I get sick all over the place. When I was a med student, I had a viral URI, bacterial URI, and the flu, back-to-back-to-back.

Kids are great, but their infectious diseases suck!

 

[margaritaboy]

Practicing Voodoo and wearing a few cloves of garlic around your neck also helps.

 

[Seaglass]

Whenever I start a shift my first task is to start an IV on myself and spike a bag of Zosyn. Although the diarrhea is a bit debilitating, and MRSA colonization doesn't make me a lot of friends, I haven't missed a shift yet!

 

[spyderdoc]

Although the diarrhea is a bit debilitating, and MRSA colonization doesn't make me a lot of friends, I haven't missed a shift yet!

Which is why I also take Vanco with my Zosyn. Kills off the C. diff and MRSA! I will NEVER get sick!!!

 

[DrQuinn]

Which is why I also take Vanco with my Zosyn. Kills off the C. diff and MRSA! I will NEVER get sick!!!

Its all about suppression.

 

[jpgreer13]

I find smoking crack and taking lots of ephedrine amps up the ol' immune system.

 

[southerndoc]

Here's a question for you guys... 83 year old gentleman, s/p colectomy/ileaectomy, now has a Hickmann cath, receives TPN nightly (self administers), presents with 3 days worth of 103 temps.

Which antibiotic would you guys cover him with if you're thinking line sepsis? I thought of Zosyn and Vanc, but the guy was pen allergic. Ended up giving Cipro and Vanc. Not sure if that's the best choice, but that's what I went with at the spur of the moment. Any thoughts?

Cheers!

 

[Seaglass]

cefepime and vanc and maybe gent. Likely as not to be fingal too.

 

[southerndoc]

I thought about the gent, but backed out of it. Go figure.

 

[spyderdoc]

Here's a question for you guys... 83 year old gentleman, s/p colectomy/ileaectomy, now has a Hickmann cath, receives TPN nightly (self administers), presents with 3 days worth of 103 temps.

Which antibiotic would you guys cover him with if you're thinking line sepsis? I thought of Zosyn and Vanc, but the guy was pen allergic. Ended up giving Cipro and Vanc. Not sure if that's the best choice, but that's what I went with at the spur of the moment. Any thoughts?

Cheers!

Fortaz and Vanco is my standard line sepsis regimen...
If pen "allergy" is anaphlaxis, then cipro and vanco is a good substitute since cipro covers pseudomonas well...

 

[aliraja]

for line sepsis i go vanc and gent

as for not getting sick - i just try not to touch patients unless its absolutely necessary. i find i can diagnose most stuff from smell and vitals alone...

 

[spyderdoc]

for line sepsis i go vanc and gent

Granted, most line sepsis is caused by staph, but in sick patients with lines (dialysis, ca, etc), you probably should cover pseudomonas until blood and cath tip cultures are resulted. Broad spectrum coverage with Fortaz or Cipro along with vanco will do well. If you have real stubborn pseudomonas resistance, adding double pseudomonas coverage with tobramycin or amikacin would be appropriate...