Source of swine flu discovered
With flu season rampant, we nursies in the world of medicine are more at risk for contracting the viral bug because we are surrounded by it. Here’s my plan of action for keeping me and my family well. As a nurse in medical sales, all day long I go from one physicians’ office to another, typically having to spend time in a waiting room full of sick patients. I always keep hand sanitizer in my car and my purse. Even when it’s not flu season I am a hand washing nut! HAND WASHING IS THE BEST DEFENSE! I teach my children to do the same. I also instruct them not to eat or drink after anyone else. They understand to stay away from someone who is sick. Daily vitamin regimens are also important for a healthy immune system. We know being well rested plays a large part in our health but, in this household that is one of our downfalls. We might have to make some different arrangements here at home to ensure we get a little more sleep. I am looking forward to that change.
My fiancé is a nurse practitioner (the best one in the whole wide world, might I add) in an acute care clinic and he has already seen a large number of positive flu cases. If one of us is unfortunate and contracts the flu, then we will just have to treat the symptoms, dose up on Tamiflu and let is run its course. The main thing again is wash those paws. We are not going to take the H1N1 vaccine in this house but we will take the seasonal flu shot. No, we don’t think there is some big conspiracy with the H1N1 shot but, not taking it seems less risky that not knowing for certain its potential side effects. Now if people were dropping dead left and right from the pig flu then it no doubt, give us the shot. If you are already healthy and do not have any underlying health conditions then the odds of it killing you are about nil. (And by the way, don’t go to the ER, like my bud NurseWendy says in her post 7 reasons not to go to the ER .)
That’s one thing I am not understanding about these healthcare workers that are being FORCED to take this vaccine. How can they be mandated to inject something that could potentially cause them problems? Last time I checked I had the freedom to choose what medications or treatments that my children and I received. Somehow that freedom is being taken away from others in certain states and that is terrifying! What do you think?
