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Working in hospitals/bugs
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Anonymous
Im not sure what I want to be, its just for experience as im thinking of doing something in healthcare, otherwise it might be useful anyway to put on any applicaton form. Its the rehab centre so not sure if this means there are less bugs? lol. Is it possible to like just come into contact with something mildly, but not show any symptoms and then be immune to it? Its not like im going to change my mind as I want to work there but Im just really worried about catching something.
Yeah, I agree, it is a useful experience... bugs and all
You need to know the goods and bads about healthcare, not exactly plain sailing I'm afraid.As for "less bugs", I wouldn't know, depends on the hospital etc. but it shouldn't be your primary concern. Chances are anything you will come into contact with may make you a little ill for 24 hours max and you'll get over it, being fit and healthy (assuming) your immune system will be better than the patients so you shouldn't be affected in the same way as them.
Don't worry about the bugs, you should be more concerned with the patients who seem to enjoy fighting and biting
Anonymous
well you shouldn't really let a phobia control your life..should you? (but it is doing
)
)No I agree entirely, I wouldn't want to face my phobia (Hides from slugs
) and I respect you for facing them. But my theory is the same... don't worry about it the absolute majority of times you will not become ill (I got ill in a hospital epidemic where everybody seemed to be ill, and was in that hospital for many hours). Also with volunteering your patient contact is much more limited than in my part time job as a phlebotomist... in my job you were physically handling/touching patients and spending quite a time with them. I wouldn't worry... you will not be put into any danger: the hospital wouldn't fancy the lawsuit
Reply 22
Just a strange but reassuring thought im having...if your mum is a nurse and has been for a long time then maybe you have got some immunties from her through the pregnancy.
Reply 24
Solid_L
No I agree entirely, I wouldn't want to face my phobia (Hides from slugs ) and I respect you for facing them. But my theory is the same... don't worry about it the absolute majority of times you will not become ill (I got ill in a hospital epidemic where everybody seemed to be ill, and was in that hospital for many hours). Also with volunteering your patient contact is much more limited than in my part time job as a phlebotomist... in my job you were physically handling/touching patients and spending quite a time with them. I wouldn't worry... you will not be put into any danger: the hospital wouldn't fancy the lawsuit
) and I respect you for facing them. But my theory is the same... don't worry about it the absolute majority of times you will not become ill (I got ill in a hospital epidemic where everybody seemed to be ill, and was in that hospital for many hours). Also with volunteering your patient contact is much more limited than in my part time job as a phlebotomist... in my job you were physically handling/touching patients and spending quite a time with them. I wouldn't worry... you will not be put into any danger: the hospital wouldn't fancy the lawsuitok thanks, I know what you mean about slugs they are weird
Reply 25
horrorboy
Just a strange but reassuring thought im having...if your mum is a nurse and has been for a long time then maybe you have got some immunties from her through the pregnancy.
lol I wasn't breast fed!! So I'l have no immunity
Reply 27
Anonymous
lol I wasn't breast fed!! So I'l have no immunity
oh that means your immunity will generally not be as good as breast fed people (according to what I read) but it doesn't matter in hospitals I suppose everyone would get ill if they catch a bug. Your only there 10 hours anyway so don't worry.
Reply 28
If you do catch a bug... at least you're in the right place.
Reply 29
Oh my goodness OP I have sooooo much respect for you for doing what you're doing!
I have that phobia, well I'm terrified of contagious people because I'm terrified of being sick (from when I was really ill for like a year and a half and felt permanently sick) and I can honestly say that being in a hospital is my worst nightmare- the only reason I visited my mum when she had cancer is because I was convinced to, being told it was a private hospital/private room (yes I know that's extremely selfish behavior but it does demonstrate the extent to which a phobia can control your life).
If you can face going there and dealing with your phobia DO IT because I wish I didn't have mine!
As for volunteer work, well I work at various animal shelters because apart from animals and hospitals, places I can think of that readily look for volunteers are schools/nurseries- and the only place I find more terrifying than a hospital is a place where there are lots of small children. Terrible immune systems, bugs and illnesses galore!
I have that phobia, well I'm terrified of contagious people because I'm terrified of being sick (from when I was really ill for like a year and a half and felt permanently sick) and I can honestly say that being in a hospital is my worst nightmare- the only reason I visited my mum when she had cancer is because I was convinced to, being told it was a private hospital/private room (yes I know that's extremely selfish behavior but it does demonstrate the extent to which a phobia can control your life).
If you can face going there and dealing with your phobia DO IT because I wish I didn't have mine!
As for volunteer work, well I work at various animal shelters because apart from animals and hospitals, places I can think of that readily look for volunteers are schools/nurseries- and the only place I find more terrifying than a hospital is a place where there are lots of small children. Terrible immune systems, bugs and illnesses galore!
Reply 31
I've just started work as a Healthcare Assistant at my local hospital, which has just had an outbreak of Norovirus. The symptoms of: diarrhoea, nausea, possibly vomiting last for 48 hours at the most.
When I had my Corporate Induction my fear of MRSA disappeared (easy infection control measures, washing hands is easy enough to do!, and the fact that there are cures, and the people who get it are elderly and weak), but my fear of Norovirus shot up as there's not much you can do about it. I have a fear of being sick too, but I figured having this job would help me get over it, and as a Health Care Assistant (below a nurse but above a cleaner) I'm going to have some pretty nasty jobs.
In a rehab centre just talking to people it's unlikely you'll be coming into contact with infected patients, and you won't be doing any jobs which will mean there's a risk of you spreading infection. So stop being wimpy
, my job is worse than your job
Just make sure you wash your hands on entering or leaving the ward and you'll be fine
When I had my Corporate Induction my fear of MRSA disappeared (easy infection control measures, washing hands is easy enough to do!, and the fact that there are cures, and the people who get it are elderly and weak), but my fear of Norovirus shot up as there's not much you can do about it. I have a fear of being sick too, but I figured having this job would help me get over it, and as a Health Care Assistant (below a nurse but above a cleaner) I'm going to have some pretty nasty jobs.
In a rehab centre just talking to people it's unlikely you'll be coming into contact with infected patients, and you won't be doing any jobs which will mean there's a risk of you spreading infection. So stop being wimpy
, my job is worse than your job Just make sure you wash your hands on entering or leaving the ward and you'll be fine
Reply 32
Im a healthcare assistant too Ive been working there for over 2 years now (i did it coz i wanted to be a doc, but thats all changed now, but i still work coz its really "feel good" job and great money ) At the beginning, i was terrified, seriously scared about catching something, im lucky that our hospital is 3rd cleanest in the country or something, but still i was worried!
The first patient i encountered had a knee op, chickenpox and MRSA in all regions...2 other people in the ward were in isolation, and in a hosptal over 2 years i have seen LOADS of patients with tummy bugs and all that, even to the point where a whole bay was barrier nursed) Norovirus, rotavirus - its sadly a part of hospital life.
What you have to remember is you have such a small chance of catching these viri. Your young, so your immune system must be in good order, You are only spending 10 hours a week there, and i assume not all in one go, which is nothing compared to us nurses who spend a minimum 6 hours, to a 14 hour shift (7am-9pm) in contact with these patients. Also, the reason these bugs are caught and spread easily with these patients is coz almost all will be on antibiotics, these as well as geting rid of the bad bacteria in your tummy which make you ill, get rid of the good bacteria as well, so their bodies are at a lower defence to digestion illnesses. Put a person in a space with lots of other people, including sharing toilets = tummy bugs galore!
Ok, thats sounds a bit extreme, but i guess its all a part of life. The hopspital should make sure you have hep b vaccinations before you work, and if you do get ill, they require you to send in some stool sample, and they can treat you if you need it..(well thats what they do in my hopskital it could be different in yours)
Anyway, ive worked there regularly for 2 years, and will have come into contact with much messier things than you will being a volunteer, and not once have i ever gotten ill. So handwashing and general common sense and you will be fine!
Ive been working there for over 2 years now (i did it coz i wanted to be a doc, but thats all changed now, but i still work coz its really "feel good" job and great money ) At the beginning, i was terrified, seriously scared about catching something, im lucky that our hospital is 3rd cleanest in the country or something, but still i was worried! The first patient i encountered had a knee op, chickenpox and MRSA in all regions...2 other people in the ward were in isolation, and in a hosptal over 2 years i have seen LOADS of patients with tummy bugs and all that, even to the point where a whole bay was barrier nursed) Norovirus, rotavirus - its sadly a part of hospital life.
What you have to remember is you have such a small chance of catching these viri. Your young, so your immune system must be in good order, You are only spending 10 hours a week there, and i assume not all in one go, which is nothing compared to us nurses who spend a minimum 6 hours, to a 14 hour shift (7am-9pm) in contact with these patients. Also, the reason these bugs are caught and spread easily with these patients is coz almost all will be on antibiotics, these as well as geting rid of the bad bacteria in your tummy which make you ill, get rid of the good bacteria as well, so their bodies are at a lower defence to digestion illnesses. Put a person in a space with lots of other people, including sharing toilets = tummy bugs galore!
Ok, thats sounds a bit extreme, but i guess its all a part of life. The hopspital should make sure you have hep b vaccinations before you work, and if you do get ill, they require you to send in some stool sample, and they can treat you if you need it..(well thats what they do in my hopskital it could be different in yours)
Anyway, ive worked there regularly for 2 years, and will have come into contact with much messier things than you will being a volunteer, and not once have i ever gotten ill. So handwashing and general common sense and you will be fine!
My mum has worked in a hospital for more than 20 years and as far as I know she's never caught any kind of illness from work - at least, nothing serious, maybe the odd cold every few winters. She's a a medical secretary so she doesn't go around touching patients but she still meets them, as well as doctors and of course, she breathes the same air as they all do.
Well done for volunteering, I hope you enjoy it (well...it might be stressful but it'll certainly be good experience) and that it helps you with your phobia.
Well done for volunteering, I hope you enjoy it (well...it might be stressful but it'll certainly be good experience) and that it helps you with your phobia.
Reply 34
Ok thanks for all that Ive not had a hepatitis injection though ??
Ive not had a hepatitis injection though ??Reply 35
Anonymous
Ok thanks for all that Ive not had a hepatitis injection though ??
Ive not had a hepatitis injection though ??What do you work as? If you are doing voluntary too then like the op you might not need one.
Reply 36
I visit a variety of wards every week to have a chat with the patients, and collect requests for the hospital radio show I co-present. We all check-in with wards' sisters, use alcohol hand-gel and usually moisturise once we're back in the studio to prevent furuther dryness.
It's easy to manage your own health and safety, just be sensible about it.
It's easy to manage your own health and safety, just be sensible about it.
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