EDITOR IAL Elevate l Inspire l Innovate l Energize Founding Editors Eugene W. Jackson
How do you feel? It’s February and it’s flu season. I’m reminded of that fact as I hear my husband’s hacking cough emanating from our living room. The bug hit him hard—he missed a week of work. Yes, we’ve both had our flu shots. Naturally, I had to ask the perennial silly question, “Where do you think you got it?,” as if assigning a specific source somehow confers a measure of control or immunity. In reality, it’s anybody’s guess. He could have picked it up from a door handle, an escalator rail, a telephone, a handshake—or from the friend who felt compelled to participate in a volunteer activity with him while obviously ill with an upper respiratory tract infection. This friend related that he felt duty-bound to be present. Hmmm. The scenario of the ill coworker is all too common in healthcare. The reasons aren’t rocket science: As nurses, we’re exposed to a variety of bugs. Our employers typically have strict attendance policies that carry employment consequences for too many absences. For some, calling out sick may translate to no pay. Let’s not forget peer and frontline manager pressure—it’s challenging to find staffing coverage in a pinch, and no one appreciates the increased workload to accommodate a missing staff member. Multiple staff call-outs can seriously impair unit operations and threaten patient-care delivery. It’s a tough situation. Staff who work with a communicable illness pose a safety risk. Transmission of flu or even common cold viruses can herald serious illness and possibly death for vulnerable patients. And patients aren’t the only ones who are impacted—other workers in the environment are subjected to contagion and can spread these germs to their families. The ripple effect is incredibly difficult to quantify, but it can have far-reaching effects on community health. What’s the solution? Wash your hands—a lot. Follow recommended bestpractice guidelines for hand hygiene. Get a flu shot. Don’t inflict your germs on others. Stay home when you’re sick. Don’t call out when you’re not sick so that you have enough time when you truly need it. Reserve sick occurrences for legitimate reasons (like when you need to be isolated from the human race). Take good care of yourself so you can take good care of others. Stay well! Until next time—
Daniel L. Cheney
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Linda Laskowski-Jones, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM Editorial Director: Kimberly A. Gasda Executive Editor: Katherine W. Carey Senior Clinical Editor: Denise D. Hayes, MSN, RN, CRNP Managing Editor: Cynthia A. Laufenberg Senior Editor: Betsy Pitner Lowe Editorial Assistant: Danielle Westermann King Managing Editor, Production: Erika Fedell Senior Production Editor: Stephanie Grant Contributing Editors: Rose G. Foltz, Nanci Kulig Design Director: Edward W. Rosanio Art Director: Lisa A. Dischert Executive Director, Continuing Education and Conferences: Karen E. Innocent, DNP, MS, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, CMSRN Continuing Education Manager: Janet S. Thomas, MS, RN-BC Print Production Coordinator: Pat Lankford BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING STAFF Director, Publishing: Theresa M. Steltzer Advertising Sales Director, Career, Events and Education: Ben Crowe Advertising Sales Director, Products and Services: Peter Bless Executive Director of Marketing: Keith Follweiler Manager of Circulation: Deb Benward Associate Director of Marketing: Lisa Whelan Associate Marketing Manager: Danielle Beren Associate Marketing Manager: Marie Bartos Products & Services National Account Manager Sue Ryan, RN 1-800-457-9076 Career, Education and Events Advertising North/East Field Sales Representative: Mike Rusch 215-521-8404 South/East Regional Sales Manager: Linda Barta 1-800-237-1342 West Advertising Sales Representative: Michaela Taylor 415-603-9197 Advertising Coordinator: Valerie McCarthy 215-521-8961, fax 215-754-4921 Customer Service: To subscribe or renew, resolve billing questions, or submit an address change, call 1-800-879-0498.
EXECUTIVE Linda Laskowski-Jones, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM Editor-in-Chief, Nursing2014 Vice President: Emergency & Trauma Services Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, Del.
Cathy Wolfe CEO and President Jayne Marks Vice President of Publishing Jennifer E. Brogan Vice President, Nursing, Health, and Wellness Publishing Anne Dabrow Woods, MSN, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC Chief Nurse
Contact Linda Laskowski-Jones at [email protected]. DOI-10.1097/01.NURSE.0000441880.49630.97
6 l Nursing2014 l February
www.Nursing2014.com
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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How do you feel? It’s February and it’s flu season. I’m reminded of that fact as I hear my husband’s hacking cough emanating from our living room. The bug hit him hard—he missed a week of work. Yes, we’ve both had our flu shots. Naturally, I had to ask the perennial silly question, “Where do you think you got it?,” as if assigning a specific source somehow confers a measure of control or immunity. In reality, it’s anybody’s guess. He could have picked it up from a door handle, an escalator rail, a telephone, a handshake—or from the friend who felt compelled to participate in a volunteer activity with him while obviously ill with an upper respiratory tract infection. This friend related that he felt duty-bound to be present. Hmmm. The scenario of the ill coworker is all too common in healthcare. The reasons aren’t rocket science: As nurses, we’re exposed to a variety of bugs. Our employers typically have strict attendance policies that carry employment consequences for too many absences. For some, calling out sick may translate to no pay. Let’s not forget peer and frontline manager pressure—it’s challenging to find staffing coverage in a pinch, and no one appreciates the increased workload to accommodate a missing staff member. Multiple staff call-outs can seriously impair unit operations and threaten patient-care delivery. It’s a tough situation. Staff who work with a communicable illness pose a safety risk. Transmission of flu or even common cold viruses can herald serious illness and possibly death for vulnerable patients. And patients aren’t the only ones who are impacted—other workers in the environment are subjected to contagion and can spread these germs to their families. The ripple effect is incredibly difficult to quantify, but it can have far-reaching effects on community health. What’s the solution? Wash your hands—a lot. Follow recommended bestpractice guidelines for hand hygiene. Get a flu shot. Don’t inflict your germs on others. Stay home when you’re sick. Don’t call out when you’re not sick so that you have enough time when you truly need it. Reserve sick occurrences for legitimate reasons (like when you need to be isolated from the human race). Take good care of yourself so you can take good care of others. Stay well! Until next time—
Daniel L. Cheney
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Linda Laskowski-Jones, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM Editorial Director: Kimberly A. Gasda Executive Editor: Katherine W. Carey Senior Clinical Editor: Denise D. Hayes, MSN, RN, CRNP Managing Editor: Cynthia A. Laufenberg Senior Editor: Betsy Pitner Lowe Editorial Assistant: Danielle Westermann King Managing Editor, Production: Erika Fedell Senior Production Editor: Stephanie Grant Contributing Editors: Rose G. Foltz, Nanci Kulig Design Director: Edward W. Rosanio Art Director: Lisa A. Dischert Executive Director, Continuing Education and Conferences: Karen E. Innocent, DNP, MS, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC, CMSRN Continuing Education Manager: Janet S. Thomas, MS, RN-BC Print Production Coordinator: Pat Lankford BUSINESS AND ADVERTISING STAFF Director, Publishing: Theresa M. Steltzer Advertising Sales Director, Career, Events and Education: Ben Crowe Advertising Sales Director, Products and Services: Peter Bless Executive Director of Marketing: Keith Follweiler Manager of Circulation: Deb Benward Associate Director of Marketing: Lisa Whelan Associate Marketing Manager: Danielle Beren Associate Marketing Manager: Marie Bartos Products & Services National Account Manager Sue Ryan, RN 1-800-457-9076 Career, Education and Events Advertising North/East Field Sales Representative: Mike Rusch 215-521-8404 South/East Regional Sales Manager: Linda Barta 1-800-237-1342 West Advertising Sales Representative: Michaela Taylor 415-603-9197 Advertising Coordinator: Valerie McCarthy 215-521-8961, fax 215-754-4921 Customer Service: To subscribe or renew, resolve billing questions, or submit an address change, call 1-800-879-0498.
EXECUTIVE Linda Laskowski-Jones, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CEN, FAWM Editor-in-Chief, Nursing2014 Vice President: Emergency & Trauma Services Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, Del.
Cathy Wolfe CEO and President Jayne Marks Vice President of Publishing Jennifer E. Brogan Vice President, Nursing, Health, and Wellness Publishing Anne Dabrow Woods, MSN, RN, CRNP, ANP-BC Chief Nurse
Contact Linda Laskowski-Jones at [email protected]. DOI-10.1097/01.NURSE.0000441880.49630.97
6 l Nursing2014 l February
www.Nursing2014.com
Copyright © 2014 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited.
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