Community› The Bump Message Boards› 2nd Trimester
2nd Trimester
New Discussion

Any nurses/dr's in here ...

ckbride2005ckbride2005
in 2nd Trimester

My 93 year old grandma, whom I'm very close with,  has been admitted to the hospital with pnemonia.  I told my mom I wanted to go with her to visit, and she answered with "are you sure it's safe".  I didn't even think about that there would be a risk to me...

 I'm not sure if she has bacterial or viral pnemonia...I'm thinking bacterial.  Should I go visit? I don't want to catch pnemonia..but I also really want to see my grandma.

Report Reply to Post

Re: Any nurses/dr's in here ...

  • skinnursemandeeskinnursemandee member
    Don't go. A hospital is not the best place for you to be right now unless you absolutely have to. Pneumonia usually starts as an upper respiratory infection whether it's bacterial or viral it's not generally safe for you.
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • oregontechmomoregontechmom member

    imageskinnursemandee:
    Don't go. A hospital is not the best place for you to be right now unless you absolutely have to. Pneumonia usually starts as an upper respiratory infection whether it's bacterial or viral it's not generally safe for you.

    This.  Send her some flowers and a card to let her know you're thinking of her.  You don't want to risk pneumonia.

    Report Reply
  • jessiecowjessiecow
    i'm not a doc or nurse, but there is no way i would go.  your grandma will understand. 
    Report Reply
  • irishgirlmdirishgirlmd member
    I'm a Dr. and I spend all day in a hospital - that being said - if you don't have to go I wouldn't. ?Not necessarily b/c of your grandmother but b/c of all the other germs there are in hospitals. ??
    Report Reply
  • benoitfanbenoitfan member
    Not to worry you or put a damper on this thread, but before I made that decision, I would find out what her prognonis is.  93 with a serious illness like pnuemonia does not bode well.  If I wasn't sure my gramma would leave the hospital, I would probably go see her, taking precautions.  Wear a mask, and use hand sanitizer, etc.  Just my opinion.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • irishgirlmdirishgirlmd member

    imagebenoitfan:
    Not to worry you or put a damper on this thread, but before I made that decision, I would find out what her prognonis is.? 93 with a serious illness like pnuemonia does not bode well.? If I wasn't sure my gramma would leave the hospital, I would probably go see her, taking precautions.? Wear a mask, and use hand sanitizer, etc.? Just my opinion.

    ?

    I would have to agree with this as well. ??

    Report Reply
  • minda31807minda31807 member

    I would go and see her.  I would also ask a nurse if they have any masks that you could wear if she is coughing and wash my hands as I left. 

    I am not a nurse or a doc but I work in a hospital in the lab where I deal with infectious material daily. I follow the standard saftey precautions, am I overly worried about catching, no.  Even though I am expecting and my immune system is not exactly at full strength because of it doesn't mean that my immune system is not working. By no means do I consider myself or a pregnant woman immunocompromised.

     

    Lilypie Fifth Birthday tickersLilypie Fourth Birthday tickers Lilypie First Birthday tickers
    Report Reply
  • electricdoctor83electricdoctor83 member

    I'm an ICU nurse and get this sort of question ALL the time.  Wear a mask (they will have one for you, probably outside of the room on the wall, if not ask a nurse), wash your hands before, during, and after seeing her and don't kiss her but by all means you can hug her.  You have a greater chance sitting in a crowded area of getting sick than in the hospital visiting someone.

    Go see your grandma!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • SLOmamaSLOmama
    I am an ER nurse and spend my days in a room of germs.  I personally feel it is ok to go visit her, just wash your hands frequently, don't touch your face, and certainly you can wear a mask.  On the flip side of this coin, I am sure no one could blame you if you just are not comfortable going,
    Report Reply
  • acuttingacutting

    If your grandma's pneumonia is contagious, she would more than likely be on droplet precautions, which would mean anyone going in the room would need a mask at the least. If that's the case, any precautionary measures such as masks, gowns to go over your clothing, etc... would be provided probably on a cart outside the door of the room. Every hospital is also overloaded with antibacterial hand santizer as well.

    If it were me personally, I would go and just take the proper precautions and make sure I kept up with good handwashing. (I work in a hospital though and have lots of one-on-one contact with sick patients, so I'm pretty used to doing this on a regular basis)

    Report Reply
  • TheNextD'AngeloTheNextD'Angelo
    ditto the hand washing and no kisses. I'm about as far as u are and work in the hospital 6 days a week. See your g-ma. Most 93 yr olds take a beating with pneumonia.
    Report Reply
  • jennylynne_01jennylynne_01
    I'm an RN and constantly around people with very highly infectious diseases all day.  If you can avoid it, do so.  However, you don't have to.  Just take special precautions like a face mask and hand washing with soap and water.  Don't turn the faucet off with your bare hands either, it will reinfect yourself and make sure you scrub your hands for at least 15 seconds vigorously.  It's not the temp of the water that kills infection, it's the friction you use while doing it.  If you think your grandmother is not doing well, chances are you should go see her. 
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • ckbride2005ckbride2005
    Thanks everyone...I think I'm going to go. I thought the same w/ a mask and lots of hand washing.
    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"