The flu season is underway. School and college are in session, families are staying in close quarters indoors, and business travelers are being exposed to germs on their flights, so it is inevitable viruses will spread.As a nurse, you are carefully monitoring the flu activity for your region, but staying healthy and providing care for patients when germs surround you can be challenging. Here’s your guide to keeping yourself healthy during the cold and flu season.
1. Wash your hands.
To remove the nasties on your hands, you need to scrub your hands for 20 seconds. Scrub them all over: your palm, the back of your hand, between your fingers, under your fingernails. You can sing “Happy Birthday” twice to keep track of the time or sing the first 20 seconds of your favorite song to mix it up.Twenty seconds may sound like a long time, especially during a busy day, but keep in mind that you’re doing this for your safety as well as the safety of your patients and colleagues.
2. Never touch your nose, eyes, or mouth.
Resist the urge to touch any part of your face during your shift, especially when handling a sick patient. While it may get tempting to scratch that itch, remember that germs travel quickly.Try not to itch your face with your sleeve arm, either; chances are you’ve sneezed on it already. If the itch is truly unbearable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to disinfect your hands before and after scratching.
3. Don’t sneeze on your hands.
Sneezing on your hands is not only unsanitary but also ineffective. Your sneeze sprays more when you try to hold it in with your hands, so sneeze on the pit of your elbow instead. Your arm gives enough coverage for your mouth and won’t cause your sneeze to spray.
4. Thoroughly wash yourself and your uniform.
Getting exposed to sick people all day guarantees that some of their germs will adhere to you and your clothes. To avoid getting sick, make sure you take a hot shower as soon as you get home.Wash your dirty scrubs right away if you can. Letting them sit allows germs to survive longer and spread to other clothes in the laundry hamper.
If you don’t have time to wash them, then quarantine your dirty scrubs away from the rest of the laundry and don’t put them in the washing machine with other clothing. Invest in enough scrub tops and pants to last your work week so you never have to reuse a garment that’s potentially infected.
5. Eat a healthy diet with lots of vitamins.
During the flu season, boost your immune system by choosing foods packed with vitamins like citrus fruits, red bell peppers, spinach, chicken, and sunflower seeds.Vitamin-D-rich foods like fortified orange juice, cereal, and milk can help combat a cold or the flu, according to a study by the Massachusetts General Hospital.
Carrots, potatoes, squash, and collard greens are packed full of vitamin A, and, according to Harvard Medical School, this vitamin can help you maintain a strong immune system. Eat a handful of blueberries every day. Blueberries are considered a superfood because they pack a huge antioxidant punch. Eat them alone or sprinkle them on a salad or yogurt to help combat the sniffles this season.
6. Get your flu shot.
As a nurse, you are always reminding your patients to get their flu vaccination, but you need to get inoculated, too. Most medical employers require their staff to get the vaccination, but if your facility doesn’t, it is still a good idea to help protect your health.
7. Sanitize your hands and everything you touch.
Just because you’re diligent about washing your hands, it doesn’t mean everyone else is. Sometimes the most mundane surfaces you touch are littered with germs: doorknobs, pens, and clipboards. Even your workstation and personal devices can be infected.While it may be impractical for you to wipe and sanitize everything you touch, you can preserve your hygiene with some hand sanitizer. Every time you touch something, give your hands a healthy coating of hand sanitizer to help keep the germs at bay.
8. Get some exercise.
At least 30 minutes of cardio daily can improve your immune system. If you are a gym rat, don’t forget to sanitize everything before and after use. Bring your own sanitized wipes instead of using the gym’s bottled cleaners. If you don’t have time to get to the gym, try to incorporate moderate cardio into your daily routine by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk during your lunch break.
9. Get plenty of rest.
Getting eight hours of sleep might be difficult after working 10- to 12-hour shifts and taking care of errands. When your body doesn’t get enough rest, T-cells are reduced, making it easier for a cold or the flu to take hold. Your immune system becomes compromised, making it difficult to fight off infections.
Practice good sleep hygiene by meditating, taking a relaxing shower, and eliminating bedside distractions like an iPad and smartphone. Aim for 6-7 hours of sleep every night to help stave off the cold and flu.
10. Don’t stress yourself.
If you’re stressed, your body releases hormones that interfere with your immune system’s effectiveness. Getting stressed is unavoidable, especially in a busy medical facility, but it can be minimized. If you’re getting stressed at work, try to take small breaks to get your composure back. Even a single smile triggers the brain to release endorphins, a hormone that helps lower stress.If you’re stressed at home, participate in activities that take your mind off the stressor. Meditating, reading books, and even writing in a journal can help ease your mind.
11. Call in sick.
Nurses possess a strong work ethic, and you may feel like staying home isn’t an option, but your illness is contagious. If you are taking medications, they may interfere with your ability to do your work. So, stay home and rest for the benefit of your health, your patients, and your work colleagues.
