Hi, I am new to this forum. I recently applied for nursing school, and may be waiting a while before I am accepted due to the number of applicants. One concern I have that I have not had the spine to ask anyone is whether or not nurses get ill more often than the average bear.

I'm 41 and an avid runner, so right now I don't get sick often, but when I do, I have a hard time shaking it. The only aspect of nursing that scares me is the idea of being exposed to a lot more illnesses.

Are my fears unfounded, or is this just part of the deal?
THANKS!

Hi Bifumus, I'm new here also so it is nice to meet ya! :) I'm a nurse and I don't get sick nearly as much as I should for all the unhealthy and sick people I attend to everyday. And yes I'm the same way though when I get sick. When I do get sick it takes about a month for me to get better! Don't worry, you sort of build up an immune system to it, just like parents do when they have sick kids, you will be fine. Good luck in nursing school!

I have heard that when kids start school they get about 12 verified illnesses the first year. Then after that they are good because they have build up the immunities. Maybe this also happens to nurses...

Hi Bifumus This thread originated long enough ago, that you probably have formulated your own opinion, and made your decision, however a further clarification might be helpful to anyone viewing this site. I worked as a hospital nurse for many years, and was exposed to many different types of patients. Nurses are taught to take precautions -- proper hand-washing techniques (!!!), masks/gowns/gloves when appropriate, annual flu shots for hospital personnel, etc. I always worried more about exposing my patients to germs I might be carrying, than picking up something one of them had! Best of luck to you in your nursing career.

Totally agree with this. More worried about giving something to my patients than catching it.