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He didn't say that it was required, but that it is a fairly common practice.

Just wish to point out that the hospital worker in question here is a Respiratory Therapist, not an RN. RT's are usually required to work in many different departments of the hospital or hospital system where they are employed. One day they are in the CCU, next the ED and a couple days later the NICU. This is standard practice in many, maybe most hospital systems, unlike RN's who usually work in only one department. Of course, all hospital employees use universal precautions to eliminate the transmission of communicable diseases from patient to patient and from patient to employee. But, there is the risk of hospital workers picking up an airborne respiratory virus from patients who have not yet been diagnosed. So, that brings up the question of hospital employees wearing masks routinely. The CDC recommends fit tested N95 masks for healthcare personnel treating patients who have been diagnosed with certain airborne communicable diseases including this new H1N1 virus. But, I don't believe any hospital is requiring routine wearing of masks for all personnel throughout their whole shift.

Your chances of getting sick from someone from an ER visit is less likely than going to a public bathroom or touching a shopping cart at Wal-Mart. Also, good luck trying to find a lawyer that would help you with your case of a lawsuit. Just simply being at a hospital that a disease was found to be at would be laughed at in court. Try again there buddy and quit overreacting. More people died today from the regular flu than the H1N1 has totalled since its been found. Get a grip.

Nurses & Respiratory Therapists are WELL aware that handwashing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection. I feel sure the RT was an excellent RT who followed necessary precautions.

I worked as an RN in Women's Hospital NICU in the recent past. I found some of the best RNs and RTs that I've ever had the pleasure of working with there. I would not hesitate to recommend that NICU or its staff. As in most other hospitals, RTs at Women's do cover several units. Every place that I have worked, including Womens Hospital, has standards in place for isolating pts who exhibit any suspicious symptoms. From what I understand, this adult pt was treated by this RT for what was initially diagnosed as asthma-like symptoms. This pt did not qualify for any isolation at that time, and the RT would have had no reason to believe otherwise. IF the pt had exhibited flu-like symptoms at the time the RT had treated him, she would have been wearing a mask and gloves. She would also not have been allowed into the NICU after exposure to the pt. The fact that the pt was initially discharged home is indicative that no one believed he was contagious. Also, we do not know the circumstances behind the RT working in the adult ED at Moses Cone--perhaps she was picking up extra hours over there of her own accord, or maybe she was in fact required to work in that unit during that shift. Floating is a very unpleasant fact of life for many healthcare personnel; RNs in particular despise the practice of floating to different units; but as mentioned before, RTs routinely cover multiple areas. And to the questions about wearing gloves/ masks routinely--I have never worked anywhere where the staff routinely wear gloves and masks with all of the pts. I do not know of anyplace where this is the case. A set of guidelines was put in place in hospitals many years ago called "Standard Precautions", which mandates hand hygiene before and after pt care as the most effective way to prevent disease transmission. Gowns, gloves, and masks are only to be worn as indicated by the pt's condition and your likelihood of coming into contact with bodily fluids. During routine care of the normal NICU pt, gowns and masks are almost never indicated. The nurses, RTs, neonatal nurse practitioners, and neonatologists at Womens Hospital are a very professional group of people, and I wish them all the best through this.

AMEN! You are expected not to pass your illness on to patients and babies, but yet when you are sick.. you are given an "write up" when you are out. Too bad that the staff can't pick and choose when they get sick.. oh yea... and DON'T EVER GET SICK ON THE WEEKENDS!

You are 100% correct--you're punished for calling in sick.