Easy Ways to Prevent Summer Colds
By Jennifer Larson, contributor
The calendar says Summer, but unfortunately, you can still get a cold virus. Germs are germs, and if you get exposed to them, you can still get as sick as you would in colder months. June is National Safety Month and our experts weigh in on how to avoid coming down with that dreaded, annoying Summer cold--or if you do succumb, what to do next.
3 Summer Cold Prevention Tips
The most important thing for nurses to remember is to keep on using standard precautions against infections even in the summertime, noted Seun Ross, DNP, MSN, CRNP-F, NP-C, NEA-BC, director of nursing practice and work environment for the American Nurses Association (ANA).
1. Wash your hands. It’s always a good idea to practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly and frequently, especially if you come into contact with anyone who is showing symptoms of being sick. (Think: coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc.)
2. Use hand sanitizer. Your employer may have stationed hand sanitizer dispensers throughout your workplace. Take advantage of them. But don’t forget that you might want to use it during your off time, too. Stash some hand sanitizer within easy reach so you can squirt some into your palms when you need it.
3. Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, or nose. If you’ve been in contact with someone who may be sick, definitely avoid touching your mouth, eyes, or nose--at least, until you’ve had a chance to wash up.
Ross suggested remembering other good general health habits, too. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Get exercise on a regular basis. Make sure you get enough sleep. Ross suggested embracing Vitamin C and other antioxidants. And she also recommended giving meditation a try.
“If we aren’t mentally centered, that can also lower our defenses,” she said.
And if you do get sneezed or coughed on? “Get yourself some good soap, and you wash your face and you wash your hands,” said Ross.
What To Do If You Get a Summer Cold
Of course, as the Harvard Health Review notes, prevention is king. But despite all your best prevention efforts, you may still come down with a summer cold or other bug. It happens, since nurses regularly come into contact with patients who may expose them to various viruses or bacteria.
Know what you’ve got. Is it a garden variety cold (nasal pharyngitis) or could you have come down with something like Group A streptococcal pharyngitis? If you’re not sure, but the symptoms don’t resolve themselves within a few days, or you start running a high fever, it may be worth a trip to your own healthcare provider to get checked out. It’s possible, depending on your diagnosis, that you may need additional treatment.
Cover your mouth. Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Or sneeze into your elbow or arm. You don’t want to spread those germs to others.
Rest up. Well, you’re sick, but you don’t want your fellow nurses and other colleagues to get sick, too, right? Stay home and rest while you’re ill. Drink plenty of fluids, too.
As with all seasons, travel nurses are always in need across the country. Whether it's Summer or Winter colds or census fluctuations due to other environmental changes, nurses are wanted and sought after year-round.
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