Working while sick? Doctors do it, too!

If you think it's bad that people come to your office even though they're sick, imagine what you might catch from a doctor when they come in to work even though they are ill.

A new study shows that more than half of doctors have gone in to work even though they were sick in the last year. Many said they simply felt they hasd to come in and not let their patients and fellow staff down, and believed they did not have anything contagious. But experts say it would probably be better for doctors to stay home and let someone else fill in, at these times.

Working while sick? Doctors do it, too!
cbs

Doctors quickly learn that exposure to patients' germs is part of the job, and a new survey suggests many are returning the favor. Nearly 58 percent of doctors surveyed said they'd worked at least once while sick, and 31 percent said they'd worked more than once while sick in the previous year. Misplaced dedication and fear of letting other doctors down are among reasons the researchers cited as possible explanations. Dr. Anupam Jena, a medical resident at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and a co-author of the survey, developed food poisoning symptoms halfway through an overnight shift last year, but said he didn't think he was contagious or that his illness hampered his ability to take care of patients.

Working while sick? Doctors do it, too!