Korean Job Discussion Forums

[hockeyguy109]

I won't pretend to be a health inspector...but I have a question

My public school uses an ear thermometer in about 300 kids and then myself. Can't you catch germs and the flu from re-using the same thermometer on multiple people?

[halfmanhalfbiscuit]

Good question. I was at a company this morning and the frontdesk ajosshi tested me-I thought he was going to read my cheek temp. I pulled back, said that better be clean......had Korean salarymen try to explain it. I know what it is, it better be clean.

He went onto the next person, didn't clean the bloody thing! I shouted at him, he's saying no, no, I cleaned it , see this box of wipes? Yeah, I see it, do you??!!

Dicks. Since when do you let an ajosshi do anything , ANYTHING health-related. I go back on Wednesday, no way I'm letting him anywhere near me.

Anyhoo, well, can you?

(The U.S and I guess most countries replace the cap each time, Korea use it a certain number of times to save money)

[hockeyguy109]

Yeah its pretty gross. But I'm wondering, can anyone testify that you can catch germs? My school tests hundreds of kids and myself and I've never seen them change it. I really don't want to do it again.

[ChaBaa]

At our school the teachers take their own temperatures. I pointed out that I wasn't going to stick anything in any orifice of mine that had been in anybody else's body without it being cleaned. They started to provide sterile cleaning pads, for you to use if you wanted. Some of the other teachers use them, some just shove the thermometer in their ears. It's probably not that dangerous to use them "unclean"....but in this current health climate, I'm fastidious about cleaning everything!!

[JBomb]

Ear wax is a bodily fluid. I too had this problem. I made them scrub the shit out of mine when they were doing it.

[Illysook]

They should have plastic covers for the thermometer and these should be replaced after each use.

[schwa]

If you're that upset about it, provide your own thermometer.

[cruisemonkey]

[Meenam]

Health care worker here, and while yes it is disgusting to have someone else's ear wax transferred to you, no you aren't going to be getting sick from it, unless you are licking it (you're not right?). Ear wax is naturally antimicrobial. Not only that, flu doesn't hang out in your ears. It's a respiratory virus, so unless you cough/sneeze on your hands and then stick your finger in your ear, there's no reason for it to be there. And on top of that, it wouldn't last long in there. Interesting side note, ear wax's bad smell and taste is supposedly to keep bugs out of your ears.
So the quick answer to your question, no you won't get any "germs" from it. However, is it gross? Extremely.