A NOTE FROM OUR NURSE ~ May 2019
A NOTE FROM OUR NURSE
Susan Quigley RN, NCSN
Tickborne Disease Prevention
Before You Go Outdoors
Know where to expect ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy or wooded areas and on animals.
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellants. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that best suits your needs. Always follow product instructions, especially with children.
After You Come Indoors
Check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check when coming from potentially tick-infested areas, even your back yard.
Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease.
To remove a tick, grasp it with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and pull it straight out.
Remove the attached tick as soon as you notice it. Grasp the tick with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible, and pull it straight out. Watch for signs of sickness such as rash or fever in the days and weeks following the bite. Your risk of getting a tickborne disease depends on many factors, including where you live, the type of tick that bit you, and how long the tick was attached. Be sure to see a health care provider if you become sick after a tick bite, have a rash or a fever.
Susan Quigley, RN, NCSN