Food poisoning from shop..... Do I include that in the report?
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No, but you should report it to the health department if you haven't already.
We are all here on earth to help others....What on earth the others are here for I don't know.
--W. H. Auden
--W. H. Auden
If your report is not past due I would suspect that if you have food poisoning it is from something consumed prior to the shop or a stomach flu and that neither is likely to be an issue of the fast food place.
Nope, sadly this is food poisoning. The time frame is correct for food poisoning as well. I have a 24 hour window to submit my report and although I usually don't push it, due to my regular job schedule I had no choice.
I did notice when I was eating the sandwich that it did not taste bad necessarily, but it just did not taste good either. I just couldn't put my finger on what was off about the the taste. Guess I know now!
Oh well. I needed to drop a few pounds anyway!
I did notice when I was eating the sandwich that it did not taste bad necessarily, but it just did not taste good either. I just couldn't put my finger on what was off about the the taste. Guess I know now!
Oh well. I needed to drop a few pounds anyway!
Until you report it to the Health Department and there is a determination that it is indeed food poisoning, what you have is an allegation of food poisoning. If you choose not to pursue this, I would suggest that you include something in the report indicating that xx hours after the shop, you began to feel ill and that you suspect that it is the result of having eaten spoiled food.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
Please be cautious when accusing one of your clients of food poisoning, it could ruin a good career in the business.
I work in the ER so I am quite aware of the allegation versus being diagnosed with food poisoning. And no, I don't have an official diagnosis because that means I would have to be off the clock and have a chart made and I can't afford that!
The shop mainly focuses on the cleanliness of the place and the customer service so I really didn't plan on mentioning it. But this is the first time ever having this happen to me so I just thought I'd ask opinions!
The shop mainly focuses on the cleanliness of the place and the customer service so I really didn't plan on mentioning it. But this is the first time ever having this happen to me so I just thought I'd ask opinions!
GuyFawkes: I agree. I eat there even when I am not shopping that location and this is the first time I have ever had a problem before so I will not be pursuing it. I am just going to let it run it's course. And as far as the report, it never even asked much about the food with the exception of presentation so I never mentioned it in there either.
Kimmiemae: Thank you! It is one of those things you just have to let it run it's course. I'll be fine! I needed to drop a few pounds anyway!
Kimmiemae: Thank you! It is one of those things you just have to let it run it's course. I'll be fine! I needed to drop a few pounds anyway!
I read a report and here is the understanding after consuming the food item: Symptoms of Staph food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps that begin 30 minutes to 7 hours after eating the contaminated food. It last less than 24 hours. Symptoms of Bacillus cereus food poisoning include nausea and vomiting that begins 30 minutes to 6 hours after eating. Bacillus cereus can produce a second illness caused by ingesting large numbers of the live bacteria (if you didn't reheat the food). They produce a different toxin in your stomach that makes you sick. In this case, you experience diarrhea and abdominal cramps that begin 6-15 hours after eating the contaminated food.
Here is a neat chart here that directs you to what the likely cause could be: [www.stopthestomachflu.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 10:21AM by SunnyDays2.
Here is a neat chart here that directs you to what the likely cause could be: [www.stopthestomachflu.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 10:21AM by SunnyDays2.
if i was in your shoes it wouldnt be worth it unless you wanted to sue the establishment and if that was the case i would just leave out the fact that you are a mystery shopper as it could complicate things... ie dont add it to your report if you plan to sue... and dont add it to your report if you dont plan to sue
with me i dont report things that i cannot prove on my own without a shadow of a doubt... i dont report things that i suspect happened... i only report what i see
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 11:09AM by cooldude581.
with me i dont report things that i cannot prove on my own without a shadow of a doubt... i dont report things that i suspect happened... i only report what i see
shopping north west PA and south west ny
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 11:09AM by cooldude581.
To clarify : I have no intentions of sueing, calling out the business, or even having any food tested. The only reason I started this topic was to simply ask if I should include anything about having gotten ill after eating the food. Even then, I am not duff enough to have called it food poisoning in the report. That was it. I just thought it would be an informative topic because I had not seen it on here before and I have never had this issue before.
Also, just to clarify: I did not even mention anything about it in the report.
Does anyone know how I delete this topic?
Also, just to clarify: I did not even mention anything about it in the report.
Does anyone know how I delete this topic?
you can signal the mods by just typing this word: spam i can hear them thundering down as we speak
shopping north west PA and south west ny
My husband is a physician in family practice. Almost weekly, a patient comes in claiming food poisoning. It usually ends up with a different diagnosis unrelated to the meal they are claiming for food poisoning. Sometimes you just get a virus that causes vomiting and you just ate at a particular restaurant. More often than not.......unrelated.
Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.
Knowing you have food poisoning, especially if you're a health professional or work in a closely related field, or have had a diagnosed case previously, isn't usually all that difficult. Since the OP works in an ER, I'm guessing he or she knows more about the time to onset and the symptoms than most of us. So, I believe that it was, but whether or not to mention it in the report is a tough call.
I think myst4au's suggestion to have included a note in the report with the "suspicion," possibly backed up by the shopper's experience in the ER and without a direct accusation of food poisoning, would have been a good idea. At least the end client, if this were kept in the report, would be alerted to a potential problem. Food poisoning can be very severe in some people, and what if this place doesn't address the issue? I, personally, think this would be something a client would want to know.
I think myst4au's suggestion to have included a note in the report with the "suspicion," possibly backed up by the shopper's experience in the ER and without a direct accusation of food poisoning, would have been a good idea. At least the end client, if this were kept in the report, would be alerted to a potential problem. Food poisoning can be very severe in some people, and what if this place doesn't address the issue? I, personally, think this would be something a client would want to know.
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
The OP did not say she was a "health professional", just that she works in the ER. I agree with Alter_Ego that the OP should report it to the health department and if food poisoning was indeed the problem, it would need to be addressed through the proper channels.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 02:46PM by mamx44.
Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 02:46PM by mamx44.
@mamx44 wrote:
....the OP should report it to the health department and if food poisoning was indeed the problem, it would need to be addressed through the proper channels.
Yes, it should be reported somewhere, to somebody. It's not to be taken lightly.
(And note I didn't say definitively that the OP is a health professional; I qualified by adding "or work in a closely related field...." I'm guessing that if someone works in an ER, he or she is in a related field.
)I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I'll be a lone voice, crying in the wilderness, but I have to disagree.
I did a FF shop for lunch once -- and by the time I had gotten home, had severe cramping, vomiting, etc. I had not eaten anything else that morning, and the day before, I ate ONLY things I had prepared at home. When I got home, I sent the scheduler an e-mail titled "additional information from shop XXXXXX" and let her know.
The only way the client knows if there's a problem in the kitchen is if they get a "cluster" of complaints. One complaint doesn't affect anything. So I think it's important for the client to know, just in case they DO receive
complaints for the same meal/time period. That way, they can close the kitchen, or take whatever other action is required of a responsible business. But they DO need to know!
I was banned from shopping that FF for a year, by the client. Which was fine with me, as I didn't want to EVER eat there again!
I did a FF shop for lunch once -- and by the time I had gotten home, had severe cramping, vomiting, etc. I had not eaten anything else that morning, and the day before, I ate ONLY things I had prepared at home. When I got home, I sent the scheduler an e-mail titled "additional information from shop XXXXXX" and let her know.
The only way the client knows if there's a problem in the kitchen is if they get a "cluster" of complaints. One complaint doesn't affect anything. So I think it's important for the client to know, just in case they DO receive
complaints for the same meal/time period. That way, they can close the kitchen, or take whatever other action is required of a responsible business. But they DO need to know!
I was banned from shopping that FF for a year, by the client. Which was fine with me, as I didn't want to EVER eat there again!
If you were banned from that client for a year because of that in your report then I agree that you aren't at a loss not shopping that client again. However, I do feel that someone above the scheduler and editor should know this whole situation; although it isn't the fault of the MSC that you were banned, it shows the character and the integrity of the of the MSC if they ignore your situation and don't at least address it with the client. You won't be the only one affected if that was indeed the case.
No, I don't think it is necessary to put this in your report. This has nothing to do with the report. As you know you can get food poisoning from anywhere at anytime, including your own home.
Food poisoning can happen to one customer not necessary all.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 04:40PM by shopper8.
Food poisoning can happen to one customer not necessary all.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2016 04:40PM by shopper8.
@Shopper1013 wrote:
GuyFawkes: I agree. I eat there even when I am not shopping that location and this is the first time I have ever had a problem before so I will not be pursuing it. I am just going to let it run it's course. And as far as the report, it never even asked much about the food with the exception of presentation so I never mentioned it in there either.
Kimmiemae: Thank you! It is one of those things you just have to let it run it's course. I'll be fine! I needed to drop a few pounds anyway!
I know how horrible food poisoning is, I was on one of the Cruise Ships and suffered from the Norovirus, it was one of the most miserable times of my life. Everyone was enjoying, having the time of their life except me and forty other people in very bad shape. That horrible virus is the worst thing to have while staying on a Floating Buffet, hope your stomach feels better quick!
I would include it and then let the editor decide whether to forward it to the client. I had a similar situation and I included the facts that both my companion and I, who are from different households and had not eaten anything else in common, came down with the following symptoms [listed] x hours after eating at [restaurant name]. I did not use the words "food poisoning," but it was clear that's what was meant.
Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.
Norovirus is not food poisoning,. But I totally agree about how it makes you feel. I picked it up in India. I have had what I believe were food-borne illnesses in China and India, and while uncomfortable and a nuisance to say the least (and of course it depends a lot on which bacteria or virus it is), Norovirus was much worse and simply horrible. Luckily, the worst of it only lasted 30 hours. I was very close to having to prioritize which end of me had priority in the bathroom. I had decided that if it came to that (it was close a few times) I would get into the shower.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
@BirdyC wrote:
(And note I didn't say definitively that the OP is a health professional; I qualified by adding "or work in a closely related field...." I'm guessing that if someone works in an ER, he or she is in a related field.
I have a friend who works in an ER. She has the medical knowledge of my dog. I don't have a dog.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Just how do you know it was the fast food? Different types take anywhere from hours to days even weeks to appear.
You work in an ER and don't know this? I hope you don't have a medical related job..maybe housekeeping or clerical?
[www.fda.gov]
if you actually had symptoms...you should not be working anyway...so you would be off the clock anyway...
so now we have someone working in an ER with food poisoning, potentially risking contaminating others by the bacteria on the toilet transferring to clothing, hands, etc....
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2016 01:46AM by jmitw.
You work in an ER and don't know this? I hope you don't have a medical related job..maybe housekeeping or clerical?
[www.fda.gov]
if you actually had symptoms...you should not be working anyway...so you would be off the clock anyway...
so now we have someone working in an ER with food poisoning, potentially risking contaminating others by the bacteria on the toilet transferring to clothing, hands, etc....
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2016 01:46AM by jmitw.
So why are you so upset by the discussion and why do you want to delete the thread?
@Shopper1013 wrote:
I just thought it would be an informative topic because I had not seen it on here before and I have never had this issue before.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
@myst4au wrote:
Norovirus is not food poisoning,. But I totally agree about how it makes you feel. I picked it up in India. I have had what I believe were food-borne illnesses in China and India, and while uncomfortable and a nuisance to say the least (and of course it depends a lot on which bacteria or virus it is), Norovirus was much worse and simply horrible. Luckily, the worst of it only lasted 30 hours. I was very close to having to prioritize which end of me had priority in the bathroom. I had decided that if it came to that (it was close a few times) I would get into the shower.
Yes, how do you chose which side get's priority? I hope nobody here ever has to experience these violent food borne illnesses. Today Costco's automated phone called warning about Listeria found in their frozen veggie mixes, its the fancy one I thought would be safe from harm. How does someone who is shopping for a Cruise Liner put in their report, "Me and forty-eight other people came down with a nasty virus making our stay a living Hell for six days, it was bad!" The water off the Gulf of Mexico was not very smooth, its one of those events you question existence.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2016 06:40AM by GuyFawkes.
I'm wondering how many here have actually had food poisoning? I have, and I've also had, as have we all, I imagine, all sorts of other stomach viruses, indigestion, etc. With at least the type of food poisoning I had, it wasn't like any other type of gastro-intestinal illness or upset I've ever had. It also was pretty easy to trace back to what it was that I had eaten that caused it (clam chowder). And if I ever have it again, and if it's the same kind, I'll know what it is without having to go to the doctor! And, yes, mine was diagnosed--first by my mom, who was an R.N. and very good and very experienced; then by my doctor.
Regardless of whether one thinks the OP should or shouldn't report it to the MSC (which is a very good topic of debate), or, if so, how to word it, I really don't understand all the naysaying of the OP's opinion that he or she had it.
I know of another shopper who got a very serious case of food poisoning while doing a shop, and was also banned by the MSC. I don't understand that! Surely the client needs to know.... But I assume the MSC was more interested is saving its own butt, rather than reporting such a negative occurrence to the client.
Regardless of whether one thinks the OP should or shouldn't report it to the MSC (which is a very good topic of debate), or, if so, how to word it, I really don't understand all the naysaying of the OP's opinion that he or she had it.
I know of another shopper who got a very serious case of food poisoning while doing a shop, and was also banned by the MSC. I don't understand that! Surely the client needs to know.... But I assume the MSC was more interested is saving its own butt, rather than reporting such a negative occurrence to the client.
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
BirdyC - I just had a problem with the OP self-diagnosing food poisoning without seeing a licensed physician or physician extender and wanting to point the finger at the restaurant. As I said in an earlier post, lots of people say they have food poisoning when it is really probably a random stomach virus that just happened to hit after eating something/somewhere. My husband calls it "serendipity".
Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.
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