But I'm Pregnant . . . . .

Specialties Ambulatory

Published

Along the lines of the "But I have little kids . . . . " thread:

One of my co-workers announced her pregnancy this week, stating that she was no longer willing to work weekends or holidays because she's going to be a parent. She also has to have Christmas off because this is going to be her last child-free Christmas. Oh and by the way, she can't take care of anyone with VRE, MRSA, or any other type of isolation. "Yukky wounds" make her nauseous, so she can't take those patients -- in fact, wouldn't it be best to just have her do charge all the time?

We're a large unit and have 1 - 6 nurses pregnant at any given time. Plus there are those who can't travel to interventional radiology, take infected patients, etc. because they're TRYING to get pregnant.

The last nurse to have her baby had to sit in the chair her entire shift "because I'm pregnant," and had orientees to do everything for her. Not the role of I preceptor, I'm thinking!

What's the strangest/most irritating thing you've had a coworker demand because she's pregnant?

Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

Pregnancy in and of itself should not be a disability until it really becomes one because of some problem with the pregnancy. At that point, time to move to a different setting or go out on disability. Not fair to the rest of the staff. As far as not working weekends and Christmas - ridiculous. Find another line of work. I once worked with a nurse who told us all that she could never work on Christmas day because she promised her children she would always be home on Christmas.

There are good and bad pregnancies, low risk and high risk pregnancies and pregnancies requiring accommodations. All accommodations should be recommended by a doctor and should not mean more work for other staff. Not working weekends or holidays is a preference. Tell me what hospital and I will apply.

I have dealt with the "Im pregnant" excuse before as a charge and as a director. Easy fix, they can always clock out and go home. There is no reason a pregnant person cannot take 95% of the patients admitted. No i don't want them taking a TB patient or a patient with shingles or a chemo patient and I am sure there are a few others. There is no reason they cannot take MRSA, VRE, CDIFF etc...

While we are on it....people with children think they somehow deserve holidays off. Christmas because "I have children". Mother's Day because "I have children". Thanksgiving because "I have children" - well sweetie you should have picked another profession.

I am not heartless I will gladly help my preggos out with lifting and turning but I would not do it for them. It is not the rest of the staffs fault you got knocked up! We are happy for you but you still have a job to do. I also have no issue when they return to work and want to leave the floor to pump. Most people are responsible and when someone is taking advantage of the situation they need to be addressed.

the other peeve I have is when the women track down the men to do all the lifting. I witnessed a nurse leave a room and yell down the hall for a male nurse to help her get a patient off the bedside commode all while two female nurses were sitting at the nurses station flipping thru magazines. I stepped in and had a chat with the nurse and asked her why she called for the guy who was obviously busy when there were two nurses sitting three feet from her with the time to help. He said, " he is the guy and he should help us lift". Needless to say we had a long discussion to help her see exactly how incorrect she was.

Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

Amen to that, JellyDonut. Bedside nursing pays well, but there are a lot of trade-offs. I worked hospital for 11 years, then finally took a pay cut to work outside the hospital. You reach a point where work-life balance is more important than the money.

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