"But I'm pregnant . . ."

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

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?

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Specializes in Everything but psych!.

I've been lucky. The only thing that a term pregnant person wanted to sit out was a heavy patient lift! I've been lucky to work with good stock! ;)

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I actually had the opposite experience. A few months ago on our unit there was a tiny (short) nurse that was absolutely hugely pregnant and and she was still as strong (hoisting patients) and strong-willed as ever. The only thing that got annoying were the "whoa, she's going to blow!" comments -from patients and nurses

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Boy, that's a switch, someone lifting! I'm used to "I can't lift or pull anyone up in bed", so someone else always has to do it.

What happened to in order to work you have to be able to fulfill the job description.

If you can't do the work, stay home.

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That is frustrating.... and kind of ridicolous about the whole holiday issue.... however at the same time I can understand being concerned about taking the isolation patients... we often try and do that for our pregnant nurses. If it can't work then we don't. But typically we are able to do the assignment without it being a huge issue. :)

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Specializes in Hospice, Critical Care.

It's never been an issue at my place either. Our pregnant nurses have been just as willing to lift and push as any other -- it's usually the rest of us going "STOP! Let us do it!" Of course, they avoid X-rays but that's not such a big deal. Except for patients with shingles or chicken pox, TB or any of the "worse" things, they take care of MRSA, VRE patients.

It's just never been an issue.

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I remember years ago when I worked peds. and ribavirin was all the rage for treating RSV. It was a PITA, because you had to gown, glove, mask, etc. every time you went into the room. Nurses who were preg., nursing, or trying to get pregnant were not to go in those rooms.

It was not uncommon for me to have 3-4 ribavirin pts. because one co-worker would pull the, "I'm not pregnant, but we are talking about whether or not to start trying."

Sigh...and in the time that I was there, she never did make up her mind about getting preg., yet every time RSV season rolled around, she was still "thinking about it."

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You've hit one of my hot buttons! I don't mind at all trading patients so a pregnant coworker won't be exposed to chickenpox or some other legitimate hazard to a fetus. However, I've worked with nurses in oncology who won't take chemo patients even if there is no chemo being done on their shift, who can't take patients with radiation implants (legitimately), and who insist that they cannot lift, push, pull, or even assist in repositioning adult patients! This goes on for the time they are trying to get pregnant, are actually pregnant, and for the duration of their breastfeeding.

My opinion --transfer to a unit where you can do at least the majority of your own work! Don't put the extra work on your coworkers while your warm body being there counts as a fully capable nurse by staffing!

I know that legally, pregnancy is protected as a disability, but last time I checked, it is a voluntary condition (excepting circumstances of rape). Even an "accidental" pregnancy is not truly an accident. I have yet to hear of a woman who slipped and fell and just happened to land naked or partially so in a position that resulted in pregnancy!

Yet any one of us who has ever had an accidental injury that prevented us from doing all of our expected duties -- even if we can do most of them -- is denied the choice to work. We must instead find another job, use sick time, vacation time, or go without income until we can do everything that we were hired to do.

I'm getting irritated just thinking about it -- it's enough to give me evening sickness ...

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I agree pregnancy is by choice. I once had a co-worker in longterm care that assumed because she was pregnant we were going to do most of her work to. In the begining a couple of us bought the pregnant routine. I to had worked pregnant with all three of my children and actually went into labor with one at work. I was the one most said stop and let me do that to. When you go to work and are pregnant you can still remain to do most of your duties if you set your mind to it. It's not a handicap for most. I think pregnant nurses should be able to perform their duties just like the rest of us with exception to patients that really do put them at risk otherwise take an early leave until they have had the baby.:D

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I have yet to hear of a woman who slipped and fell and just happened to land naked or partially so in a position that resulted in pregnancy!

LOL! That was too funny!

Yet any one of us who has ever had an accidental injury that prevented us from doing all of our expected duties -- even if we can do most of them -- is denied the choice to work. We must instead find another job, use sick time, vacation time, or go without income until we can do everything that we were hired to do.

This, however, is not funny, and I can attest to the above from personal experience. I lost my job for that very reason. Too bad that when I fell down the steps at home I didn't land partially nude, and in a position that resulted in pregnancy.

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There are things a pregnant/nursing nurse shouldn't do. Going near varicella, XRays and CMV are things I am at least pretty certain of. I can see heavy lifting, too. (Lifting can be done safely. If a nurse cannot perform any lifting at all, she needs to take a medical leave because she can't do her job in an emergency.)

I've never heard of pregnant women having to stay away from MRSA and VRE.

Sounds to me like you guys need an inservice from your Infectious Disease coordinator to clear this up. If there is a clinical reason to avoid certain things, I think nurses would work together to help out. Don't know what to say about the nausea part- that's possible. Was she like that before she was pregnant? Think it's for real? Regardless, don't want her puking in someone's wound.

If there is no universal clinical reason to avoid a task, then the nurse needs to present a doctors note or deal. Ruby, your coworker sounds like a real pip. My bet is she'll insist on having next Christmas off, too- since she "has a baby."

Grrr.

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Specializes in ER.

jemb,

I have actually met several people who slipped while naked and fell, impaling themselves in the butt. They show up in the ER all the time.

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