Help, pregnant, working nights and seriously depressed!

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone, I am sure you've seen a post like this a million times before but here it goes... I am a new grad and have been off orientation since September. Ive worked at my hospital since March. I began working nights in september as well and had no problems doing so until I became pregnant. Its like a switch flipped and Im this whole new person!! I am so intensely depressed about working nights its taking over my life. I cry to my husband every time I have to go to work. I am 10 weeks pregnant and I am sure hormones have a lot to do with it but how am I going to be when the baby comes?? I want to switch to days but A.) there are no spots available and B.) days are 10x more intense and physically taxing then nights (I work in a busy ICU). I love the hospital I work at but they really arent flexible with schedules at all. I thought about going part time too since that would be much more manageable for me but there is a huge waiting list for part time positions unless I transfer to another unit. My husband also supported me through school, I have tons of student loans to pay back and now he is transitioning jobs as well. I also need FMLA and provide benefits for my husband and I so not sure if thats even an option. I feel so trapped!! :( Maybe I can do part time +1 per diem day? Idk any advice from anyone??? I really need help!!

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Part time insurance rate are extremely expensive!! One paycheck would be just for insurance!!! Try to stick it out until you have your baby!!! GL

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Specializes in Family Practice, Med-Surg.

Honey, you need to go in and talk to someone. Talk to your Ob, if your Ob is too busy, find a primary care provider, or perhaps your employee assistance. It may be just hormones, but if it's depression is serious business. Find someone to talk to, perhaps some seasoned night nurses. Get your sleep, eat well, let your house or apartment go.

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Specializes in ICU.

I'm going to be honest, it's your hormones right now. You are still in first trimester and are dealing with so much. You feel like you are in this alien body. And then you think, wait, how can this even be possible, the baby is the size of a bean? It creates havoc on your emotions, bladder, and makes you so very tired. So tired. I completely understand.

I promise, right around 14 weeks you will get some energy back and things will look better. If you at all think it's not, or you are having trouble that you don't think has anything to do with pregnancy, talk to your OB. That is what they are there for.

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I was exactly where you are a few months ago. I love my unit, but got put on nights in May, I got pregnant in June. I fell into a complete depression, crying on all my days off, crying because I had to work, just not myselfat all. I put in to switch to days and I finally was able to switch in October. I did not feel better in my second trimester on nights as some said would happen. I just continued to feel worse each day. Even though days are busier, I feel SO much better. It's seriously life changing how much better I feel. I don't know how much longer I could have worked this pregnancy on nights, and now I feel SO renewed .

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First trimester sucks! It really, really does. I have three kids, and no matter how achy I got at the end, it was nothing compared to the nausea, exhaustion, and mood swings of the first trimester. Once the placenta kicked in and took over supporting the baby, I always felt much better. You're 10 weeks along. Give yourself a few more before you despair. Second trimester is almost always much, much easier than the first.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

I'm in first trimester and it's terrible. It usually gets better the second so give it time. You might be surprised how much better you feel in week 16. do you darken your room during the day? Do you sleep with a loud fan? These things help. You still need uninterrupted sleep even if it's light out.

usually if you switch units in th same hospital it shouldn't affect your FMLA, it's when you work for another organization it will. You have to be with the company a year and have attained 1250 hours in that year in order to qualify.

Hugs from one preggo to another

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.
Part time insurance rate are extremely expensive!! One paycheck would be just for insurance!!! Try to stick it out until you have your baby!!! GL

Depends on your company, we have no out of pocket cost at mine for any employee who works 20 hours a week or more. Definitely rare though

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Ah, the joys of early pregnancy!! Not.

Having my last child at almost 40 and I thought my end had come. Seriously.

When you get home, go to bed. I mean immediately. Get as much rest on your off time as you can. Make sure you are doing what your OB is telling you to do.

A switch to days may or may not work. After the baby, you may want to go PRN if your husband's new job will provide insurance. Lots of overwhelming stuff happening at present.

Wishing you all the best. It will get better. Hey, and make yourself a special smoothie for work, snacks, get some bright scrubs...whatever makes you feel happy. Turn up that radio on your way. Sing even. I highly suggest 80's channel on satellite radio. :singing: HAHA.

Make time to have conversation with your Mom, your Auntie, your Nana......whomever your female go to person is. They can help you put it all in perspective.

With all this being said, depression is no joke. See your OB and have your OB suggest someone that you can see regarding this if it continues.

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Use your EAP! Free, confidential counseling. No one trying to "fix" you - just listen. I wish more folks would utilize this very valuable benefit, and there's no copay, deductible or co insurance - b/c it's not health insurance. Of course the psych clinician will also recommend you to f/u with your OB, but use the free therapy that's sitting there for you to use!

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Specializes in ICU.

It's definitely your hormones. I work a busy ICU, too - and I have picked up day shifts occasionally over the past couple of months if I have been awake in the daytime for some reason and then they need someone.

There is zero difference in a really busy ICU between day shift and night shift. Families are there 24/7 anyway when their family members are circling the drain, you are calling the provider every hour anyway, you are assisting with bronchs/EGDs/line insertions/chest tube placements at 2 AM as often as you're doing it at 2 PM, and of course there are all of those stat middle of the night trips to CT/MRI/etc. I have yet to have a day shift I've picked up be busier than an average night shift. It's no different - night shifters just get paid more.

...Actually, that's not quite true - in my unit, night shift has to run all the protocols, and we have to find other RNs to check them off. This whole process is very time consuming and can take over an hour on a bad day. I have found that the end of a day shift is much more relaxing and you can sort of sit back and relax, while the end of a night shift is usually a last minute scramble to get protocols done while all the critical labs are coming back and we're scrambling to get in touch with providers, too. The end of a day shift is way easier than the end of a night shift.

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There is nothing more important than your health, and the baby's health. Discuss this with your OB. Your depression is a serious medical concern. Consider FMLA.

No job is worth the pain you are going through.

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