repost: new ICU job, pregnancy, and swine flu

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC.

Oh my! (I hate the moniker 'swine flu', but anyway). I was offered a job in a MICU, which I really want to do. I'm also trying to get pregnant with my first baby and have been reading about pandemic flu being more dangerous/fatal in pregnant women. I'm also concerned about taking an experimental vaccine while pregnant. As I see my options, I could

1-assuming I'm not already pregnant, resume birth control, get swine flu vaccine, then stop birth control again

2-stay at my current job at a rehab/long term care facility, where I doubt I have much risk of contracting swine flu, although I know there is still a risk

3-get vaccinated when it's available regardless of pregnancy status/work in MICU

4- don't get vaccine and wear PPE when caring for any patient with any infection (but if a patient with swine flu is on the unit, aren't I still at risk regardless of my own PPE/hygiene)

It's looking like #1 is the safest, it just sucks to go back on the birth control after thinking I might be pregnant by october :(

What are you all doing about this? What are your thoughts on the vaccine?

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I just heard they are going to recommend women who are pregnant, no matter what term they are in, get vaccinated. Good luck with your decision. It is hard to know where you can work today and have the lowest risk of getting Swine Flu, perhaps working as a telephone nurse or Ask a Nurse. You could always try doing precerts for an insurance company.

Good luck deciding what to do and on getting pregnant.

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Heck, swine flu will be at the grocery store. If you're gonna worry about catching it, you'll have to worry about leaving the house.

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I wouldn't risk it for a new vaccine. I would, however, try to build up my immune system so I was less susceptible to any opportunistic infections.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

I'd do #1--perhaps just use condoms with spermicide, so that when you have had your two doses of h1n1 vaccine, you'll be ready to go hormone-wise.

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Specializes in ER.

I would do #1. This probably isn't the most popular answer but it would be the way I go. I wouldn't risk being pregnant and exposing yourself to swine flu. Yes you can run into it anywhere, but the hospital is going to be the hardest hit. If the strain really causes severe respiratory distress like they keep saying on TV, where are these patients likely to end up? The MICU. I think waiting till the season is over is a small price to pay for piece of mind.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
I would do #1. This probably isn't the most popular answer but it would be the way I go. I wouldn't risk being pregnant and exposing yourself to swine flu. Yes you can run into it anywhere, but the hospital is going to be the hardest hit. If the strain really causes severe respiratory distress like they keep saying on TV, where are these patients likely to end up? The MICU. I think waiting till the season is over is a small price to pay for piece of mind.

This. In the MICU, you will be exposed to sooooo many other things.......

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