Psych rotation and pregnancy

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My school does not allow pregnant students to complete their psych rotation. I just recently found out I am pregnant and I have to take psych next semester. any of you in the same position or had the same experience? how can I fight this?

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My school does not allow pregnant students to complete their psych rotation. I just recently found out I am pregnant and I have to take psych next semester. any of you in the same position or had the same experience? how can I fight this?

Wow, that sounds very odd to me. If you "just found out", is it possible that you won't even be showing next semester? I'm pregnant and work in a locked psych unit. The patients are actually less aggressive than what I'm used to in med/surg ...but I've worked in med/surg a lot longer, so maybe things will even out eventually.

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Wow I was 6 months pregnant when I did my psych rotation. I was in the type of unit where they either go to prison or hetnpsych treatment too. I would fight it or at least get some clarification on why. Good luck!!

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

That sounds odd to me. Can you ask for clarification from your school as to the rational? When I worked for a mental health facility one of my coworkers became pregnant and she worked until a week before her due date before going on maternity leave.

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It may also be discrimination. So look at your state's laws on discrimination against pregnant women.

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I've been working in psych nursing and teaching psych nursing for decades now, and I've never heard of a rule like that. How odd.

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If they're "protecting" you, they're probably worried about their liability in the off chance you miscarry and then blame them. There are laws against this sort of discrimination on reproductive status. Write them a nice letter citing them and informing them that you intend to complete your education timely under conditions as mandated by Title IX.

There are two laws that could apply here. The first is for employment. The second is under Title IX, and applies to students.

Go for it.

Pregnancy Discrimination

[h=1]Pregnancy Discrimination[/h]Pregnancy discrimination involves treating a woman (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth.

[h=2]Pregnancy Discrimination & Work Situations[/h]The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) forbids discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other term or condition of employment.

[h=2]Pregnancy Discrimination & Temporary Disability[/h]If a woman is temporarily unable to perform her job due to a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, the employer or other covered entity must treat her in the same way as it treats any other temporarily disabled employee. For example, the employer may have to provide light duty, alternative assignments, disability leave, or unpaid leave to pregnant employees if it does so for other temporarily disabled employees.

Additionally, impairments resulting from pregnancy (for example, gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, a condition characterized by pregnancy-induced hypertension and protein in the urine) may be disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). An employer may have to provide a reasonable accommodation (such as leave or modifications that enable an employee to perform her job) for a disability related to pregnancy, absent undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense). The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 makes it much easier to show that a medical condition is a covered disability. For more information about the ADA, see Disability Discrimination. For information about the ADA Amendments Act, see Regulations Related to Disability Discrimination.

[h=2]Pregnancy Discrimination & Harassment[/h]It is unlawful to harass a woman because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted). The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

[h=2]Pregnancy, Maternity & Parental Leave[/h]Under the PDA, an employer that allows temporarily disabled employees to take disability leave or leave without pay, must allow an employee who is temporarily disabled due to pregnancy to do the same.

An employer may not single out pregnancy-related conditions for special procedures to determine an employee's ability to work. However, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor's statement concerning their ability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy-related conditions to submit such statements.

Further, under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, a new parent (including foster and adoptive parents) may be eligible for 12 weeks of leave (unpaid or paid if the employee has earned or accrued it) that may be used for care of the new child. To be eligible, the employee must have worked for the employer for 12 months prior to taking the leave and the employer must have a specified number of employees. See Fact Sheet - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor.

[h=2]Pregnancy & Workplace Laws[/h]Pregnant employees may have additional rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor. Nursing mothers may also have the right to express milk in the workplace under a provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. See Fact Sheet - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor.

For more information about the Family Medical Leave Act or break time for nursing mothers, go to http://www.dol.gov/whd, or call 202-693-0051 or 1-866-487-9243 (voice), 202-693-7755 (TTY).

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-know-rights-201306-title-ix.html

Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At School

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Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex—including pregnancy and parental status—in educational programs and activities.

All public and private schools, school districts, colleges, and universities receiving any Federal funds (schools”) must comply with Title IX.*

Here are some things you should know about your rights:

Classes and School Activities – your school MUST:

  • Allow you to continue participating in classes and extracurricular activities even though you are pregnant. This means that you can still participate in advanced placement and honors classes, school clubs, sports, honor societies, student leadership opportunities, and other activities, like after-school programs operated at the school.

    • Allow you to choose whether you want to participate in special instructional programs or classes for pregnant students. You can participate if you want to, but your school cannot pressure you to do so. The alternative program must provide the same types of academic, extracurricular and enrichment opportunities as your school's regular program.

  • Allow you to participate in classes and extracurricular activities even though you are pregnant and not require you to submit a doctor's note unless your school requires a doctor's note from all students who have a physical or emotional condition requiring treatment by a doctor. Your school also must not require a doctor's note from you after you have been hospitalized for childbirth unless it requires a doctor's note from all students who have been hospitalized for other conditions.

  • Provide you with reasonable adjustments, like a larger desk, elevator access, or allowing you to make frequent trips to the restroom, when necessary because of your pregnancy.

Excused Absences and Medical Leave – your school MUST:

  • Excuse absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as your doctor says it is necessary.

  • Allow you to return to the same academic and extracurricular status as before your medical leave began, which should include giving you the opportunity to make up any work missed while you were out.

  • Ensure that teachers understand the Title IX requirements related to excused absences/medical leave. Your teacher may not refuse to allow you to submit work after a deadline you missed because of pregnancy or childbirth. If your teacher's grading is based in part on class participation or attendance and you missed class because of pregnancy or childbirth, you should be allowed to make up the participation or attendance credits you didn't have the chance to earn.

  • Provide pregnant students with the same special services it provides to students with temporary medical conditions. This includes homebound instruction/at-home tutoring/independent study.

Harassment – your school MUST:

  • Protect you from harassment based on sex, including harassment because of pregnancy or related conditions. Comments that could constitute prohibited harassment include making sexual comments or jokes about your pregnancy, calling you sexually charged names, spreading rumors about your sexual activity, and making sexual propositions or gestures, if the comments are sufficiently serious that it interferes with your ability to benefit from or participate in your school's program.

Policies and Procedures – your school MUST:

  • Have and distribute a policy against sex discrimination. It is recommended that the policy make clear that prohibited sex discrimination covers discrimination against pregnant and parenting students.

  • Adopt and publish grievance procedures for students to file complaints of sex discrimination, including discrimination related to pregnancy or parental status.

  • Identify at least one employee in the school or school district to carry out its responsibilities under Title IX (sometimes called a Title IX Coordinator”) and notify all students and employees of the name, title, and contact information of its Title IX Coordinator. These responsibilities include overseeing complaints of discrimination against pregnant and parenting students.

Helpful Tips for Pregnant and Parenting Students:

  • Ask your school for help—meet with your school's Title IX Coordinator or counselor regarding what your school can do to support you in continuing your education.

  • Keep notes about your pregnancy-related absences, any instances of harassment and your interactions with school officials about your pregnancy, and immediately report problems to your school's Title IX Coordinator, counselor, or other staff.

  • If you feel your school is discriminating against you because you are pregnant or parenting you may file a complaint:
    • Using your school's internal Title IX grievance procedures.
    • With the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR), even if you have not filed a complaint with your school. If you file with OCR, make sure you do so within 180 days of when the discrimination took place.
    • In court, even if you have not filed a complaint with your school or with OCR.

  • Contact OCR if you have any questions. We are here to help make sure all students, including pregnant and parenting students, have equal educational opportunities!

If you want to learn more about your rights, or if you believe that a school district, college, or university is violating Federal law, you may contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, at (800) 421-3481 or [email protected]. If you wish to fill out a complaint form online, you may do so at: http://www.ed.gov/ocr/complaintintro.html.

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* A school that is controlled by a religious organization is exempt from Title IX when the law's requirements would conflict with the organization's religious tenets.

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wow! thank you so much! this is really helpful

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thanks for the input. I thought this was something that extended to all schools.

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Maybe it's a policy of the site and not the school?

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Maybe it's a policy of the site and not the school?

Possible but quite doubtful, as if the site is experienced at having students there for clinical they know the law already (or should), and the school should clarify this for them if they have a problem with it. We've had several people post that they worked in psych units while pregnant.

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Wow. By the time I did my last clinical day in Psych, I was 9 months pregnant. I'm glad my school didn't take this position.

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