Pregnant nurse here

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Dec 23, 2005

YOu should be fine! I work LTC when pregnant with all three. Lots of running up and down halls, moving pts exposure to all the types of bugs (MRSA, VRE, C Diff) we all see.

Unless you have a pre existing condition or prob with the pregancy, you should still be able to work.

Lots of topics on this subject. Just remmeber to try to take it a little easier and ask for help.

GooeyRN, ADN, BSN, CNA, LPN, RN · Dec 23, 2005

I just had a baby in october. I also work med/surg nightshift. From my personal experience, I will not do it again. I had nausea and vomiting, severe headaches, and I could not sleep during the day, so I was very tired at work. I was miseraable. My coworkers were wonderful, not letting me take MRSA, VRE, C-Diff, shingles and a few other types of patients. They did not let me lift heavy patients alone. They did their best to give me the rooms closest to the nurses station later in my pregnancy. This was pretty hard to do when there was another pregnant nurse at the same time, but we managed. I don't know if me being so sick and working nightshift, not sleeping and running the halls and lifting so much so often and the stress had anything to do w/ it but I delivered a few weeks early and had a low birth weight baby. My baby had a few rough weeks in the beginning. She seems to be fine now. I will NOT risk this happening to future children. I will either take time off or find an easier job on day or evening shift. However, my pregnant co-worker so sometimes worked med/surg (usually OB) had a full term big healthy baby. So everyone else is different.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Dec 25, 2005

i just had a baby in october. i also work med/surg nightshift. from my personal experience, i will not do it again. i had nausea and vomiting, severe headaches, and i could not sleep during the day, so i was very tired at work. i was miseraable. my coworkers were wonderful, not letting me take mrsa, vre, c-diff, shingles and a few other types of patients. they did not let me lift heavy patients alone. they did their best to give me the rooms closest to the nurses station later in my pregnancy. this was pretty hard to do when there was another pregnant nurse at the same time, but we managed. i don't know if me being so sick and working nightshift, not sleeping and running the halls and lifting so much so often and the stress had anything to do w/ it but i delivered a few weeks early and had a low birth weight baby. my baby had a few rough weeks in the beginning. she seems to be fine now. i will not risk this happening to future children. i will either take time off or find an easier job on day or evening shift. however, my pregnant co-worker so sometimes worked med/surg (usually ob) had a full term big healthy baby. so everyone else is different.

well, as you guessed, i'm neither female or pregnant. but, i do have a co-worker who just had her first baby. she worked nights. we work ortho-neuro med surg. we, as coworkers, always pitched in for her, to reduce her load and prevented her from being exposed to the nasties (vre/c diff/mrsa/etc). she was also gestationally diabetic, needing to check her sugars and ate snacks/took insulin as needed. things appeared to work out well for her. she worked full time...started her maternity leave 1 week before delivering. they are both doing well. saw the baby about 1.5 weeks ago. cute as a button. wish you the best in your pregnancy, geebeern.

and what is this silly stuff, posting rarely? :)

wish you and family the best of holidays.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2005

I agree with thunderwolf. You have to know your limitations, ask for help and not try to do things you feel the stress of doing like lifting on large patients.

I have had several co-workers in med/surg who have done fine, worked up until term without problems. Know when to step away from a combative patient, and have a safe and healthy pregnancy. congratulations.

Fonenurse · Dec 25, 2005

I think the key is to listen to your body day by day. You will need to remember that pregnancy hormones will make your joints etc more loose and you will need to rest a little more often, but as long as you pace yourself, take good care of our body and listen to what it says, all should be well.

Congratulations on being pregnant, enjoy being the centre of attention once folk find out, and enjoy the special time that being pregnant is!

veegeern, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2005

I work on a busy medical floor with many max/total assist patients. One of our nurses (days) worked while pregnant. We helped her by not giving her students, taking her turn to float so that she stayed on our unit, not giving her those patients with the "nasty bugs"...Later in her pregnancy we moved patients for her and gave her front rooms. For a while, we put in her NG tubes because she couldn't "stomach" it. I agree with Thunderwolf. Know your limitations as you progress in your pregnancy. Also, know what help you can expect from you co-workers.

Congratulations and good luck with whatever you decide to do.

liljsmom02 · Dec 26, 2005

i have to laugh because i came to this board to post about pregnancy/nausea and med surg because i too am pregnant. my problem is that i can't seem to beat this 'roubd the clock morning sicknees. as far as being pregnant, tell your co workers. most likely they will be great. i have not touched a bed pan or a commode in a month. i don't get patients on isolation and my co workers always give me dibs on low census so i can stay home.

good luck

zambezi, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2005

I work in a CCU and am 24 weeks pregnant with my first- Congratulations to you by the way! I worked nights up until about 3 weeks ago...It was worse during the first trimester (but doable, for me)...I did get alot of nausea around 3-8 in the morning and since I was tired all the time anyway, I felt really really tired on nights...and I stopped sleeping as well during the day (had been working nights for three and a half years)...I ended up going to days so I could be sure to get enough rest and so when I do deliver, I can use the hospitals day care...Physically I feel better on days for sure- but it was a transition as I had been working nights for awhile- and I miss my buddies on nights...

Physically I feel okay still- but I am pretty active to start, I still work out and lift light weights and all that....My coworkers actually want me to do less than I do even though I feel absolutely fine! I do try not to take patients with known bugs (mrsa, vre, etc)...but thankfully in my unit we don't have those things all that often...when I was at my worst with the nausea, I did have to have a coworker clean vomit out of a a new admits hair- I tried it but about puked on the patient so I did coworkers meds and what not while he helped me out- its all about teamwork! Thankfully I am out of that nausea stage now...Now, I would say that I can do whatever without feeling nauseated...I was code team leader the other night and it sure made me glad that I am still relatively in shape as I had to job halfway across the hospital only to code the patient on the floor of his room...I have a feeling that I will not be running to codes once I hit my 8th month or so, but for now I still feel good...

I agree with what everyone else has said, you need to do what feels right for you....get your rest and know your limitations- that said, don't make pregnancy and illness or a reason to be a lazy bum (not that you would!)...Try to make sure that you take time to drink water throughout the day and eat some healthy snacks to keep your energy up...Good luck with everything!

GeeBeeRN · Dec 29, 2005

Wow! Thank you so much, everyone. I sincerely appreciate the comments and advice. :)

For now I think I will stay on my floor and stay on nights. I have just begun to tell my coworkers (I'm not showing yet but hubby and I were just waiting til after we told our families on Christmas to tell everyone else the news). I will definetely "listen" to my body and be aware of my limitations. I will also gladly accept the help of my coworkers. :) I'm lucky because my coworkers and I have really good teamwork as it is. I think I was just worrying about it too much.

Thanks again everyone!

crazyclaire · Nov 13, 2007

i am a childrens nurse working on intensive care im 14 weeks pregnant and get head aches, everytime i go to work it stresses me out and cant concentrate has anyone had this problem and had to go off sick

NursingAgainstdaOdds · Nov 14, 2007

GeeBeeRN - congratulations! You must be so excited! Carrying a little one was one of the most wonderful feelings for me ... I loved all the waiting and expectation, wondering what kind of person the babe will be, who they will look like ... it's a great time in your life.

I'm really glad to hear you have good teamwork on your floor. I know on my unit, the pregnant nurses had some issues with people that weren't quite so supportive. I would go out of my way to make sure they weren't taking on too much physical work (i.e. heavy lifting, or putting themselves in a dangerous situation w/ combative pts). I agree with the PPs who encouraged you to listen to your body. Sleep is double important now, eh? :) Make sure you give yourself enough time to sleep, especially if you're working nights - none of that "I'll get up a little early and run errands before work" nonsense! SLEEP, WOMAN!

And snacks ... take lots of healthy snacks to work with you so you can eat on the run. :)