An elderly man came in for a thoracotomy/decortication with pleural drainage (5 ribs removed ) and remained on a vent for 4 days before tests confirmed an active TB. This news came during the middle of the day shift (noon).
The nurse who had been caring for him the last 2 days refused to take care of him any longer because she was pregnant . We had another nurse on the same shift who was pregnant as well, so not wanting to be "uncaring about my coworkers" I took over his care. The patient was circling the drain and Infectious disease was on my back to transport him to a negative pressure room around the corner (must be done within 2hrs diagnosis). During the transfer, the original nurse never came to help (art lines, bagging, etc) but the other pregnant nurse donned the 'duck-bill' and helped.
I am wondering what other hopital policies are about this because NOBODY wants to subject themselves or their families to TB. Being a nonpregnant nurse I don't want to be taking all the cases that a pregnant nurse refuses to take either...is there some middle ground?
