Chemo Infusion Nurse and pregnancy

[OncNurse10]

I need some advice!

I am an oncology nurse who just accepted a position in a new chemo infusion clinic. I also found out shortly after that I was pregnant. When I spoke with the oncologist he said there would be minimal risk if I took all of the standard chemotherapy precautions (which I take very seriously). In our clinic we never mix chemotherapy drugs, that is all done by a pharmacist and we never spike any bags, they come already spiked with tubing primed with normal saline. So, my question is, is this really safe? I have not been able to speak with my OB yet to get her take on it all. I've been doing research night after night and I keep coming up with the same conclusion....half the people think you should never be near the stuff and half the people think it's ok with precautions. I'm so confused! Help!

[Leecy]

What does your gut say? If you are reassured by many people, will you be OK with it or will you still lose sleep? I have worked with many pregnant chemo nurses. I work with a nurse who, in her first trimester had a massive chemo spill all over her and was advised to abort. She didn't and years later her child is fine. I, on the other hand, am the kind of person who, when my 18 year old gets a cold, wonders if it's because I snuck on the Matterhorn at Disneyland when I was 8 months pregnant with him. Figure out your comfort level first.

[amyrae76]

I'm pregnant right now and I work in an outpatient infusion center where we give tons of chemo every day. Like you, we don't mix our own chemo. There are several of us at my job who are pregnant now or have been and have still worked here throughout pregnancy. My feeling is that as long as I take recommended precautions, I should be fine. I worry more about my exposure to certain infectious diseases during my pregnancy.

amy