Covid-19 Has Me Caught Between My 2 Jobs

[SimplyComplexRN]

I’m caught between my 2 jobs during this covid-19 outbreak. One job (my main job) in a women’s hospital and one in an observation/clinical decisions unit of a large teaching hospital (that I work at 2-3 shifts per month). As a relatively severe infection-induced asthmatic, I purposely try to work areas that keep my exposure to infectious patients to a minimum. My women’s job is mainly gyn post op with floating some to mother-baby, etc. My risk of infections is minimal there. My observation job is a lot of chest pain rule out and psych overflow... almost all semi-private rooms, so minimal risk there too... until now.

The observation unit suddenly closed one week ago, due to the virus and that hospital not taking observation patients during this outbreak. It will likely reopen down the road when this is over. We were given one day notice and I was floated to another medical floor the next morning. I did not work with any covid patients that shift, luckily.

We just an email from the manager at my observation job saying our team/unit will be relocated immediately and will become a designated Covid-19 unit. (Also got an email encouraging us to bring our own masks from home ?). My main job in the women’s hospital has notified me that if I work on a covid unit at my other job, that I cannot work with them, as to not place surgical/gyn/onc patients, pregnant women, moms and newborns at risk unnecessarily.

Internal transfers are not allowed during the covid outbreak, and this is such a big change in patient population, I’m not sure what to say to my manager at my observation job. I just started there a few months ago, so I’m technically not eligible to transfer yet anyways. I cannot risk my health and end up as a patient myself. My lungs probably won’t be able to handle it. Nor can I jeopardize my primary job I love at the women’s hospital at this point, even though their census is down too. I assume my only option will be to resign, which I’d hate to do. I want to give proper notice to remain rehireable but have a couple more shifts coming up, that were scheduled back in February. I welcome any advice any of you may have. Thanks.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Is taking a medical leave from the observation unit an option, given your own risk factors? Might be worth looking into... the worst thing you could hear is “no”

[SimplyComplexRN]

3 minutes ago, Here.I.Stand said:

Is taking a medical leave from the observation unit an option, given your own risk factors? Might be worth looking into... the worst thing you could hear is “no”

Thank you for your reply, Here.I.Stand. I am flexi/prn and have only been at this second job for 6 months. So I technically wouldn’t qualify for any FMLA/medical leave.