Covid-19 unit while pregnant

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My wife works in a MICU. Last week they turned 1 wing (there are two wings) into a full negative pressure side for the covid-19 positive pts and the rule-outs. Just 2 days ago, they have turned both wings into full negative pressure wings and will occupy most rooms with this population. My wife is also 6 months pregnant.

She asked if she can float to the other 3 ICUs in the hospital but her manager basically said that all units will have exposure to this population. Granted there are 4 rooms within the two wings that cannot be made into full negative pressure rooms and she will be assigned any of those MICU pts instead. She will still be in near proximity. Her manager escalated the situation as well and we're waiting to hear what her options are. For now her manager expects her to take pts from those 4 rooms.

Any pregnant nurses out there with an opinion on this regarding safety? Or anyone else want to chime in? My wife is a bit scared and just wants to make sure she is doing what is best for her safety and for the baby. Thanks in advance.

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I will preface this by saying I am not a nurse. But I work as nurse tech in an ICU. The nurses that are pregnant have left the floor by the guidance of their OB/GYNs and will likely not be returning to work on our floor. Now, I do not know if they will be moved to another unit or section of our hospital system but they are definitely not working on our floor anymore. Additionally, the CDC recommends that pregnant women stay home during this crisis. I wish you and your family the best of luck.

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Hi,

super surprised to find this isn’t being talked about more. I am a pregnant nurse and around 5months pregnant. Prior to Covid 19 I have been wearing a mask to protect from flu and charge RNs have been doing their best to keep me from having isolation patients like TB, shingles, flu, CRE and chemo etc.

We don’t have a ton of cases yet, we are preparing for the worst. but now the tone has changed and I feel less protected. I’ve demanded a surgical mask and I bring my own goggles. They just supplied us with one N95 and shield to reuse. People making me feel like I’m overreacting for wanting to wear a mask at work saying it doesn’t protect you bc you touch your face more. Which I think is BS, some protection is better than none...Just had a r/o case who was not initially on droplet. I'm also worried about my coworkers and everyone who is walking around asymptotic who are def not abiding by 6ft rule, and actually quite lackadaisical saying well I probably already have it.

Employee health just told me I am no different than any other person just bc I’m pregnant. I’m super frustrated bc before this everyone was treating me like I could not take care of it he infectious pts, and there are even restrictions down to what I can eat, I know that we are in crisis mode now. But as long as we can shouldn’t we trying to shield staff members who are most vulnerable. Above 60, pregnant and those with other resp issues?

What are other hospitals doing? We currently do not have a policy in place.

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As if yesterday, I am no longer working. I’m 30 Weeks pregnant with my first child and I was on a travel assignment. My assignment was canceled yesterday starting with me refusing to accept a C-19 pt followed by a claim to the facility not having the staffing needs to accommodate me. I too was protected from other disease processes such as flu, herpes, and etc. Up until this point, the faculty is requiring everyone to take a C19 pt no matter if your pregnant. I was also told that the CDC has no contraindications for pregnant nurses to not take these pts or to handle the medication that these pts require. I offered to float within the hospital or unit to complete the contract and so far I’ve heard nothing Back.

Here is my thought process...take care of yourself. This is my first child and giving all the uncertainty, I will not risk my sons life. I’ve saw a post of people saying what nurses should do, because we are suppose to “risk” it all for these pts and I totally disagree. I love my pts and I love what I do, but I want put myself nor my family in a situation that’s completely not safe by not wearing the proper PPE (which is what I’ve seen in other people’s cases not mine.), training, or walking into a situation being immunosuppressed, barely can breath already and risking my unborn child. I don’t need anyone to agree with me, it’s just not going to happen. I’m not 100% in the news, but I feel if the government can pay out all this money, they can get the nurses around the world the proper supplies they need and there is other pts aside from C-19 that could use help that the Immunosuppressed people can care for. We can help in some way.

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.

I am pregnant and currently staying home. It is recommended that pregnant women should stay home during this crisis, and for it to be expected that a nurse should work, regardless of pregnancy, just because she is a nurse, is not right at all. Nurse or not, the same protections of safety should be granted to all people in high-risk groups and not dependent on occupation status.

I asked the advice of an experienced labor and delivery nurse who has a large Instagram following and runs a blog. She told me that if it were her and she could afford not to work, she would not.

Providing care and safety to patients is very important and is a huge reason many of us became nurses, so that we can help make a difference. There is nothing wrong however with protecting one's own health during a vulnerable time. Self care is vital so that you can in turn be even more helpful later on.

Your wife should not feel bad in the least for wanting to protect the baby and put family first.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Our CNO just sent out an email 2 days ago saying pregnant staff are not to take any R/O or positive Covid patients and supervisors should accommodate the pregnant staff member on the assignment. If not the staff member can refuse the assignment and needs to contact HR.

But my hospital is in California with a super gangster union. So your hospital administrators may not feel the heat to accommodate nurses.

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I am 10 weeks pregnant and on a 2 week quarantine because I took care of a pt who initially came in with something different and tested positive to covid19 a few days before his discharge. Right I have feeling really feverish, have body aches and chills. My nurse manager says I should come back in after the quarantine and funny thing is she has no concrete plan on preventing this kind of accidental exposure from happening again. Really stressed right now.

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.
2 minutes ago, Tmornah said:

I am 10 weeks pregnant and on a 2 week quarantine because I took care of a pt who initially came in with something different and tested positive to covid19 a few days before his discharge. Right I have feeling really feverish, have body aches and chills. My nurse manager says I should come back in after the quarantine and funny thing is she has no concrete plan on preventing this kind of accidental exposure from happening again. Really stressed right now.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. How managers and hospitals (as well as the country) are handling this is completely unacceptable. Did you take your temp to confirm a fever? It's especially important to monitor in pregnancy as fever can lead to complications in the baby.

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