Need advice on my work situation and my pregnancy

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by Anagray
Dec 21, '02 Views: 1,533 Comments: 14

I know this is a little OT, but I want an honest opinion : am I overreacting or should I put myself first?

I am going to nursing school PT, I work on a telemetry floor as a tech 2 evenings a week, sometimes more, if the charge nurse asks, I have a 3 year old at home and a husband who is always at work.

I had a miscarriage in 98 (genetic), got pregnant again soon after. Started having contractions at 16 weeks, stopped working at 20 weeks. Contractions coninued, I was fully effaced and 1 cm dialated, when I went into labor at 7 months. Luckily labor was stopped and I was on meds and bedrest until I went into labor again at 36 weeks.

I am pregnant again, 2 months. During my regular day at work on the floor I get 18 patients and the only time I get to sit down is when I take my only break for dinner. I work pretty hard, so at the end of the day I am exausted.

I spoke with unit supervisor and told her that I would like to take on an easier assignment like being a secretary or sitting monitors, because of what happened with my second pregnancy.
Unit sup said :" Ok, I will take u off the floor, get a note from your doc."
I got a note which says: "no lifting over 20 lb, no standing for long periods of time."

Yesterday, my charge nurse told me she could not guarantee me sitting monitors, but she will try. She told me she will put me on the floor "as needed" and that I just will not lift.

I was pretty upset about it and didn't say anything then.
I like doing the floor, i have no problem with it - but i think it is going to be hard for me now. I always went out of my way to help out my nursing supervisor when she needed help, and i feel like she is not meeting my requests now.

Should I keep working the floor until I start having contractions or should I leave now?

I really hate to complain all the time, but If i do start having contraction and go on bedrest, how will i take care of my son and go to school?

thanks for reading , if u made it this far.
About Anagray

Joined: May '02; Posts: 338; Likes: 43
RN; from US
Specialty: 8 year(s) of experience in ER,med-surg, LTC, psych, dialysis

14 Comments

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Dec 21, '02
Joined: Apr '02; Posts: 38,756; Likes: 16,291

GET OFF THE FLOOR...your history is enough to tell me..that kind of patient load is too much on a pregnancy. Honey, you have precious FEW months to "build" a healthy pregnancy and baby......NO JOB ON EARTH IS WORTH IT! I say, quit this..you have a FULL plate. This from an OB nurse and mom of (preemie at 34 weeks myself)...2 kids. THERE ARE ALWAYS OTHER JOBS but NOT OTHER BABIES. Dont' risk it.
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: RN, MS home health Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 7,472; Likes: 49

I had pregnancy complications and did bleed alot due to placenta previa. Don't risk it. Can you leave now financially?

renerian

Last edit by renerian on Dec 21, '02
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: RN Specialty: 8 year(s) of experience in ER,med-surg, LTC, psych, dialysis ; From: US ; Joined: May '02; Posts: 338; Likes: 43

Money is not the issue, I am there for nursing experience.
Thank you for your suggestions. I am going to think about making a graceful exit.
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: RN, MS home health Joined: Aug '02; Posts: 7,472; Likes: 49

Good! Keep us posted on your pregnancy, take care of yourself and keep in touch with us!

Hugs,

renerian
Dec 21, '02
Joined: Jul '02; Posts: 3,872; Likes: 18

Congrats on your pregnancy! And yes, QUIT!!! You will get a job when you are done no matter what so don't worry about p*ssing them off. They will beg for you back. Have a healthy baby...

Kristy
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: Full time student Joined: Nov '02; Posts: 758; Likes: 2

I can only echo whatever the other posts have stated. You need to take care of you and that little one...you gave them the option of staying on working as a unit secretary, etc. If they don't want to utilize that, that is their loss. Take care of you!

Kris
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: Quality Nurse & Home Health Nurse Joined: Dec '99; Posts: 3,786; Likes: 129

Try to apply for a unit secretary position PT. Then you will not have to run around, sit most of the time, and still can read charts and absorb info for learning.
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: Nursing student Joined: Nov '02; Posts: 389; Likes: 10

Option B:

Get a different note from your doctor. Most of the time, it's the medical secretary or receptionist who writes it anyway; the doc just signs off on it. Call the secretary up, explain the situation, and ask her to rephrase the note. Make sure the note is SPECIFIC. "No more than 20 minutes of standing per hour; not to lift any object from below waist height; not to lift ANYTHING weighing over 20 lbs."

The reason you want it to be specific is that vague statements like "no standing for long periods of time" are open to interpretation; "no more than 20 minutes of standing per hour" is not.
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: RN Joined: Aug '01; Posts: 2,276; Likes: 42

Originally posted by Anagray
Money is not the issue, I am there for nursing experience.
Thank you for your suggestions. I am going to think about making a graceful exit.

What are you waiting for? I would be out of there in a heartbeat!!! Good luck....
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: research nurse Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 1,878; Likes: 44

Congratulations, Anagray!

I just thought I'd put a drop in the flood of advice here. For many years, I've seen nurses have to resign their position during pregnancy. It's just not worth the risk! The hospital isn't going to promise you anything, and they're not going to follow through on things they "try" to get for you. I was so surprised the first time I saw this. Now - not so much.

Go for the rest, have a happy baby. This'll all be waiting for you afterwards.

Love

Dennie
Dec 21, '02
Joined: Apr '02; Posts: 38,756; Likes: 16,291

RN2be,that would be useless....not to do those things disqualifies her for the job....these are basic REQUIREMENTS OF THE POSITION.......better decision would be to move on, at least temporarily. It is only fair to her, the baby and the people who have to pull her load if/when she could not Like I said before, NO JOB IS WORTH ENDANGERING A PREGNANCY OR UNBORN CHILD, PERIOD. There will be other jobs when the time is right.

Last edit by SmilingBluEyes on Dec 21, '02
Dec 21, '02
Occupation: RN Specialty: 8 year(s) of experience in ER,med-surg, LTC, psych, dialysis ; From: US ; Joined: May '02; Posts: 338; Likes: 43

thank you again for re-assuring me and for the congrats!
I did offer them to train me as unit secretary, but the sup asked me to stay there as a tech, on condition that i will go on monitors, but charge nurse is kicking me off on to the floor. We had 5 techs who quit in the last 4 months, so u can imagine how understaffed we are. Besides 36 regular beds we have 15 outpatient beds and it is the perfect season for caths and heart attacks.

I don't know what kind of miscommunication they have there, but I was so worried about this issue that I haven't slept all night.

I guess the worst thing about all this is that I work with some people who showed a bit of resentment that I can not "perform" like I used to = kill myself.

The reason why i am so stressed out over this is that I was planning to go back to my unit after nursing school. After this, however, I don't know if this will happen.

Thanks again. I already typed up a resignation letter.
I'll be going back to quilting soon i hope lol

Need advice on my work situation and my pregnancy

About Anagray

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