when do you tell your pregnant? and shingles question

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

So i haven't been feeling great and i found out that im pregnant yesterday (barely 4 weeks) I don't really feel the need to tell my work at this point. but .......we have a lot of shingles pts. I am titer positive for varicella....im okay to take these pts right?

The other question is when should you tell work?

[Zaphod, BSN, RN]

Can't give you med.advice really need 2 speak to you ob. It is my understanding that you can get shingles even if you had varicella and are more likely too. Congrats on the little one take every precaution.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

When should you inform your workplace that you're pg. It all depends on the work environment IMO. I've worked at places where the moment it's found out that the nurse is pregnant somehow that person gets fired by some trumped up thing. I've also worked at places that were very supportive and no one disappeared.

Read up on your workplace policy. Talk to nurses at your workplace that have kids and see how their cases were handled by your facility and how they proceeded.

Congratulations!

[cincinnati]

Having been exposed to, and contracted, shingles at work, you DO need to tell them. Thankfully I am not PG but it's been a total misery. My varicella innoculation is current and I got it anyway. My right leg became infected, there were secondary issues...UGH. I am finally returning to work tomorrow. YOu DO NOT want shingles.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

So i haven't been feeling great and i found out that im pregnant yesterday (barely 4 weeks) I don't really feel the need to tell my work at this point. but .......we have a lot of shingles pts. I am titer positive for varicella....im okay to take these pts right?

The other question is when should you tell work?

If you have never had the chicken pox (regardless if you have been vaccinated or not), I don't think it is a good idea to be around shingles patients.

The chicken pox vaccine does not entirely eliminate you from getting the chicken pox...it reduces the severity of the disease...since shingles are caused by the same virus, children and adults that have never had chicken pox, should not be around adults with shingles .

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Can't give you med.advice really need 2 speak to you ob. It is my understanding that you can get shingles even if you had varicella and are more likely too. Congrats on the little one take every precaution.

I don't think you can get shingles unless you have had the chicken pox first..but someone please correct me if I am wrong.

[AgentBeast, BSN, RN]

I don't think you can get shingles unless you have had the chicken pox first..but someone please correct me if I am wrong.

Nope, you are correct. You cannot catch shingles from someone else. If you've never had chicken pox you'd get chicken pox from someone that has shingles, but not shingles.

Shingles in Pregnancy: Treatments and Medical Complications

[JPRloverNurse]

You don't catch shingles. You can catch chicken pox if you have never had them before. Some physicians will say there's a risk to your fetus others say there is NO risk. Usually we don't let pregnant nurses or PCAs in the room with a shingles patient. I hope this helps.:redbeathe

[kaliRN]

You should really ask you OB about taking shingles patients.

Your company culture, how nurses are treated during pregnancy, would have a lot to do with when I chose to tell my employer.

Congratulations and I hope you have a healthy and joyful pregnancy.