isolation

EastCoast · Oct 19, 2003

Unless there is a risk of transfer of disease to the fetus (and i'm assuming you mean MRSA and VRE isolation patinet) I don't think there is a problem. I understand that probably it worries the nurse who is pregnant but I don't think that it should preclude their caring for these patients.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2003

There are natural barriers within the mother protecting her fetus. Hospitals would not put their pregnat nurses at risk (and risk bein sued) if it wasn't true that they are at no more risk than the rest of us.

Usually the whole point in isolation is not to protect us anyway, it is to stop us from taking germs into another patient who is compromised in one way or another. If we follow the precautions outlined for whatever iso it is, pregancy shouldn't matter.

I can't remember our policy exactly, but I know it includes TB isolation, no pregant workers in those rooms, but can't remember the full policy. Would love to hear what other hospitals do and hear from infection control nurses.

stella123 rn · Oct 19, 2003

I have finally gotten pregnant after over a year of trying. I do not want to do ANYTHING to jeopordize my health or my baby's. I do not know what out policy is but other nurses are very nice about this. If there is a patient that we do not feel comfortable taking, someone will switch you you any time.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2003

Originally posted by stella123 rn
I have finally gotten pregnant after over a year of trying. I do not want to do ANYTHING to jeopordize my health or my baby's. I do not know what out policy is but other nurses are very nice about this. If there is a patient that we do not feel comfortable taking, someone will switch you you any time.

Basically that's the way it works at my unit as well. We care about each other and don't want anyone to come to any harm. But it would behoove you to get the facts, and not listen to nurses tales. Nurses were very wrong in the past about HIV transmission.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2003

We had a nurse on pedi who would use the "I am thinking of getting pregnant", then "I think I AM pregnant" and "I really am pregnant" excuse not to take pts in isolation. When her excuses finally ran to "Well, I have small children" we drew the line. She does not "believe" in immunizations for her kids, so she does not want to expose them from things at work. HA!!! That is what isolation procedures are for!! Being pregnant is no more a reason than being anemic, or taking immune suppressant meds, etc. I think it is great when staff accommodates other nurses, but the same nurses should not be stuck with isolation pts. just because someone else does not want to wash hands or don PPE. IMHO

MandyInMS · Oct 20, 2003

I'd definately recommend pregnant nurses check policies/procedures in you place of employment on this.I don't think anyone would wish any harm come to a mother/baby..but I have been in a few circumstances where ,as purplemania has described, other nurses are abused BIG time r/t pregnancy issues.

EastCoast · Oct 20, 2003

Originally posted by purplemania
She does not "believe" in immunizations for her kids, so she does not want to expose them from things at work. HA!!!

Not to turn this is into an immunization thread but:

These people crack me up!! Has anyone ever seen a male nurse not care for a patient b/c he didn't want to bring it home to his kids? He would be laughed off the unit..

Nurses who don't immunize (or anyone for that matter ) in my opinion are foolish and put other people at risk.

This link refers to a mother who had a child in day care not immunized and the child became ill and exposed a pregnant woman and her fetus to pertussis.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/parenting/07/31/child.vaccinations.ap/index.html

Interestingly enough i am not sure where these nurses are from but they must be from one of only 15 states that even allow parents a choice (there is a personal objection clause). However, in the other 35 states, it is mandated that kids can't attend any daycare/school without proof of vaccination.

Ben Franklin's autobiography notes that he didn't choose have his children immunized (for whatever reason) with cowpox to prevent smallpox.

His son then became ill with smallpox and died. Franklin writes that if he had it to do over again, he would inoculate them, better to do something than to do nothing.

I do not believe there are any cases of a child of a nurse/doc/whatever who has contracted MRSA or VRE or Cdiff or HIV or TB from the parent who 'brings home' the organism. I would strongly worry about HSV if i were pregnant or MMR. This is very reasonable to protect the pregnant woman and baby.

. Jeez, i think this thread could easily be blended into the 'i can't work holidays b/c i have kids' thread.

Lastly, many of us have grown up in the world of no gloves, no masks and just handwashing....i think our kids turned out fine.

EastCoast · Oct 20, 2003

Oh, one more thing.

Think about this.... if many nurses ever saw a doctor say 'i'm not going in to see that patient b/c they have disease A,B, or C, the immediate response from nursing would be 'well, they shouldn't have gone to med school'.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2003

I hate to admit this, but Texas recently passed bill allowing people NOT to immunize if it was against religion, etc. So now all these lazy, neglectful parents are using this as excuse. When kids start getting sick in droves maybe someone will remember why immunizations were mandatory in the past.

EastCoast · Oct 20, 2003

gee, what a nice healthy state texas should become considering there are 1 million illegal aliens in the state and 60% of the population of texas that was polled determined that healthcare should not be administered to illegal aliens.

so we'll now have to see what happens when we combine no healthcare in an immigration population who often have communal living blended with children with no immunization protection . unbelievable.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 20, 2003

talk to your doctor and infection control nurse about this. you may have to transfer units, maybe not. but we don't work where you do, dont; know your hospital's policies, etc. Best go to those people to get your facts straight.

Best wishes for a healthy and happy pregnancy.