Modifying tasks when pregnant. My boss says "no".

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Dec 31, 2009

Physician needs to specify in note MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS for why light duty is required, just not "light duty due to pregnancy" as pregnancy is not considered an illness.

Use the webiste link to press HR/employee health dept for details of your facilites light duty P+P.

RNnik07 · Dec 31, 2009

Well I haven't handed my boss the note because she flat out told me I couldn't go on light duty. She didn't even ask why I needed to go on light duty, so as of right now the note itself doesn't even apply. Even if it stated exactly why he wants me on light duty she doesn't seem to care. I called the disability office at work and left a message tonight explaining what's going on, I hope to hear back from someone tomorrow before I go back into work at night....

BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN · Dec 31, 2009

The hospital where I work has no light duty period,...now with that said we do often unofficially allow people to take a lighter load and work as a team to help out our co worker rather than force them to stay home. We also try to keep our pregnant nurses away from sick kids, which can be an issue as I work in ER. The previous poster was correct, you need a diagnosis and pregnancy won't work. Have your doc be very specific about what is going on with your pregnancy that prevents you from doing certain activities. You didn't mention in your posts what exactly you can't do,...what is "light duty" to your doc? I work 12hr nights also and yes it can be a long, demanding shift that often runs into 13-14hrs,..but most otherwise healthy, pregnant nurses manage to make it through. I finished a shift 9hrs before my first daughter was born! If you are in a high risk pregnancy your doc needs to be very specific about what you can and can not do. Best of luck to you!

Kymmi · Dec 31, 2009

I can answer your question of why others are allowed light duty and you are told there is no light duty because I went thru this myself, was given a explanation and checked to be sure the explanation was legal.

IF you are injured on the job and collecting workers comp. then the employer can assign light duty. They'd rather have someone sitting in a chair the entire shift doing nothing as to being at home collecting workers comp. because for each day paid out from workers comp. the hospital's workers comp. rates raise. It saves them more money on their workers comp. fees the less workers comp. they have to have paid out.

IF you are NOT injured on the job then they are allowed to say there is no such thing as light duty and therefore you either need to be allowed to work per your job description or else take a LOA.

Im not sure if your hospital would agree but I had my MD write I could perform all duties per my job description but could not work more than 2 days in a row. My employer allowed me to do that. Also I've seen others who's MD wrote they could only do 8 hour shifts and the hospital worked with that employee also.

RN1982 · Dec 31, 2009

I don't think there is such thing as light duty. We just had two nurses give birth and they took normal assignments just like everyone up until they left for leave. However one did have a lifting restriction because she had placenta previa but after she was cleared, her lifting restriction was removed. If your doctor had any other reason (diagnosis) to order you to have light duty such as in the example of the nurse I worked with who had placent previa, I can understand. But otherwise, the nurses that I worked with didn't expect special assignments and didn't ask for them even though they were offered them.

ONCRN84 · Dec 31, 2009

I've never been pregnant but plan to someday... but because of some health problems with my reproductive system I'll be considered high risk. I'm super nervous about how this will work with nursing.

I hope it works out for you. It's just an additional stress you don't need at the end. Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy!!!

Mike A. Fungin RN · Dec 31, 2009

I don't understand... is there a reason you can't take a LOA or maternity leave?

inkedRN · Dec 31, 2009

Why does your OB want you on light duty? You're pregnant, not hurt or sick lol. Are you high risk? If you are, more than likely you will need to go on LOA or early maternity leave.

diosadelsol, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, CRNA · Dec 31, 2009

Look, you're pregnant, not injured. Unless you are high risk, with or without complications, you don't need light duty. Yea, you're gonna be more tired than usual, and yea it's gonna be more difficult to sleep, but all that is gonna be whether you are on light duty or not. You shouldn't be pulling on big pts and you probably shouldn't be dealing with chemo, but you should be able to take a normal pt load. Hopefully you have some good colleagues who will help you out in certain situations. When I was preggers, my coworkers wouldn't let me pull my pts up in the bed, they would come in and do it for me. They would help my with my baths and do all the holding and turning. Your manager does sound a bit unreasonable, not even hearing you out, but if there are extinuating circumstances, you need to speak up. I hope everything works out for you.

Lacie, BSN, RN · Dec 31, 2009

Look, you're pregnant, not injured. Unless you are high risk, with or without complications, you don't need light duty. Yea, you're gonna be more tired than usual, and yea it's gonna be more difficult to sleep, but all that is gonna be whether you are on light duty or not. You shouldn't be pulling on big pts and you probably shouldn't be dealing with chemo, but you should be able to take a normal pt load. Hopefully you have some good colleagues who will help you out in certain situations. When I was preggers, my coworkers wouldn't let me pull my pts up in the bed, they would come in and do it for me. They would help my with my baths and do all the holding and turning. Your manager does sound a bit unreasonable, not even hearing you out, but if there are extinuating circumstances, you need to speak up. I hope everything works out for you.

If your physical abilities are so limited as not to perform your job with risk either to you or your patients then apply for FMLA. I worked in Trauma/Critical Care up to going into labor. Literally I was hurrying up with end shift report in full blown labor and went straight up to OB at the end of my report lol. Co-workers were great to help without me asking when it came to needing to sit down for a few or lifting/turning a large patient. I remember 1 week prior to my delivery on top of a pt giving CPR which believe me wasnt easy with a big belly lol. Yes I was tired, yes my feet were hurt and swollen, yes I just wanted to get it over with.

Most my co-workers became protective and looked out for me without asking. I didnt complain which I know they appreciated as we had others who were pregnant and by thier 3rd months were complaining about how bad they felt or couldnt do this or that. This is were you need a good relationship with your co-workers if you want to continue to work through your pregnancy.

tencat · Dec 31, 2009

Hmmm......why can't someone just take a LOA for pregnancy? MONEY. LOA=No Income.....and what is the big hairy deal about letting her do light duty??? Irritates me that people seem to have a "So what? You're JUST pregnant" attitude about the whole thing. I have had a high risk pregnancy, and when it's high risk, it IS a medical condition....and it is valid. This is just another example of what's wrong with hospital workplace conditions. For a profession that is all about helping people, it sure is unkind and unhelpful to the people who carry out the job day in and day out. Ironic.