Pregnancy and working in ED?

cookienay · Dec 20, 2009

Definitely doable. Worked ED during both pregnancies, one even with complications. A word of advice- please do not try to function as a nurse with a disability. Your coworkers will resent you and your charge nurse will cringe when she sees you. Many nurses (from every field) have performed at full capacity during their pregnancies.

This means you should have few limitations. Use your PPE, ask your coworkers to assistance when you need it.

Congrats on the baby and good luck!!

colleennurse, ASN, RN · Dec 20, 2009

Thanks for the response-what do you mean function as a nurse with disbilities? Do you mean dont work if I should be out on disability d/t complications or do you mean act like I would have a disability? Just curious :)

With my 1st I worked in community health and worked right up to til my 40th week with no problems. I realize that ED will probably be much more physically demanding that is why I ask!

nohika · Dec 21, 2009

Thanks for the response-what do you mean function as a nurse with disbilities? Do you mean dont work if I should be out on disability d/t complications or do you mean act like I would have a disability? Just curious :)
With my 1st I worked in community health and worked right up to til my 40th week with no problems. I realize that ED will probably be much more physically demanding that is why I ask!

I think I remember reading one of their earlier posts and they had a coworker that had tried to pawn all the contagious patients off on all the other nurses because they were pregnant - basically, treating herself as if she was disabled/couldn't POSSIBLY take any of these patients just because of her pregnancy.

Does that make sense at all?

colleennurse, ASN, RN · Dec 21, 2009

I see what you mean. Yeah I would not do that. Like I said with ny 1st I worked in comminuty health, you are on your own there and you never know what you will walk into. I just did tons and tons of hand washing! -still do:)

cookienay · Dec 29, 2009

thanks nohika! been away from allnurses for a while.

you are correct in that is what i was saying. pregnant nurses refusing possibly infectious patients (aren't they all?), wanting to do only triage, refusing to assist in turning, cleaning, etc... of patients. many of my wonderful colleagues have been fully functional during their pregnancies.

as a charge nurse, it makes it difficult to do assignments when several of your nurses are pregnant and they have all of these "limitations".

best wishes to you!

btw... if i remember correctly- the infectious patients you should stay away from are patients with cmv, fifths disease, and chicken pox if you are not immune.

hello__kitty · Jan 28, 2010

Hey there, I'm half way through my pregnancy and have organised to work up until 35 weeks in ED. Then week by week as my Dr will allow. I agree with the above statements regarding the 'fully functional nurse' but also agree there are sensible limitations which should be undertaken by nurses when pregnant. Only doing triage and not doing basic ADL's is just a cop out to be honest. And refusing patients is also a great way of causing havoc amongst your work colleagues. Though on that I have two requests where I work and usually who ever the team leader is gets a laugh out of it. I always ask to avoid swine flu patients outside an epidemic and patients with raging scabies! My co workers usually oblige because they think it's amusing.

But on that, working in ED is havoc some shifts. I work up to 8 days in a row depending on the roster and get nights on a fortnightly basis. It absolutely tires me out and some days I come home wishing I could throw in the towel.

I guess the biggest thing for you to do is look after yourself, do the best you can and ask for help early if you aren't coping and your manager will understand. Take extra time to do med calcs, double check any designation of skills to subordinates and if you have the chance sit and write you notes as you go.

I am very dubious about working up to my due date in ED as in the past few weeks I have been spat on, bitten, punched by a drunk and kicked and had patients pull me over and that's all in a days work. But you get on with it and remember, every woman in different during pregnancy, and you are the best person to know if you need help, to slow down or to just sit for 5 minutes. Your co workers will resent it slightly but always repay them by helping with cleaning that patient, asking if they need a hand and doing good solid and safe practise.

cheers! :eek: ( i just thought the icon was cute)