pregnant and need some info

ozoneranger · Aug 18, 2009

Congratulations!!! Babies are so sweet, the way they conform to your body when you hold 'em....the smell of their hair right after a bath...sweet little sighs....

I'm going to be a grandmother in Sept. & I can hardly wait. I'm going to spoil that kid rotten.

You need to notify your DON ASAP.

One facility I worked for didn't give a rat's behind if you were preggers or not, however, as a team, we took care of our own, so there were certain patients & procedures a pregnant employee wasn't asked to do, in exchange, she would pick up some of the 'light' duties which were time consuming (like accu checks, hanging piggy backs....ect...) so it worked out for everybody.

Congrats again, I hope your pregnancy goes well.

Hacker · Aug 18, 2009

Hi peaches,

Congratulation!

I'm still a student nurse and my experience is minimal, but I've seen pregnant ladies working on post-surgical, especially ortho (maybe a better environment? What are your thoughts about that?). I suggest you pay special attention to precaution with any patients (handwashing, use gloves, mask if in doubt), and exclude yourself from patients with infectious disease, especially airborne. If your manager has a head on her shoulders, she will want to arrange something safe and functional for you (even lower pt load for a while). Anything like norovirus, H1N1, or chicken pox showing on the floor, and I would exclude myself. Anyhow, I'm sure something can work out for you two!

Here's a site with some good info: http://www.noah-health.org/en/pregnancy/problems/disorders/infect.html

I just found out i'm pregnant and I know that there are some patient rooms I should avoid like cytotoxic, pts with shingles
are there any others you guys can think of
thanks

peaches84 · Aug 18, 2009

thanks, I don't think my facility will care either but, our managers are ok and will be accommodating. I do work in ortho so we don't get a lot of random diseases but of course it always happens. I had hoped to not tell anyone for another month, until after I tell my family. getting a lighter patient would be a dream, but that's exactly what it will be, a dream that's okay though i'm use to it

thanks for your replies that website helped also

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Aug 18, 2009

You need toavoid pts with shingles, chicken pox, measles, CMV and H1N1 flu, among other things.

guest64485 · Aug 18, 2009

Don't forget too that there are certain meds you shouldn't handle while pregnant.

BabyLady, BSN, RN · Aug 18, 2009

I don't think (and someone correct me if I'm wrong) that patients with Shingles is a danger to you if you have already had Chicken Pox as well as other childhood diseases that you only get once.

talaxandra · Aug 18, 2009

Yes, BabyLady - though you can contract chicken pox from contact with shingles, if you have already had chicken pox then you have the dormant virus already. You only need to avoid chicken pox/shingles if you have never had chicken pox.

Somewhere between 50-80% of the US population (40% globally) have cytomegalovirus. It is usually only screened for in immunocompromised patients, so you will not know which patients have it. CMV is only a problem if you are immunocompromised and may have some long term mortality issues but is generally not a problem for healthy children and adults. The risk for fetuses is if the mother contracts CMV during or shortly prior to pregnancy, and even then complications only affect 10% of cases. It is transmitted in body fluids - universal precautions at work and hand washing every where are the best preventatives. If you develop mononucleosis-like symptoms, have had those kinds of symptoms in the 6 months prior to becoming pregnant, or are concerned, see your doctor about being screened.

If you have not been immunised rubella can be devastating. You should also avoid cytotoxics, radioactive medications and procedures (like SPECT, I131 therapies for hyperthyroidism and radioisotope implantation for prostate cancer).

Best of luck :)