Pregnant new grad in MedSurg

[Bleblenurs18]

Hello! 
I’m a new grad on a busy Medsurg floor and also super pregnant (due in August).  Our ratio is 5:1 and no techs. My unit is super busy and I’m officially newly off orientation. I may be reading too much into it (maybe just emotional from my hormones) but I feel like other nurses are annoyed when I ask for help with lifting patients or patient care. I think I do a great job doing things on my own but sometimes when I have a question or need help with something I’m new at, one nurse in particular(she’s normally charge) will tell me to go do it myself or figure it out.

I’m open to the challenge of being more independent but I’m also still nervous and don’t want to mess up. This has made me more reluctant to ask her anything which is frustrating because she’s usually the only one available/ around the nurse station. 
 

I want to show others that I can be independent and work efficiently just like others. But there’s no hiding the fact that I’m huge and pregnancy aches and pains are starting to hit me hard. My question is.. am I wrong for asking for help when I’m getting my pt up for the first time? What shouldn’t I ask? As a new grad I feel “dumb” a lot and hate feeling like I’m asking dumb questions. Any suggestions on having a smooth transition without a preceptor? 

[SmilingBluEyes]

You are not wrong to ask for help. Just be willing to pick up other tasks for the nurses who help you that don't strain your pregnancy. IV sticks, lab draws, I/Os, for example. Ask them what you can do to lighten their load when you ask for help with yours and they are more willing to help out.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! My daughter is due with my 4th grandchild in August, too!

[NurseBlaq]

1 hour ago, SmilingBluEyes said:

You are not wrong to ask for help. Just be willing to pick up other tasks for the nurses who help you that don't strain your pregnancy. IV sticks, lab draws, I/Os, for example. Ask them what you can do to lighten their load when you ask for help with yours and they are more willing to help out.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! My daughter is due with my 4th grandchild in August, too!

This. I don't think they're irritated helping you because they understand you're pregnant. I think it's more so that it puts them behind doing it. Think of it as a barter system. They help you lift patients, you help them in non-labor intense ways, as SBE mentioned. Maybe doing some of their dressing changes will help them catch up. Stuff like that.