I'm 14 weeks pregnant and found out through routine OB blood work that I am no longer immune to measles. I received MMR as a child and am still immune mumps and rubella.
I work as an RN on a med-surg unit in large, public hospital in the Los Angeles area. My OB is willing to give me a note taking me off patient care for the remainder of my pregnancy. There have been recent confirmed cases of measles in LA but no serious outbreaks due to our high herd immunity from strict vaccination laws.
What would you do if you were me? Go off patient care entirely to limit possible exposure, or just take caution as to the admitting diagnoses and signs/symptoms patients present with when receiving assignments and avoid possible measles cases? Just typing that seems daunting, let alone having to scrutinize every assignment I receive.
I am also claustrophobic and canNOT wear an N95 mask my entire shift for the next 6 months. A couple minutes, fine, but not all shift.
I am torn as to what I should do. Exposure is unlikely, but carries with it the risk of my baby dying or being born infected. And we tried very hard for this baby. I've lost 4 pregnancies, am advanced maternal age, and don't want to take any unreasonable risks with this baby.
What would you do in my shoes, seasoned nurses? I also haven't told work I am pregnant yet and wanted to wait until I am at least 20 weeks due to all my miscarriages.
I've always thought it was silly when pregnant staff refuse isolation patients or get taken off patient care altogether just as a precaution (with no real issues) but now I'm feeling torn.
My titers are negative for measles and chicken pox even though I’m fully vaccinated with boosters. I worked medsurg while pregnant with my 2nd baby. I figured that a measles/chicken pox/shingles case (which I would get chicken pox from) would be more easily identified in a hospital than being out and about in the community. You can’t keep you or your baby in a safety bubble, unfortunately. As a mom, I can tell you that the worry never stops! I can tell how much anxiety this is causing you just from reading your post. If it’s causing you this much stress then working isn’t worth it. Pregnancy suppresses your immune system and stress will only make it worse. If you can swing it financially, stay home.
The real travesty is that FMLA doesn't cover the entire term of the pregnancy plus at least the first six months after the child is born. After all this is not paid time off. Even if she cannot take FMLA she shouldn't have much trouble finding a job after she gets ready to go back to work (after her child is born). If as a society we want to live up to the mantra of "putting kids first" one of the most effective things that could be done is paid time off for mothers.
You're in luck, because California is a very generous state. Get a note from your doctor and apply for SDI. Every nurse I've known (in the LA area) has gotten $1000 weekly- tax free ...for the duration of their pregnancy and for 2-3 months afterwards depending on the type of delivery. Additional baby bonding time is also allowed, although at least part of that is unpaid. I want to say six weeks paid and six weeks unpaid, but I'm not 100% sure.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
8 hours ago, Leader25 said:
This is why I feel pregnant women do not belong working in a hospital floor.It is not worth it to risk a pregnancy.I have seen too many babies messed up by problems during pregnancy and some of them permanent disabilities,prolonged stay,suffering proceedures,not to mention divorce,infertility.
avc324
29 Posts
My titers are negative for measles and chicken pox even though I’m fully vaccinated with boosters. I worked medsurg while pregnant with my 2nd baby. I figured that a measles/chicken pox/shingles case (which I would get chicken pox from) would be more easily identified in a hospital than being out and about in the community. You can’t keep you or your baby in a safety bubble, unfortunately. As a mom, I can tell you that the worry never stops! I can tell how much anxiety this is causing you just from reading your post. If it’s causing you this much stress then working isn’t worth it. Pregnancy suppresses your immune system and stress will only make it worse. If you can swing it financially, stay home.