I rarely post but I've had something on my mind. I'm a Med/Surg nurse (working primarily in General Surgery & Orthopedics) and I'm pregnant w/ my first baby (only 7 weeks along and not yet showing...coworkers don't know this info yet) Anyway...I'm worried about working on the floor when my tummy gets bigger. Not only that but I'm afraid of what kind of stress it'll put on me and the baby. I work night shift and for as long as I've worked here (4 years) I haven't had any pregnant coworkers on night shift so I don't have anyone to ask about my situation. I had one coworker who got pregnant but moved over to days when she got a little bigger. (I never got to see her and ask why she transitioned to days). Well, forgive me for rambling...but I'm thinking it might be better for me to move into something less physically stressful like telephone triage or even post-partum. Or am I just being a worry wart? I'm just afraid of all the physical stuff when I get bigger and the stress of working in Med/Surg overall (physical and mental). Especially w/ Ortho....the load is heavy.
For any of the nurses who've been pregnant or are pregnant and work in Med-Surg (night shift or day shift)...I'd appreciate any advice.
Wow! I can't believe how lucky some of you have been while pregnant. I'm currently on Bedrest/Maternity Leave and have been since 29 weeks. The others on my unit could really care less about my being pregnant. I always got the split on the unit which is the section of rooms that fell in between both our nurses stations so I'd end up walking up and down the hall all night. Furthermore, we have a computerized meds amin system and have to drag a Computer on wheels around with us for all meds and IV's hung. It was never even a thought to not assign MRSA/VRE and otherwise cootied pt's to me. I ended up going into pre-term labor and was hospitalized on Mag sulfate, steroids for the babies lungs and sent home on terbutaline q3hrs. My Dr. said I could go back to work on Light Duty but at my hospital, you are only entitled to light duty if you are injured on the job. Furthermore, i am 2 hours shy of qualifying for Long-term disability so I had to take my Family Medical Leave Early. My hospital and unit are completely unsympathetic and unwilling to work with you. Needless to say, I will NOT be returning there. I'm using this time to seek employment elsewhere.
Don't let this scare you though, everyone is different and it would appear that as my husband says I'm "not very good at being pregnant." I got Pre-eclampsia (sp?) with my first daughter so perhaps he's right. I may very well have an inhospitable womb!
Hooligan
470 Posts
Wow! I can't believe how lucky some of you have been while pregnant. I'm currently on Bedrest/Maternity Leave and have been since 29 weeks. The others on my unit could really care less about my being pregnant. I always got the split on the unit which is the section of rooms that fell in between both our nurses stations so I'd end up walking up and down the hall all night. Furthermore, we have a computerized meds amin system and have to drag a Computer on wheels around with us for all meds and IV's hung. It was never even a thought to not assign MRSA/VRE and otherwise cootied pt's to me. I ended up going into pre-term labor and was hospitalized on Mag sulfate, steroids for the babies lungs and sent home on terbutaline q3hrs. My Dr. said I could go back to work on Light Duty but at my hospital, you are only entitled to light duty if you are injured on the job. Furthermore, i am 2 hours shy of qualifying for Long-term disability so I had to take my Family Medical Leave Early. My hospital and unit are completely unsympathetic and unwilling to work with you. Needless to say, I will NOT be returning there. I'm using this time to seek employment elsewhere.
Don't let this scare you though, everyone is different and it would appear that as my husband says I'm "not very good at being pregnant." I got Pre-eclampsia (sp?) with my first daughter so perhaps he's right. I may very well have an inhospitable womb!
~Bean