Pregnant Nurse - Vent

Nurses Relations

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I am the only pregnant nurse on my floor and the charge nurse assigns me a patient with VRE and on chemo drugs. I told her that I do not appreciate this assignment which is probably why our problem escalated than resolved. I know, I get more with honey and ask with a smile right? Anyway, after my little complaint to her, she tells me you can take them as long as you take proper precaution. Fine, I know that. However, I reasoned with her, I am the only pregnant nurse, can I not take/trade with someone else. The charge nurse answered, why don't you divide the nurses, call the clinical supervisor, call the house supervisor etc. it was so stressful, I started contracting since im always on the verge of labor daily anyways. (I always have s/s of premature labor, low back pain, baby pushing, contraction but they always stop when I lay down and have water). Anyway, I went home very dissatisfied with the nice accommodations of my charge nurse. I always take isolation patients but the chemo part is what I am not allowing myself to get into. This lady pees everywhere anyway and I do not have a tech and her vre is in her urine and her chemo drugs will go out in her urine. Argghhhh.

We don't allow pregnant nurses to take chemo or radiation patients. Contact? it depends on the situation I suppose. Never respiratory or airborne precautions, or any flu/virus type things.

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Got back to work and guess what? Almost had a meningitis patient given to me. Thank God, a nurse let me trade with one of her patient. I guess I just have to work around my situation and not expect charge nurses to do the prudent thing to do. I am seriously thinking about moving floors since it the charge nurses' friend decided to treat me like a horrible monster and acting like big time snobs! Ugh. Thanks to all who replied. There is no perfect workplace. T

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MENINGITIS? Who IS this person?

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Specializes in PCCN.
MENINGITIS? Who IS this person?

a real jerk. and no, thats not the words I really wanted to use.first letter begins with an a.

op- please find another floor to work on :(

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

Beyond OSHA, its inconsiderate and indecent.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Yikes. This is always a hot button issue in a workforce that is 85% female.

From a legal standpoint, pregnancy is NOT a disability, so it does not require the employer to make special accommodations. This is well established in case law, so there is no gray area. Your employer has to apply the rules 100% with no exceptions or they are in violation; if they make accommodations for you and not for another pregnant woman, they can be sued for discrimination by the person they did not accommodate.

If you truly feel that your work environment is potentially harmful to your unborn child, you need to take action that is appropriate for you but don't expect anything from your employer. If you feel that your charge nurse is singling you out for bad assignments, that is a separate issue that you should address with your employer's grievance processes. Be prepared with objective data to support your claim.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Yikes. This is always a hot button issue in a workforce that is 85% female.

From a legal standpoint, pregnancy is NOT a disability, so it does not require the employer to make special accommodations. This is well established in case law, so there is no gray area. Your employer has to apply the rules 100% with no exceptions or they are in violation; if they make accommodations for you and not for another pregnant woman, they can be sued for discrimination by the person they did not accommodate.

If you truly feel that your work environment is potentially harmful to your unborn child, you need to take action that is appropriate for you but don't expect anything from your employer. If you feel that your charge nurse is singling you out for bad assignments, that is a separate issue that you should address with your employer's grievance processes. Be prepared with objective data to support your claim.

Yes it is and is protected by the EEOC.........

Pregnancy Discrimination

Pregnancy Discrimination

Pregnancy discrimination involves treating a woman (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth.

Pregnancy Discrimination & Work Situations

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) forbids discrimination based on pregnancy when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, such as leave and health insurance, and any other term or condition of employment.

Pregnancy Discrimination & Temporary Disability

If a woman is temporarily unable to perform her job due to a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, the employer or other covered entity must treat her in the same way as it treats any other temporarily disabled employee. For example, the employer may have to provide light duty, alternative assignments, disability leave, or unpaid leave to pregnant employees if it does so for other temporarily disabled employees.

Additionally, impairments resulting from pregnancy (for example, gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, a condition characterized by pregnancy-induced hypertension and protein in the urine) may be disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). An employer may have to provide a reasonable accommodation (such as leave or modifications that enable an employee to perform her job) for a disability related to pregnancy, absent undue hardship (significant difficulty or expense). The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 makes it much easier to show that a medical condition is a covered disability. For more information about the ADA, see Disability Discrimination. For information about the ADA Amendments Act, see Regulations Related to Disability Discrimination.

Pregnancy Discrimination & Harassment

It is unlawful to harass a woman because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted). The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

There is more please use the link....OP remind your place of employment that this is protected under the EEOC and it is easy to file a complaint AND it is FREE!!!!!!!!!
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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

When I found out I was pregnant, I was working in the state psych hospital on a floor with several patients who had the potential to become violent on a moment's notice. I was immediately transferred to the geri/psych building which was more like a nursing home.

I didn't request it. It was just done.

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