Pregnant and have some questions/Concerns

NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN · Dec 3, 2007

I will aswer this from my perspective, because I am 8 months pregnant at this time.

Should they be allowed to work until 8 1/2 months ? It is their choice. I will be working until I am 39 weeks because I want to use all of my PTO time with the baby, not before.

Should it depend on where they work ? I guessit depends on a pregnancy. I am working on a renal/oncology floor.

What if their unable to fulfill their job description. ? Depends to what extend.

Should others have to make allowances for them ?. My charge nurse does not let me have patients recieving chemotherapy, pt's with shingles and pt's recieving radiation. Everything else I am able to do like everyone else.

Should others have to deal with aggressive pts to prevent possible injury ? If they are not restrained. My nurse coworkers warn me if someone is combative, so I know to stay away from them. I am not risking being kicked in my stomach for no job.

Should others take the difficult to handle pts.? I don't so. It's just part of being a nurse. Most of my renal patients are difficult to handle.

Should the qualified nurse and N/As be given different concessions.? I think I already answered that.

Are pregnant nurses ever transferred to less demanding areas ? Not at my hospital. It is either work or leave of absence.

Wouldn't that be stressful because its an unknown area and fewer friends ? Maybe, but I am thinking they would be moved because the phisical stress would be less on her body. But like I said, never seen it happen here.

Good luck to you.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Dec 3, 2007

Hi and welcome to the site

I have moved your post to the General Nurse forum where I feel you will find more support relating to the US as you had posted in the UK forum and we may have different ways of handling your questions

pirap · Dec 3, 2007

I was hired when I was 16 weeks pregnant. I didn't tell my boss until I was 28 weeks along. I was able to "hide it" because I had lost a lot of weight prior to getting pregnant and so all of my bigger scrubs hid my stomach. I did tell the unit secretary and 1 nurse(2 very trustworthy people-they didn't tell a soul) just in case something happened to me-passed out, etc. The unit secretary was pregnant as well and I even went to her baby shower--she was due 8 weeks before me.

Anyhow it was an extremely busy med/surg floor. I did not want any special treatment so I did everything that everyone else did. Luckily I didn't take care of anyone that would have had an illness that would have been contradictory to my pregnancy and you should not either. If so I would have had no choice than to tell my boss. I lifted and moved patients from beds to chairs, leaned over to empty Foleys and drains, stood all day, etc--my patient load averaged 7 patients a night. I went on leave 2 weeks prior to delivery. I delivered at 38 weeks a 9#1oz girl.

My opinion on the whole thing is don't place yourself/baby in danger, but people are unpredictable and you never know if someone is "safe" or not anyway. You could stick yourself with a needle of someone with HIV/Hep C-a regular part of your job that you can't or should not delegate to someone else to do. I never expected anyone to do my job or help me(unless they were sitting around reading a magazine). My opinion was that if I couldn't do the job I was hired for I shouldn't be at work..no one is getting paid extra to clean up behind me. I went to work when scheduled no matter how tired(I had 2 and 5 year old besides) and did my job without all the "woe is me" pregnancy complaints. This is just me.

With you in the ED they could put you in triage or in an area where all the "could have gone to the doctor office but hey I will go the the ER instead" go.

Good luck