Pregnant and working in LTC?

lovingtheunloved, ASN, RN · Oct 21, 2006

Hi everyone I am new here, but I am dieing to find out some info! I am 25 weeks pregnant and just started working at a LTC unit. I was wondering of any percautions I needed to be awhere off. Like MERSA? I have heard that I should stay away and then also I have heard that if I gown,mask, and glove I should be fine. So what percautions do I really need to take?

God made standard precautions for a reason. You really don't know WHAT anyone has, really. Besides, if someone has a known infection like MRSA, they're usually going to tell everyone if the patient is on contact isolation, droplet, etc. Common sense goes a long way. If someone has MRSA in a wound, for instance, it wouldn't make sense to glove, mask and gown to go in the room to give pills. Congratulations on the baby!

anuge · Oct 21, 2006

Hello-I am also pregnant and work in a hospital setting. I avoid everything-MRSA, VRE, CDIFF and chemo. I also double glove if I have to adminiter any meds that might come in contact with my skin such as narcotic or hormone patches. I work with a manager, charge nurse and coworkers who are very supportive and protective of me and my pregnancy so they make it easy for me. They will switch patients with before I even know why. However, if you don't have that kind of support, you have to stand up for yourself and your baby. Infection control will tell you that as long as you use precuations you are safe, but I'm not willing to risk it.

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Oct 23, 2006

I am as old as dirt...not pregnant...and I avoid MRSA CDIFF VRE etc etc....universal precautions are for everyone...not just the pregnant...only difference...I won't let any pregnant nurse or CNA take care of someone with active shingles.

banditrn · Oct 25, 2006

I am as old as dirt...not pregnant...and I avoid MRSA CDIFF VRE etc etc....universal precautions are for everyone...not just the pregnant...only difference...I won't let any pregnant nurse or CNA take care of someone with active shingles.

Geez, Capecod, if you're older than dirt - I must have gone to school with God! :lol2: BTW - had a nightmare the other nite that I was pregnant!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2006

Do not ever take care of a patient who has shingles while you are pregnant. Delegate the care of shingles patients to someone who is not pregnant.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2006

Pregnant with #4 and still working in LTC as an RN. Avoiding pts with MRSA, Cdiff and VRE is impossible in a ltc setting. You would not have a job and couldn't even walk down a hallway. Since it is LTC, most likely you aren't gonna have resp isolation since they aren't set up for it. Universal precautions are all you need. If I have a pts with a cough/ trach with pos sputum....I mask.

On occasion we get pts who go to out pt radiation and chemo. I just called my doc and asked him about this....said it was okay to take care of them with standard universal precautions. (we don't give the meds)

I avoid pts with shingles and scabies. (haven't had any of them in ages)

I am blessed with a great bunch of CNAs that do not really let me lift and pull (really, they go overboard) and do not let me be exposed to much fluids except for wound care.