Pt assignments when TTC

CCU BSN RN · Oct 28, 2016

You're going to end up having to tell whoever's in charge. I guess you could talk to your manager instead and get a pass to just say to charge 'I can't take this patient for medical reasons that I don't wish to disclose. I'd be happy to take the next one.' The problem with that is that instead of discretely telling charge something that's not really hot gossip, you've opened up a can of worms, and you'll end up with half the staff wondering what your mysterious illness is. I understand not wanting to disclose your pregnancy or potential pregnancy too early, especially when you've had the horror of miscarriages in the past, but in this profession it's really hard to keep that kind of thing secret.

mrsboots87 · Oct 28, 2016

Just a side bar, you don't get to control the types of comments you receive in an open forum so be prepared to possibly get some. Also people can judge for just about anything they want. Whether or not it's justified is a whole other story.

Anyway, the way I see it is that it is not your coworkers job to rearrange their patient assignments because you want to have children. Your childbearing isnt their problem. I am not saying you aren't justified in being concerned. In your shoes, I would want to be as safe as possible. But without telling coworkers that you are TTC and asking to trade there really isn't any other way to avoid certain patient types. I know you don't want to possibly announce a pregnancy to coworkers to find out it was viable, but I'm not really seeing a way around that. And be prepared for some coworkers to just plain not care and not want to switch. Especially if it is a particularly difficult or needy patient.

Sounds like you are kind of between a rock and a hard place and have to weigh the pros and cons of telling your coworkers to hopefully get safer assignments or not say anything and risk it.

Sour Lemon · Oct 28, 2016

Anyone have any ideas or experience with this? I don't want to come off to my co-workers as someone who is avoiding a patient or looking like I'm complaining or being lazy. And please no snarky or rude comments telling me to just tell my co-workers. Unless you've been told "congratulations" by a co-worker and then had to say "it didn't work out", you don't get to judge.

I've been trying to conceive for several years and had four miscarriages (in a row) while working at the same job. Also, I am pregnant right now (and at a new job). If I felt unsafe caring for the type of patients my job required me to care for, at any time, I would simply quit. My babies are more important to me than any job, but I don't expect to be put on a pedestal.

Any woman of child-bearing age could be pregnant and not know it- even if they're not trying ...or maybe they're pregnant and they do know it, but also don't care to disclose.

Your switching strategy is not a bad one. I admit that I accepted help from people who chose to help me in return for me helping them (at other times and in other ways).

Best wishes.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2016

I'm sorry for your losses, and wish you the best with this journey.

I'm not really sure how to get out of the H2H patients without telling *anybody*...not that everyone needs to know, but maybe discreetly mention it to the charge nurse or your manager. It does make it tough I know, when you can't wait until the 2nd trimester unless you want to put your baby at risk, thereby having the possibility of having to tell of a miscarriage.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Oct 30, 2016

I also think that pregnancy is not a reason to switch, so long as you have access to PPE. Every one of us could have an undisclosed medical condition, or pregnancy, and not want the patient. I have no problem if a buddy volunteers to trade, but have had enough with people saying "I can't." I was the only non childbearing nurse one night with three others that were pregnant or trying, and doing every lift or isolation patient gets old real fast. If your situation warrants extra precautions, then go through HR, do the paperwork, have the meetings that will result in accommodation. Otherwise, take your turn with the rest of us.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Oct 30, 2016

I also think that pregnancy is not a reason to switch, so long as you have access to PPE. Every one of us could have an undisclosed medical condition, or pregnancy, and not want the patient. I have no problem if a buddy volunteers to trade, but have had enough with people saying "I can't." I was the only non childbearing nurse one night with three others that were pregnant or trying, and doing every lift or isolation patient gets old real fast. If your situation warrants extra precautions, then go through HR, do the paperwork, have the meetings that will result in accommodation. Otherwise, take your turn with the rest of us.

There are certain things you cannot be around if you are trying to conceive. It's not just about patients being in isolation and putting on PPE. We get a couple of these every once in a while.

And to the OP, you do have to come clean about conceiving if you don't want the patients. They need to know why. And yes, I have had to have the miscarriage conversation with people. It sucked hard and it still hurts to this day.

You don't have to announce the minute you become pregnant. Most people I know wait until 12-14 weeks anyway. That makes it so you don't have to have the conversation most of the time. It's honestly not a big deal. Just say I'm not on birth control, therefore, I could possibly be pregnant at any time. You don't have to announce your whole fertility history.