Pumping and working

[aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

I am interested in switching over to IR. I have talked to a manager already. I am due with child #2 in February and would start 3-4 months after that.

My question is, how breastfeeding/pumping friendly is this position? Has anyone had problems getting out to break for pumping?

I'm ready to sign on the dotted line for the job. This is my biggest concern.

This position would be in a big academic institution if that helps.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Not IR but OR. Currently working with someone who is pumping. She pumps on her lunch break and occasionally another time during the day. We are a tight knit team who work with her so she can get a break when she needs it. I suspect rather than the job itself it will depend more on the teamwork between coworkers. Also, be aware of your rights under federal and state laws.

[8-ball, BSN]

Never been a problem to take a few minutes for whatever reason onour unit.

[guest940422]

I don't know about this specifically, I've worked on units where a bathroom break is rare but we still find a way to let mom's pump every 3 hours! You'd have to work with some real dicks to tell you they won't find a way to work it out and prevent your milk supply from drying up. Ask the manager. I'm no expert but can't this be stretched as part of FMLA?

[greener22, BSN, MSN, RN]

I would not say I am dick about it, but here is my feedback. In the past, I worked with an RN who would take her lunch break AND a pump break together so that she was off the unit almost an hour every day. By the time she got back the hospital cafeteria was closed so then I would have to miss lunch or vending machine it. I felt that was not fair to me and I asked the charge RN to send her to break last. He said he was afraid of retaliation (being a man) and had to let her go when she said she needs.

Now I am working with an RN who pumps at work in HER time frame, not the patient needs. She goes at 1030 and 1430 regardless of what is going on with patients so the rest of us pick up the slack. I feel like she should pump when the unit is calmer. What do you all think?

[BeatsPerMinute, BSN, RN]

Def need mutual trust here. When I had transferred my preceptor had recently had a child and would need to pump throughout the day. It was tempting to get annoyed by this because I wanted my preceptor there to help me, review something and learn, or I would have questions and she would randomly be unavailable d/t pumping. Honestly sometimes it just looked like she was getting extra breaks. However, taking a step back - I did notice that she never took longer than she needed to, would try to wait until it was less busy on the unit, and always let someone know first/ asked if it was a good time. There was mutual trust between her and the others - they could trust that she would not take advantage and she would be mindful of the time. I imagine they all knew that this nurse would be more effective if she was not distracted by the discomfort or by the fear that she would not get a chance to pump throughout the day, too.