Question for ER moms

BinkieRN, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2008

You should always be protecting yourself so the fact that your pregnant should not change your job description. Tell your boss when you're comfortable telling. It's your call. Good Luck with the new baby :nurse:

obliviousRN · Sep 2, 2008

It's none of your bosses business until you decide to tell them. Definitely give them enough time to plan for your maternity leave though.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Sep 2, 2008

I don't know that ER has any more risks to the baby than other jobs. I have never worked at a place that made any special concessions or treated pregnant nurses any differently. I worked until the day I went into labor with both my babies.

Obviously, you want to use universal precautions, and avoid certain communicable diseases if you can, but for the most part, just do your job as usual.

As far as telling your boss, that is up to you, but eventually, you won't be able to hide it! I would definately give them as much notice as possible to cover your maternity leave, but when you tell them, is strictly up to you. Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy.

RN_in_SC · Sep 3, 2008

Well, I told my educator (I am in orientation) and he said he had to tell my boss. I have to wear a special thing because we do X-rays all over the place (well, the X-ray techs do) and we don't always have walls. There is some kind of list of extra precautions that he is going to look up for me. I wanted to tell him because I work closely with him every shift and I trust him. He has been teasing me about being pregnant because I drink apple juice all night (something about the movie "Look whose talking").

Anyway, it is not some secret I am trying to keep, I just didn't want them to think I was going to quit work or anything because that is far from the case.

mwboswell · Sep 3, 2008

I agree with what the others have said so far.

1) It's your personal business; unless you and your health care provider determine that "advance" notice needs to be given

-and-

2) That the ER isn't necessarily any different than other work environments. In the US the #1 cause of fetal demise is maternal demise - I think it's logical that not many ER RN's, specifically pregnant females, suffer significant motality on the job....

...I think it's like the airplane thing; you're still much more at risk just driving to and from work or the grocery store every day than at work.....

-MB

RN_in_SC · Sep 3, 2008

Well, personally I feel like I deal with a lot more risk than floor nurses. I guess it depends on where you work.

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Sep 3, 2008

She probably has more risk of being assaulted in the ER than anything else. For that reason being a charge nurse it would effect how I make assignments, so I would want to know. In my dept for instance we have an area we place most our psych and agitated pts. At some point I would attempt to not assign her to that area if at all possible.

mpccrn, BSN, RN · Sep 3, 2008

ok.....here's a pet peeve of mine.....pregnant nurses....i've been one myself a few times.....you are pregnant, not ill! it's a choice you made, don't expect things from me....you DO NOT need special considerations on the job, there is a placenta and a body between the outside and a fetus. i've worked ICU for all of my pregnancies and my kids have been born healthy and happy. i lifted people OOB, took isolation including AIDS, took my share of renal failures etc. you are pregnant, not broken or more delicate than the rest of us. i've been too busy to eat, was on my feet for 12-13 hours a day.......it's all part of the job. i don't mean to sound mean, but it is very possible to go to work and perform while morning sick, crampy, swollen and tired and do all the things required of any other nurse working. congrats on the coming baby. keeping active i think leads to a better pregancy an a healthy baby. :smokin:

mwboswell · Sep 3, 2008

Absolutely! It's not a "condition" or "disease" - there's nothing "wrong" with being pregnant.

Mom's have been pregnant and doing normal activities for MILLIONS of years including hunting, working the fields etc.

Now in the USA we have this mindset that we must coddle the mom and it's like she has a disability or something.

Women suffered for so long before women's rights were on the horizon, now it's like they just stepped backwards in time sometimes when they need their "time off" for pregnancy.

RN_in_SC · Sep 3, 2008

Women suffered for so long before women's rights were on the horizon, now it's like they just stepped backwards in time sometimes when they need their "time off" for pregnancy.

that is just ridiculous:chuckle

RN_in_SC · Sep 3, 2008

Please forgive me for not wanting to be exposed to 15 X-rays a night while I am pregnant. Jeez.