Full disclosure, I've never been pregnant... that being said everyone I've ever met has been. Once upon a time working with pregnant co-workers meant they couldn't go into radioactive rooms or take care of patients with chicken pox... at some point they may need more bathroom breaks, no sweat.
Now somehow I can't get through a shift without hearing about how pregnancy is making poor Susie suffer at 14 weeks gestation (give me shelter).
I'm sure it sounds ****** but if you can't do your job, get light duty orders from your doctor. We have full benefits.
We already have to work short staffed for 3 months while you are on maternity leave... don't half ass everything for 9 months before that and make us pick up the slack on top of it!
Today I tried to call report to the ICU while I was pulling my patient off the table in IR. The nurse told me she needed me to have a transporter meet her in IR to push the bed back to ICU for her because she is pregnant and can't push it herself.
We have self-propelled motorized beds, it's harder to push a shopping cart at the supermarket. I took the patient expecting to find a woman due any day now and was greeted by a young, healthy, girl who was barely showing.
I wish this was an isolated incident, but it's a growing trend and among hundreds of examples where women expect others to do their work for them because some of us take birth control and some of us don't.
There is no reason in the world a healthy pregnant woman cannot perform her work duties (baring obvious exposures). There is no reason in the world why an unhealthy pregnant woman should be at work in a damn hospital.
I'm a nurse too. I work in a really cool ER, much cooler than other jobs. All my previous jobs were super cool and important too. I'm actually a legend in my own mind, I'm so amazing!
I got yelled at for trying to roll a trauma patient in the trauma bay while pregnant or trying to lift anything heavier than my coffee cup! I heard so much of "look at you, ambulating on your own" type comments when I was at the end of my pregnancy. So sometimes I think people listen to everyone around them when it comes to pregnancy. Maybe it was because I was older and pregnant, I don't know.
But I did have previous miscarriages while working multiple ED jobs, so sometimes I wonder (quietly, in the back of my head) if it was something I did? That extra shift was too much? I know that's probably not the case, but women hear that blame from others as well. And during subsequent pregnancies, we're scared, just waiting for the badness. Doesn't excuse "laziness," but perhaps explains it a little.
Do you also judge people who park in handicap spots with proper verification because they don't "look disabled" enough to meet your standard?
Haha, I had the same thought. Recently someone I know made a comment about filing a disability claim with the VA after military service, and another coworker said "she doesn't look disabled." Ugh. I have a decent disability percentage from injuries I received while deployed and in the Army, and I look fine most days too, with a little limp or I might not do my usual fast speed while walking. It has served as a reminder for me to never judge.
That's fabulous, does your pregnancy prevent you from retaining information? This post is about pregnant women who aren't on restrictions but decide simply being pregnant ristricts what they can do.... sort of how over the last decade or two they started getting special parking spots along with women with children... handicap spots I understand... apparently the American dream comes with a parking spot too
My pregnant brain works just fine, thanks. Yours however clearly has some issues that need to be worked out.
Please tell me, how exactly is it that you know that the girl who asked for assistance pushing the bed didn't have any restrictions? Just because she looked normal? I really shouldn't have to say this to someone who has "been a nurse" as long as you have, but you are aware that not all disabilities (or reasons for restrictions) are visible, right?
It has been my experience that the "lazy" pregnant nurses, also happen to be the same lazy nurses who try to get out of stuff when they aren't pregnant...so I don't think pregnancy is the issue here.
I think this may be the crux of the issue. We have a staff member who got intermittent FMLA for headaches and when her MD refused to extend it she went to another who gave her IFMLA for hip pain. She used both liberally which left us scrambling. When she did show up she would disappear and then reappear complaining of excruciating pain requiring her to leave early. Then she got pregnant and she wasn't "allowed" to do anything but desk work from 4 weeks on. Then that was too much for her. Now she's on maternity leave but we got wind that she's going to be on IFMLA for post-partum depression. She has not worked since April and we cannot replace her. She's essentially holding us hostage. Needless to say people were not all that thrilled to pick up her slack when she actually showed up for work and her being pregnant didn't soften the blow. I guess what I'm saying is we all have our limits of sympathy/empathy and without knowing the entire back-story of the OP's situation I'm going to reserve judgment.
But I did have previous miscarriages while working multiple ED jobs, so sometimes I wonder (quietly, in the back of my head) if it was something I did? That extra shift was too much? I know that's probably not the case, but women hear that blame from others as well. And during subsequent pregnancies, we're scared, just waiting for the badness. Doesn't excuse "laziness," but perhaps explains it a little.
In all seriousness please don't ever believe those miscarriages were your fault. I've seen drug addicts, smokers, and anorexic teenagers give birth to perfectly healthy full-term babies while women who do everything right from before conception have pre-term deliveries, undiagnosed congenital defects, and multiple miscarriages.
There is not a formula for having a healthy baby, you just do your best and hope/pray.
Yeah. That's typically how people who know me react.
Actually I would be very interested to learn what a vasectomy is/was like for a man. We always act like its no big deal and "minimally invasive" but we are talking about body parts we don't even have.
A very wise person who I hugely admire told me once, "if one person has a problem with you, deal with it and move on. If multiple people have the same problem with you, then perhaps its time to look at your own reactions to the situation
This may be hard to believe but I have actually been reading all of the comments on here. Many good points have been raised and I have been forced to take a hard look at my own implicit bias. Seeing my own words in writing when i'm not angry anymore is also a humbling learning exercise.
My pregnant brain works just fine, thanks. Yours however clearly has some issues that need to be worked out.
Please tell me, how exactly is it that you know that the girl who asked for assistance pushing the bed didn't have any restrictions? Just because she looked normal? I really shouldn't have to say this to someone who has "been a nurse" as long as you have, but you are aware that not all disabilities (or reasons for restrictions) are visible, right?
You're right, I don't know. For all I know she may be having vertigo and unable to steer but able to do everything else. She could very possibly have been to the doctor, had her accommodations approved, and just not worded it that way to me. "i'm on restrictions" vs "i'm pregnant" would have completely changed my internal response. I let myself be influenced by previous (rather recent) experiences.
And yes, your pregnancy brain works better than mine. The "fog" everyone talks about is a hormone-triggered permanent restructuring of your brain to benefit you and your baby. Plus if you break your leg, you'll heal faster since your kid can send you stem cells through the umbilical cord. You're practically a super hero
(turning over a new leaf this was a genuine honest post with no sarcasm please do not pile on me for calling the pregnant poster names)
This may be hard to believe but I have actually been reading all of the comments on here. Many good points have been raised and I have been forced to take a hard look at my own implicit bias. Seeing my own words in writing when i'm not angry anymore is also a humbling learning exercise.
That is heartening to hear. We humans are designed to adapt and change. So far in my own life, the biggest force to that end has been personal experience and from everything I've witnessed in others, I'm not alone in that. And what we learn through our personal experiences, if we're lucky and we're paying attention, is that what we think right now is no more than a reflection of what we've learned thus far...and until we've lived through every experience there is to live through, our present perspective is by no means definitive, fully informed, all-encompassing, or omniscient.
In all seriousness please don't ever believe those miscarriages were your fault. I've seen drug addicts, smokers, and anorexic teenagers give birth to perfectly healthy full-term babies while women who do everything right from before conception have pre-term deliveries, undiagnosed congenital defects, and multiple miscarriages.
It's only my fault in terms of waiting until my 40s to decide I even wanted to have a kid, but I think I was waiting for the right husband. I am fairly sure my issues were a matter of egg quality, and I got my rainbow baby at age 45. :) But yes, having worked ED for so long, I have seen the same - very unhealthy people having kids one after another without even trying. I developed peripartum cardiomyopathy about 11 days postpartum (apparently I am the queen of rare diagnoses, having also had a velamentous cord insertion), so it's one and done for me!
I am glad this thread has given you some perspective and a chance to reflect. I have worked with pregnant women who didn't stop working at the bedside until their contractions were 5 minutes apart, lol. It's the lazy people with no sense of urgency who have zero excuses that I have difficulty with!
Davey Do
10,666 Posts
This is a fact.
Another fact: I am not the father of the child because I had a vasectomy back in 1986!
Anybody wanna (sorry TriciaJ) hear the story of my vasectomy?
Anybody?
Hello?
Is this thing on?