Working in the ER pregnant

Happy-ER-RN, RN · Nov 3, 2005

I am a new grad and will soon start working a night shift in the Emergency Room. Being that I am almost thirty I will be thinking about getting pregnant sometime toward the fall of 2006. I was wondering has anyone out there had any experience with being pregnant while working on the night shift in the ER. It may seem like an odd question, but I am a little concerned how unhealthy this may be to the growing fetus, am I crazy?

No you are not crazy at all. I work nights in the ER and I am also concerned about becoming pregnant. For one I have not adjusted well to nights and struggle with insomnia which can't be good for a healthy pregnancy and then there is the risk that you could possibly come in contact with TB or bacterial meningitis--something horrible like that, and we are entering flu season, it's not like you can refuse to take care of people who are possibly infectious. I don't really know what to do about the situation. I am going to try to wait until I can get on days at least before I get pregnant--I think. There are 5 or 6 day nurses who are pregnant in my department right now and they don't seemed concerned. I would hope your co-workers would look out for you though and let you pass on checking in the pt. with a sudden onset worst headache of their life and temp of 104, or the pt. coughing up blood and having night sweats...:stone

Aneroo, LPN · Nov 3, 2005

No you are not crazy at all. I work nights in the ER and I am also concerned about becoming pregnant. For one I have not adjusted well to nights and struggle with insomnia which can't be good for a healthy pregnancy and then there is the risk that you could possibly come in contact with TB or bacterial meningitis--something horrible like that, and we are entering flu season, it's not like you can refuse to take care of people who are possibly infectious. I don't really know what to do about the situation. I am going to try to wait until I can get on days at least before I get pregnant--I think. There are 5 or 6 day nurses who are pregnant in my department right now and they don't seemed concerned. I would hope your co-workers would look out for you though and let you pass on checking in the pt. with a sudden onset worst headache of their life and temp of 104, or the pt. coughing up blood and having night sweats...:stone

TB and meningitis patients don't present during the daytime? My co-workers have all been very supportive with my pregnancy. "Don't push that!" or "You don't need to take care of this patient, we don't know what they have" (on the lady with MS changes, fever and rash). I have felt bad lately though- I used to push stretchers all the time (It didn't bother me), but now that I'm further along, it is so darn uncomfortable, and I've had to stop. I now ask someone else to do it, or I go with the patient and get a transporter or hospital volunteer to help me out and push the stretcher.

As far as the flu, I think I'm finally getting my flu shot today (I've been putting it off), and will be wearing a mask a lot while at work. :)

Happy-ER-RN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

TB and meningitis patients don't present during the daytime? My co-workers have all been very supportive with my pregnancy. "Don't push that!" or "You don't need to take care of this patient, we don't know what they have" (on the lady with MS changes, fever and rash). I have felt bad lately though- I used to push stretchers all the time (It didn't bother me), but now that I'm further along, it is so darn uncomfortable, and I've had to stop. I now ask someone else to do it, or I go with the patient and get a transporter or hospital volunteer to help me out and push the stretcher.
As far as the flu, I think I'm finally getting my flu shot today (I've been putting it off), and will be wearing a mask a lot while at work. :)

No, I want to switch to days because of the problems I am having with insomnia as I mentioned in my post. I mentioned the day staff aren't concerned just because I think they live a normal life where they get to funtion in the real world and do things like go to stores or anything besides sitting in the dark alone on days off--either that or trying to switch back and forth on days off, this makes it so I just don't sleep at all---not good for pregnancy. I am sure some people can handle it, but not me.

Spacklehead, MSN, NP · Nov 4, 2005

I've carried two pregnancies to term while working in the ER. My first was while I worked days and my most recent was while I worked nights. As long as you are able to take your breaks (yeah, right - I know), get your feet up once in a while (while charting) towards the end, and stay hydrated and well-nourished, you should be fine.

The only thing that was tough for me was the 12 hour shifts towards the end of my pregnancy. I was usually extremely tired by the end of the shift and had a 40 min. commute afterwards.

Other than that, working while pregnant was not too bad.

county162 · Nov 5, 2005

I agree Happy-ER RN, I too am going to wait until I can switch to the day shift before I start trying to get pregnant. Because I am a new grad it may take a year or so, but that is okay I am only 29yrs old.