Pregnant and working
celebrate sick leave for maternity leave
Sa Co
I work as a nurse on the geriatrics department.
When you're pregnant, you get "adjusted" work.
Our department is one where pregnant women are allowed to work up to 6 months.
I'm not allowed to work nights, and evening shifts only if there are at least three of us.
I can't enter contaminated rooms.
Well and good, you'd think, but in reality we only work with 2.5 people, and if you have to screen someone for infections, you've already been caring for that person unprotected for 2 days...
The occupational health doctor said I shouldn't be exposed to airborne pathogens, but apparently MRSA isn't spread through the air, so I'm allowed into those isolation rooms.
Then there's what I can inhale from crushing medication (I always wear a mask, even when I wasn't pregnant).
There are also currently 2 patients receiving oral cytostatics (chemo via pills).
Another adjustment is that I have to haul patients who can be twice as heavy as me (I currently weigh 45kg and am only 150cm tall). Personally, I have the least trouble with this since I don't have many "burdens" right now.
I also recently ran into a colleague who had to 'butterfly' (swap shifts) because her regular shift has emergencies, including many aggressive patients.
She also mentioned that her shift encounters less heavy and aggressive patients than ours.
I can assure you that geriatric patients are an aggressive population.
Many are dementia patients and/or develop delirium, making them confused.
They're often panicked because they're in an unfamiliar environment.
People in panic get an adrenaline rush, and suddenly that weak, sick geriatric patient isn't weak anymore. Scratching, spitting, pinching, hitting.
The day before yesterday, a confused MRSA+ patient came into the hallway, and I managed to grab a heavy perforator just in time because the patient wanted to throw it at my colleague.
Geriatrics, adjusted work in nursing...
I've let the occupational health doctor and the head nurse know that I don't find geriatrics a "adjusted" department for pregnant women.
My head nurse then said that in that case, I'd better just take sick leave.
But how does that work if my gynecologist gives me a sick note?
When you're pregnant, you get "adjusted" work.
Our department is one where pregnant women are allowed to work up to 6 months.
I'm not allowed to work nights, and evening shifts only if there are at least three of us.
I can't enter contaminated rooms.
Well and good, you'd think, but in reality we only work with 2.5 people, and if you have to screen someone for infections, you've already been caring for that person unprotected for 2 days...
The occupational health doctor said I shouldn't be exposed to airborne pathogens, but apparently MRSA isn't spread through the air, so I'm allowed into those isolation rooms.
Then there's what I can inhale from crushing medication (I always wear a mask, even when I wasn't pregnant).
There are also currently 2 patients receiving oral cytostatics (chemo via pills).
Another adjustment is that I have to haul patients who can be twice as heavy as me (I currently weigh 45kg and am only 150cm tall). Personally, I have the least trouble with this since I don't have many "burdens" right now.
I also recently ran into a colleague who had to 'butterfly' (swap shifts) because her regular shift has emergencies, including many aggressive patients.
She also mentioned that her shift encounters less heavy and aggressive patients than ours.
I can assure you that geriatric patients are an aggressive population.
Many are dementia patients and/or develop delirium, making them confused.
They're often panicked because they're in an unfamiliar environment.
People in panic get an adrenaline rush, and suddenly that weak, sick geriatric patient isn't weak anymore. Scratching, spitting, pinching, hitting.
The day before yesterday, a confused MRSA+ patient came into the hallway, and I managed to grab a heavy perforator just in time because the patient wanted to throw it at my colleague.
Geriatrics, adjusted work in nursing...
I've let the occupational health doctor and the head nurse know that I don't find geriatrics a "adjusted" department for pregnant women.
My head nurse then said that in that case, I'd better just take sick leave.
But how does that work if my gynecologist gives me a sick note?
Replies
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Moedertjuh #2
Then you're lucky.. I also work as a nurse on a PG ward. Today was my last day working with 34 weeks pregnant. Nothing to stop at 6 months, okay. Avoided aggressive residents as much as possible and didn't do 8-hour shifts anymore in the last 2 weeks. And that during a heatwave and staff shortage. As long as your pregnancy goes well, you can still do quite a lot. You just have to set your boundaries properly.
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