Fellow Nurses! How are you?

[nurserachel22]

I liked reaching out to you all some time ago! Just wanted to check in with everyone.

How far along are you?

How long do you plan to work?

Have you cut back at work (hours, patient load) due to the pregnancy?

Anything else you want to share/discuss?



I am now 27w2days. I work 3 days In home health and one day in ortho to remain prn. I worked Friday night....and late in the evening Saturday I couldn't walk upright. My back kills and my SI joints
Are irritated...last time I had anything like this was at 3 months. When it happens I can't walk far/make it up stairs without help. I swear I tried so hard to use good body mechanics! This makes me scared that I won't last much longer at the hospital. Still trying to drum up that after baby schedule as well.

I can pickup four hour shifts, but I would rather work my 8 hour shifts (I despise 12s, and this hospital doesn't schedule people that way unless they pickup).

Let us know how things are going!!!

[radtechgirl]

I am 25 weeks 6 days still working my 7/70 over nights. I plan on working till my due date which is May 26th. I have not cut back my hours, I am pretty lucky and not having any problems while at work. I do notice I am quite sleeping during my down periods at work. Mainly between 1am and 2am.

I need to talk with my manager and see what the plan is for having my maturity coverage person start working with me on over nights or if she is going to p I'll me from. Nights and have me work during the day which terrifies me caus it is so much more stress and so much more patient interaction.

I did have an interview for a day/pmositon which open recently in my department, but it sounds like it would not start till the fall, when I come back

[amylee545]

Thanks for posting this! I was thinking about posting something like this to check in with all the other nurses.

How far along are you? 28 weeks today

How long do you plan to work? I have had hopes to make it to full term. But at this rate, I don't think that's gonna happen. I've been so good about not doing much lifting at work. But just being on my feet for so long is killing me. I am completely useless after my 8 1/2 hour shifts. I crash on the couch and I waddle around because of my terrible hip/back/sciatic pain and spasms.

Have you cut back at work (hours, patient load) due to the pregnancy? I haven't cut back yet. I'm only 24 hours. I used to pick up 1 or 2 extra shifts to make it to 32-40 hours, which I have stopped doing since my regular 3 days a week is pretty difficult to make it through. I've been thinking of maybe having to go per diem sooner rather than later though so I can cut down to 1-2 days a week. I'm going to push myself as far as I can go though.

[prater2011]

How far along are you? 28wks 5days

How long do you plan to work? Until my water breaks at work No really, I worked the entire day on the day I was induced last time.

Have you cut back at work (hours, patient load) due to the pregnancy? No

Anything else you want to share/discuss? I too have been having terrible SI pain. I finally asked Dr. Google because it didn't seen like sciatic pain completely and my chiro was having a hard to telling me exactly what the issue is since it is not resolving with treatments. Pelvic Girdle Pain. Explains it to a T, trouble walking, standing from sitting, turning over in bed, sharp stabbing pains in SI joing, weakness in leg. Ya, I'm pretty much over this symptom of pregnancy.

[jennadesigns]

How far along are you? I'm 28 weeks, 3 days

How long do you plan to work? until the day before my c-section, if possible.

Have you cut back at work (hours, patient load) due to the pregnancy? I'm working 72 hours a pay period, day shift on a med/surg floor at the hospital. I haven't cut back my hours yet, but I'm worried that I might end up on bedrest before the end of this pregnancy. I have had a couple days in the last two weeks where I've had to go home in the middle of my shift because I was having contractions that were 5 minutes apart for hours. The good news is that I'm not dilated and my doctor doesn't think it's early labor, just that I have an irritated uterus. My instructions are that I'm allowed to work provided my contractions aren't 10 minutes or closer together, painful, or my water breaks. I'm hoping to keep this babe in as long as possible. As far as patient load, I've been carrying my usual, I am just a little more careful about lifting.

[prater2011]

jennadesigns-take care of yourself and that baby. I'm sure your patients would tell you the same. amylee545 and nurserachel22,- hope your back pain gets better soon.

[nurserachel22]

jennadesigns please take care of yourself! I know you will but just sending well wishes

prater2011 sounds like we have the same problem. Sometimes I have to have my fiancé roll me over. I literally can't lift my leg sometimes. The burning in the si joint is terrible! I took tylenol just because. Who knows how far that went

[nurserachel22]

norsern sorry you cried getting into bed! When you roll, try to log roll. It's getting harder with the belly, but it helps decrease the pain.

amylee545 my coworkers help a lot with the lifting so I don't so much either. I am prn too. In home health I have 3 set days, but it's kind of like prn. I can change my schedule and drop down whenever. I am also trying to suck it up and push myself... But man!

[nurserachel22]

Feb 16, 2015 14:39:04 GMT -5 norsern said:

Feb 16, 2015 14:34:34 GMT -5 nurserachel22 said:

norsern sorry you cried getting into bed! When you roll, try to log roll. It's getting harder with the belly, but it helps decrease the pain.

I did log roll :/

Aw damn. When I went to PT for this problem, the therapist had my lay on my back and she lifted my leg up which relieved the pain some! Never thought of that. Have you tried a support brace?

[prater2011]

Feb 16, 2015 14:31:51 GMT -5 nurserachel22 said:

jennadesigns please take care of yourself! I know you will but just sending well wishes

prater2011 sounds like we have the same problem. Sometimes I have to have my fiancé roll me over. I literally can't lift my leg sometimes. The burning in the si joint is terrible! I took tylenol just because. Who knows how far that went

Yup, exactly! Says PGP is worse at night and esp with laying in bed. I literally scream in pain when trying to move in bed, DH has to do it. Says best way to move is to pull up knees as close to chest as possible and then move. I have also noticed that if i use the leg on the hurting side instead of the not hurting side, to push with, I am able to roll a little. I also read to flex your butt muscles as that helps stabilize the pelvis. It kills to walk, and I don't know about you, but I don't feel like walking with my butt flexed 

[nurserachel22]

prater2011 I can't even flex my ass and walk lol!!

I scream too.... I feel so ridiculous and helpless. And then I get in the mindset of "get yourself together!!!" Like I literally just want to stop working at hospital right now. Thanks for the tips!!! My fiancé has been my "patient care tech" so I cleaned the kitchen and living room this am before work. Bless his heart.

[flyinghorses6]

I'm so glad you posted this...I love knowing that I'm not alone with my pregnant nurse problems...

I am 28 weeks exactly.

I plan on working until my due date or the day I go into labor pending I don't have any restrictions from the doctor and so far so good. I work on the unit I am going to deliver on, so I answer this question like 50x a shift ha ha

I have not cut back- I work 40 hour nights. It has been very challenging. I don't transfer patients anymore but that's more just my coworkers being courteous of my pregnant state and them being worried we will have to go down a nurse if I feel like complete crap after I return. They don't let me do too much lifting but I definitely do a good amount still. The hardest thing for me is the demands of being in an active labor patients room. From laboring, to assisting with an epidural, to pushing for 1-3 hours. My feet are almost always a little swollen by the end of a shift and my back is always sore. I try not to complain and just do my job, but damn do I want to just cry sometimes.

[soyboy]

Can i sit at your table??
I am a physical therapist, i work in a level 1 trauma hospital. I am primarily in the ICUs (we have 10 ICU units- i float in them all). So i can relate (commiserate?) with you all! 




How far along are you?
28w + some days 


How long do you plan to work?
Until my water breaks


Have you cut back at work (hours, patient load) due to the pregnancy?
No. I probably should. They would be happy to let me go work on a walkie/talkie unit with easy patients, but that SO boring to me. I love the neuro and trauma ICUs- thats where the action is. So because i choose to stay in the ICU, this means lots of lifting on my part, and i am a small person to being with. 


Anything else you want to share/discuss? I am wearing thigh high TEDs now (and sweating my ass off) because im on my feet almost all day. i am starting to get some pretty intense BH at work despite hydrating well. I may bite the bullet and switch to an easier patient load in a few weeks. Its hard for me to do though, because i worked in the unit up until 39wk+ with my son! 

[tomatopie]

Hi again!

I'm 26w3d. Im still doing home health - four days a week and one weekend a month. After the baby ill stick with one weekend a month to stay PRN. I'm big enough that patients are just asking when I'm due instead of asking if in expecting. I'm a FTM and honestly I didn't think I'd be this big already.

I've started to request not to case manage patients with cats because I'm so allergic and I don't want to take allergy meds while pregnant. I get so annoyed when patients smoke during my visit. I mean ok it's their house and they can do what they want, but seriously I'm there for like a half hour, can't ya just wait til I leave?

[nurserachel22]

flyinghorses6 wow! First off, you have an awesome job I'm not sure I could do l&d. I'm a mom baby person lol. At the hospital I work at they don't cross train. A belt or brace would probably benefit ALL of us. So your pals will be helping you deliver right?! That's crazy!

soyboy of course you can. Now that I think about it I should have made it for health care professionals. I love medical ICU but STICU... Scares me. I know when we have done something before (like you working with your son) we are like oh I can so this! I am a FTM, but if I make it through this I may go back to Vegas and jump off the stratosphere again! I did that when I passed my boards. I wish you well and be safe moving those patients!

[nurserachel22]

tomatopie when I was newly pregnant, my house I had with cats almost killed my allergies and asthma! I take Benedryl for my stuffy nose and to sleep. I wish people could be more respectful about the smoking thing... This is unrelated but my future FIL lit up a cigarette knowing I have severe asthma.. And hello! I'm pregnant! We left immediately.

radtechgirl I switched from days to evenings and I can say that I love the decrease in interaction with others. Dayshift is so incredibly busy, so it was a nice change of pace. I'm not sure I could go back to 7am-7p, so I get your concern. Good luck with your decision!

[CaptainLeela]

How far along are you?
28 weeks 5 days (I think?)


How long do you plan to work?
All the way until I deliver. I have a desk job so it shouldn't be a problem for me to continue to work as long as possible.


Have you cut back at work (hours, patient load) due to the pregnancy?
Nope, thankfully I don't do shift work so this isn't an issue for me. Praise jeebus because my feet are starting to hurt on the regular and I'm not sure what I would do if I was on my feet all day - I'm not jealous of the floor nurses at all. You girls are amazing.


Anything else you want to share/discuss?

[flyinghorses6]

nurserachel22, they will be there ready to help me! It's comforting and awkward all at the same time.

[babydsmama]

27w6d

I want to work until the end, but I have a goal to make it to May 1st.

I have cut back on my hours. I left my PRN position. So now I'm working 3- 12s a week instead of 4-5. Still working nights though.

I have been having the worst right hip pain. I called DH from the car in the driveway the other morning bc I literally could not get up. I got a PT consult and have been going to work on hip strengthening. PT said she wasn't sure if it was pregnancy related, an ongoing right hip weakness, or a combo of the 2. I also wear a support belt and have been refusing total care patients unless we are fully staffed. (It ends up making more work for other people when they give me the pts that require a lot of lifting and repositioning).

I am most likely moving during my maternity leave (DH is deploying and my parents offered their in law apartment to me and the baby). I think I will look for something PRN days but I don't know if I want to work on a floor.

[CaptainLeela]

Feb 17, 2015 18:50:54 GMT -5 norsern said:

CaptainLeela what do you do?

I'm in public health. My main job is disaster preparedness policy development/training but still do some clinic work as well. Mostly family planning for teens.

[nurserachel22]

Feb 18, 2015 12:20:43 GMT -5 CaptainLeela said:

Feb 17, 2015 18:50:54 GMT -5 norsern said:

CaptainLeela what do you do?

I'm in public health. My main job is disaster preparedness policy development/training but still do some clinic work as well. Mostly family planning for teens.

Have you been in nursing for a while? I want to be in public health... Badly. Love education with clients. Also, what level schooling do you have? Just curious because I want to get into it one day.

[nurserachel22]

babydsmama I went back to the floor and I'm like yeah... Why. I guess it's for some people, but I don't ever want to do it full time again. I can't remember how long everyone has been a nurse, but I'm just two years in. Trying to be patient to get to the type of job I want one day. I'm not so sure I want to go back and get my masters now.

[CaptainLeela]

Feb 18, 2015 12:28:54 GMT -5 nurserachel22 said:

Feb 18, 2015 12:20:43 GMT -5 CaptainLeela said:

I'm in public health. My main job is disaster preparedness policy development/training but still do some clinic work as well. Mostly family planning for teens.

Have you been in nursing for a while? I want to be in public health... Badly. Love education with clients. Also, what level schooling do you have? Just curious because I want to get into it one day.

I've been a nurse for 8 years and been in public health for 7 years. I have a BSN, which is almost always required if you want to be in public health. A lot of states are moving toward masters level nurses now too. 

[babydsmama]

nurserachel22 I think the skills I have developed are awesome but it is so high stress and hard on your body. At this point I have almost 3 years experience and I'm taking my PCCN exam in April. I'm looking forward to my summer long maternity leave to try to figure out the next step for me. Maybe PRN cardiac rehab or clinic nursing? I also want my masters but I'm still paying for my BSN and dishing out more money is not in the cards right now!

[nurserachel22]

Feb 18, 2015 12:43:42 GMT -5 CaptainLeela said:

Feb 18, 2015 12:28:54 GMT -5 nurserachel22 said:

.

I've been a nurse for 8 years and been in public health for 7 years. I have a BSN, which is almost always required if you want to be in public health. A lot of states are moving toward masters level nurses now too. 

7 years is awesome! I have my BSN now. There was an opening for a TB nurse in public health around here...Obviously not good timing, but the job sounded cool. I'll just keep waiting on my time!