Work... what are the risks?

[Sukie272]

I work in a hospital, with direct patient contact on several acute medical wards. I haven't worked since finding out I was pregnant (due to HG) but when I'm able to go back, what are the conditions I need to avoid?

I'm aware I need to avoid contact with patients who are radioactive, plus anyone with shingles... does anyone know which other viruses/conditions can be risky to pregnant women?
What about suspected cases of C-diffe, hepatitis, MRSA, viral meningitis? What about undiagnosed D&V?

Can I refuse to see patients with these conditions or will they just expect me to take extra precautions eg mask and gown?

Have you not had a risk assessment at work? I'd speak to the HR department!

Rubella, measles, chickenpox, fifth disease, thrush, toxo, herpes.. I think the group b streps can be bad too.

Really though, miss twister is spot on. See your occy health - they MUST do a risk assessment for you and offer you alternative work if your current environment is hazardous.

Yes ask for a risk assessment. I work with kids (risks such as chickenpox etc) so my work needed to know and do a risk assessment during pregnancy. In your job even more so!

Thanks for the advice

Yes I guess they'll do a risk assessment when I eventually return to work (though our occ.health dept isn't the best so I'll probably have to chase it up). I didn't know I was pregnant until I went off sick.

I'm particularly worried about exposure to undiagnosed conditions (or if test results come back as inconclusive but a condition is suspected)..

Your Infection Control Department might have a policy on this. They do at the hospital where I work. There were only about 5 on the list, from memory: CMV, chicken pox, rubella, pertussis, parainfluenza (I think, it was one of the common respiratory viruses, but I couldn't find any answers when I googled the risks after being exposed in pregnancy), measles. I asked about Group B strep after looking after a patient who was very ill with it, but my MW said you don't catch it like that.
Some of my colleagues would advise me against the patients with C Diff or MRSA or herpes, but there was nothing official to say I shouldn't look after them.
I work in a children's hospital so more likely to be exposed to e.g chicken pox, but actually my own child had that when I was pregnant with DC2 anyway and I couldn't really avoid her.
Like you say, there is also the issue of these conditions not being diagnosed until after you have beeen in contact with the patient. This happpened to me in both pregnancies.

Infection control have been more help than OH or my manager who completed my risk assessment. C diff and mrsa are fine as long as you observe the proper hand hygiene. I'm in adult acute and have avoided confirmed or selected flu cases, CMV (in a teenager not seen it in an adult), and shingles. The ward managers have been pretty good at advising if I'm not sure-I guess they have more experience as they have more nurses who are pregnant.

Oh and I've been super cautious and if there's any suspicion I've asked my colleagues to see them-feel bad as they don't really want to always be exposed but they understand the risk is greater for me. I've also been wearing gloves for all patients and a bit OCD with hand washing but then I've always erred on the side of caution and wear gloves because I have excema on my hands and so many patients are diagnosed after they've been in a couple of days