Pregnant Nurse with new guidance RE COVID 19

[TTC1993]

Whats your thoughts on the new advice about pregnant women in high risk category for covid 19? Are you guys still going in to work given we've been told so self isolate now?

Hey everyone!

There is new guidance from RCOG, basically it is our choice if we want to work in a patient facing role. And companies have to respect that choice.

Then from 28 weeks it is advised to work from home.

@FAB1990 what does that mean for pay?

I’ve been told I have to work patient facing until 28 weeks. I don’t mind a great deal.

@FAB1990 I just saw that! So they have back tracked, maybe after all the pressure!

I’m 25 weeks and will now definitely say I’m not going to be patient facing.

Yeah I have just referred myself to OH, and currently working in the education department instead. Miss my normal work, but glad to be in a safer environment.

Just wondering what people's work are getting them to do now. Due back to work tomorrow and unsure of what to expect!

Same here, I’ve been on annual leave this week, due back tomorrow. The latest advice says it’s our choice if we are patient facing prior to being 28 weeks pregnant. I will be saying I want to work from home as I’m 26 weeks now x

@purpletrees3 I have been asked to help train all the return to practice nurses, new ITU staff and also the students who are finishing early.

That way not patient facing but still feel like I am doing something that helps.

@FAB1990 Thanks, that's good to hear and sounds like a really nice role. Are you doing that from home or still hospital based?

@purpletrees3 still hospital based, but our education center is actually in a different building on the site. So very separate. Would be nice to work from home but there just isn't enough laptops to go around.

@bobbypinseverywhere do you know if GP surgery's are still doing baby's immunisations? I couldn't get through to my practice last week and my baby is due her 12 week jabs tomorrow. I will try to ring again in the morning before going, but have had standard texts saying all face to face apps cancelled. So I assume it's cancelled, just worried as my DH is still working out of the house so my baby could still catch something, despite me being at home with the kids.

@TTC1993 my few pregnant friends are completely isolating. I suppose it would depend on what type of nurse you are now, but I realise people are being required to take on different duties. My SIL is pregnant and is a school nurse, so is currently off as not needed.

@lyraray I heard that baby immunisations were continuing to happen, but I would continue to try & contact your gp. My gp are honouring appointments made before the 25/03 so my midwife appointment will go ahead x

I’m a practice nurse and I’m now doing admin duties. There’s a couple of days where I’m the only nurse in and I’ll see a couple of patients for dressings, my community nurse colleagues are completely overrun so I don’t want to refer them for home visits and I’ll screen the patients and likely mask up.

@lyraray we are still administering Childhood vaccinations as long as the household is symptom free. Give them a call before you go down though. We are making patients wait outside the building before their apt time.

I'm a paediatric nurse, no confirmed cases on my ward (yet) but plenty throughout the hospital. My matron is currently following PHE advice, so myself and two other colleagues that are due a few weeks behind me are not looking after respiratory patients. We'll all be moved to admin roles at 28 weeks assuming guidance doesn't change yet again in that time. Such a scary time for everyone right now.

We have a similar issue with laptops. Not enough to go around to let us work from home. So still working for now but my face to face clinical duties are no longer happening.

I still think the RCOGs advice is irresponsible but my mat leave is being calculated now and my sick leave is limited. Can't go off or I risk my pay. So to work I go again tomorrow.

Have a safe week ahead ladies

I'm a medical registrar, currently 4+3 weeks pregnant so very early. I've been off on sick leave since I found out last week as I had to stop my regular medication and so I'd already been told to self-certify as sick should I get pregnant and come off meds.

The plan pre-COVID was to have reasonable adjustments - I already work 60% less than full time so would have probably reduced my hours further and come off on calls. Now with COVID I'm not sure how I'm going to work, even when I've decided I don't want to be patient facing (our hospital is a mixed hot and cold site and our base ward is next in line to receive COVID cases). I can't drive without my medication so I would have to get a train then a bus or taxi to the hospital, then back again. Our office is a big mixed office with 8-10 desks and lots of passing traffic with porters bringing notes etc. As I'm so early, only my supervisor knows I'm pregnant so enforcing the 2m rule is going to be really hard as nobody else knows I'm pregnant! Going to speak to my supervisor about it this week but deep down I'm really hoping they will either let me work from home updating guidelines etc or doing some audit, or just send me home on full pay.

@Emerald89 I am in a similar situation to you. I am 18 weeks & work in a receiving unit which is now a covid-19 receiving base. I am unsure that my work will be able to have me in an area where I will not be patient facing. However, even if they are I am worried about being in a hospital in general as there are so many people! I doubt my work can have me work from home & would be ideal if they sent me home on full pay but I feel I might just need to continue with sick lines which I am worried about effecting my maternity pay

My work seems to be saying similar to others and are not facilitating working from home due to lack of laptops.
Now non clinical but still very anxious about being in a hospital & unable to socially distance.
Hope everyone gets the answers they want soon. Wish there was clearer guidelines out there as everyone seems to interpret them differently!

@purpletrees3 same situation here. Greatful to be non-clinical but still concerened and anxious. My union rep has unofficially told me to go on the sick. But like @Lolxx I'm worried about my mat leave contributions. Such a worrying time :(

@AnonymousNurse
I've unofficially been told the same, but personally think it's not fair to have to get signed off sick. Getting very fed up with it all!

Hi Everyone,

If you haven't seen it there's currently a petition to protect pregnant healthcare workers.

www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-protect-pregnant-healthcare-workers-in-the-uk-from-covid-19?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_21013612_en-GB%3Av1&recruiter=118781860&recruited_by_id=e1d05852-f2e1-4310-a2e2-e9c6f168b55e&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial

My occupational health team has advised me to state I do not want a patient facing role and then when I'm in an admin role they have to guarantee I can practice social distancing.

I've currently had to take annual leave as I'm still worried about going back!

@purpletrees3 I totally agree. It's not fair they are forcing our hand to sign off. I feel your frustration. It's getting harder to work one day at a time with this uncertainty hanging over us.

@AnonymousNurse @purpletrees3 how does being signed off sick affect our maternity pay? As I’m 18 weeks mines will be calculated now

My mat pay is calculated between 17-25 weeks. I have not been with the trust that long and think I have one months full sick pay (of which I have used two weeks due to early pregnancy complications) then it goes to half pay.

My understanding is that they take an average of your salary between those months and base your mat pay entitlements on that. Hence if I'm only on half pay my entitlement will be lower. ( I think this is why alot of people work bank shifts over this period to boost their overall leave pay)

I apologise if this is incorrect information. I'm slightly overwhelmed with all things pregnancy right now!

@AnonymousNurse no I believe you are right! I’m sure I’m entitled to 3 months full pay which will be calculated throughout 17/18-25/26 weeks (I can’t remember what), if I decide to take these 3 months off to self isolate I should get my full maternity pay?