NHS nurse and pregnant

[LeaneJane7]

Good afternoon,

I can’t seem to find an appropriate group to post this in but I am hoping to find some help here.

I’m 28 weeks pregnant and currently trying to work through how to manage symptoms of this whilst trying to fulfil my job responsibilities. I feel I am lacking in support and the meeting I just had was lacking in empathy. What is reasonable adjustments when it comes to pregnancy and what isn’t? Can anyone offer any insight or help me produce options? I feel at a loss and very much like my pregnancy is an inconvenience.

Thank you in advance

You should be working from home at 28 weeks. If there isn’t work for you to do at home, you should be suspended on full pay. You should only continue working if your employer can ensure that you can maintain social distancing at all times, which is highly unlikely as a nurse.

Sorry, just reread your post - are you already working from home and still struggling?

According to RCOG guidelines you should have another risk assessment at 28 weeks and in my trust pregnant women work from home at 28 weeks.
What are you having trouble with? Your post isn't very clear.

In my Trust pregnant staff have been told they can come back in and work if there is some socially distanced office they can sit in and do admin. I think they’re all working from home though as there are no free office spaces.

What adjustments do you feel you need?

Apologies this should say 18weeks. Typo.

Thank you, I’m not sure where to begin really. I was off for 6 weeks my first trimester whilst starting to get my nausea and vomiting under control. I have gone back on a phased return, this is my 3rd week and felt like I was being asked to do too much considering I’m on a phased return. I’m a TVN and on my second week was asked to collaborate with the dementia nurse to produce a thematic analysis on falls (falls nurse on sick with long covid) by 3pm that same day. I get so overwhelmed and I made that clear in an email.

I also on that day dealt with 7 bleeps, 6 referrals, I have the PU report also to write and a meeting booked in to discuss upcoming Serious incidents.

I’ve just come out of a meeting which I felt very much was about how I’m going manage my emotional state, and that it wasn’t normal that I felt overwhelmed and was tearful as saying I feel stressed. I reiterated that i feel comfortable under the scope of TVN with that workload but I feel taking on another’s workload at this stage is too much - apparently we should be holistic and approach these end of year reports as a team. Anything I said which I thought was reasonable they had an answer for and I came out very deflated and very much like my mental health was not acknowledged. I said I would like mediation at the next meeting as I felt very emotional and feel this may be helpful. They want to resolve in-house naturally but I feel an outsider maybe helpful. Seeing occupational health next week for follow up and GP/midwife Friday. It was also commented that perhaps my midwives aren’t looking after me and that ‘something else is going on’ I’m not even sure what that means.

Basically I just want them to cut me some slack and be a bit more understanding that I’m not going to be on top form at the moment.

Why do you feel overwhelmed? Is your workload the same as it was before? Are you just tired?

Sorry that you are going through this. I too am a nurse on a very busy ward. Currently 19 weeks and I hate to admit but the theme of NHS managers being unsupportive during pregnancy seems to be fairly common. I suffered from horrendous sickness for the first 16 weeks but just kept attending work due to ward pressures. I requested my risk assessment on several occasions but was only completed a few weeks ago. Mine basically says to sit down more frequently and take more breaks as required (impossible since most days I can’t find the time to squeeze my two measly 30min breaks into my 13.5 hour shift!!!).
Is your trust offering any programmes to its staff regarding stress, anxiety, mental health wellbeing etc? Fortunately my trust has set up several face to face or virtual programmes to help support staff when we are feeling stressed out and overwhelmed. There are apps and National support services which has been set up for NHS staff to access when we feel we need extra support too. Think you can access a lot of the through nhs employers or through your trusts occy health service. Perhaps you could find these helpful?

Sorry if what I have posted isn’t very helpful but just wanted you to know you aren’t alone in feeling they way you do, desperately unsupported. At the moment we are to be non patient facing come 28 weeks so you only have 10 weeks to power through. Have you got any annual leave you could take to give yourself a break? X

Thank you, I’m sorry to hear you are finding it challenging too. It’s sad that a caring profession has such poor empathy for its workers. Your post is helpful, firstly W wise you reached out and shared a snap shot of your experience and secondly that I’m not alone as I do feel rather isolated with this at the moment. Covid-19 does not help matters as has just added to the pressures to an already stretched workforce!
I have accessed what I can to help but ultimately when your exhausted you do become (well I do) overwhelmed and it’s not as easy to apply mindfulness techniques. You need a safe place to go and vent and move on. Hopefully will get there and breaking the weeks down certainly helps! Thank you!

Been asked to pick up another staff member (who is on sick) report with an unrealistic deadline on top of my own workload and with no support or direction in how to do this. I’m definitely tired too!

Speak to occupational health. Say you do not feel comfortable with social distancing in non ventilated spaces. Also speak to GP. You are 28 weeks and do not need to sit in crowded non ventilated spaces. If all else fails you can go off sick after speaking to your GP.

Sorry to jump on post. Does anyone know if the 28 week advice will change? I know shielding is stopping 31/3 wondering what / if anything this will mean for pregnancy.

Thanks

@xem87 I’m not sure what is going to happen to be honest. It could all change in the next few months. However there seem to be an increase in articles and research saying pregnant women are being discovered to be increasing clinically vulnerable if we contract covid particularily in the third trimester. Guess it could go either way really x

@xem87 not sure either but I can’t see the advice changing anytime soon since most of us aren’t able to get the vaccine.

Sorry to hear this OP, speak with your GP and ask for a fit note with reduced hours. So if you feel you can cope with fours hours a day then ask for that, if your manager is not being understanding then take matters into your own hands. You can also self refer to OH like someone mentioned earlier. Good luck