Frustrated with work!

happybride918

I work as a nurse at a local hospital, so you would think that being in healthcare managers would be protective/cautious of their newly pregnant employees. In some cases they are...such as they make another nurse hang chemo for me, no radiation patient's, etc... But yesterday I started spotting and cramping really bad. Really scared me to death. I found someone to cover my 4 hour shift for me today just so I would have a couple days to rest and hydrate. I got told today that the person who was going to cover it for me had something come up and my manager wouldn't let her cover my shift. She said, "Well, she's just going to have to come in, regardless." thankfully I did find someone else for it, but it's just really heartless and it upsets me so much that my health and my baby's health apparently means nothing. (And on a side note, no more spotting or cramping today! Thank goodness, because I have a 12 hour shift to work tomorrow.)

mishfull

It is sad that the human side of people doesn't come out more.

But on the other hand, it's not their job to worry about your health. It's their job to make sure the department is staffed and running smoothly.

It goes to the whole idea of no one is going to care as much about your pregnancy as you do.

On the positive end - I'm glad you go your shift covered and are doing better! GL  

090106

mishfull:

It is sad that the human side of people doesn't come out more.

But on the other hand, it's not their job to worry about your health. It's their job to make sure the department is staffed and running smoothly.

It goes to the whole idea of no one is going to care as much about your pregnancy as you do.

On the positive end - I'm glad you go your shift covered and are doing better! GL  

Agreed

Sarah RN

Healthcare is a difficult field to work in when your not pregnant let alone carrying a baby.  You would think our co-workers would be the first to jump in and help out but it is totally not the case.  I havnt let my fellow nurses know that I am pregnant yet but I am sure as soon as I do they will be aggravated that I may ask for some additional help when I'm 7 or 8 mths along.  Don't let anyone ruin this time for you!!!!!

266psyche

Awe I'm so sorry to hear that!  It is definitely the down side of the feminism movement for sure.  If we do work hard like our male counter part we can be vulnerable even when we actually are.

526SadieSadie

266psyche:

Awe I'm so sorry to hear that!  It is definitely the down side of the feminism movement for sure.  If we do work hard like our male counter part we can be vulnerable even when we actually are.

I don't see what the feminist movement has to do with this situation.  OP thought she had someone to cover her shift, but that person couldn't at the last minute and it was OP's responsibility to either go into work, or get coverage for her shift.  The same thing could have happened in any field when there's a schedule that has different shifts - to a man or a woman...

I'm glad OP found someone to cover her shift so she could rest, but that was her responsibility - the shift had to be covered by someone.

hunter91011

I completely understand where you are coming from, but also being on the management side at one point myself I see their concern as well.  If we needed a shift covered we had to find someone willing to do it,  then get it approved through management, unfortunately, even if they had already offered, and been approved, if something came up where they couldn't do it, the original person scheduled was still responsible for having it covered.

I'm glad that you found someone to cover it though, and it didn't turn in to an issue.  I think next time their is an issue like that, calling your doctor and asking him for an excuse from work might be better, just because (in my experience) with  Dr's note you are no longer responsible for your previously scheduled shift.

happybride918

I do understand shift coverage, but the hospital has float pool for a resource to cover spots like that. The whole reason there's even gaps like that is because one nurse only works 8 hour shifts and won't do 12's like everybody else. So 15 other people are made to pick up 4 or 8 hours here and there to accomidate (sp?) one person. It's just annoying. I guess I'm just particularly irritated with these pregnancy hormones in full swing haha

jw87

That is frustrating.  I would be just as upset.