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March 2013 Moms
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Healthcare mom-to-be's...

sb090bsb090b member
in March 2013 Moms

I'm am almost 7 weeks pregnant and work in a hospital as a physical therapist. A lot of the patients I am supposed to work with may be in isolation precautions (MRSA, cdiff, etc). I asked an RN at my doctor's who suggested to just avoid isolation rooms to be on the safe side. I've read over the internet too that some diagnoses may be safe while others definitely are not - like shingles, droplet, etc. Any hospital working mom-to-be's out there who can give me some advice as well? I told work right away, I think I was about 5 weeks, and have stayed out of isolation rooms except for today... when I had to go into a MRSA room because I was the only therapist there. I figured MRSA is quite common and just followed standard precautions and wore a mask to be safe...

 

Also, I've been feeling really guilty because I obviously had to tell work about my pregnancy announcement before we plan on telling our parents. I only told managers/co-workers who I knew would not tell anyone else, but have this guilt in the back of mind that it had to happen this way. I definitely wanted to wait to get an ultrasound picture to tell family. We go on August 2nd! Hopefully no one else finds out before that...

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Re: Healthcare mom-to-be's...

  • Abeja1226Abeja1226 member
    I went into a shingles room and was exposed the day after I found out I was pregnant.  It's only dangerous if you never had the chicken pox (which I did as a kid).  As for other isolation rooms, I go in all of them.  People at the beach, YMCA, gym, etc have MRSA and we could be colonized without even knowing it.  In school they taught us that when there's a danger to pregnant women, they put a sign on the door.  I wouldn't worry too much, if you follow the safety precautions you should be fine.  
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  • MaryJane459MaryJane459

    Hello! I'm a Physical Therapist in the hospital too. I was very concerned about this during my first pregnancy also. My doctor told me last time that as long as I followed all the appropriate precautions closely, that I would be fine. I went into every type of isolation room during my first pregnancy except for shingles and TB. I know it's scary though, especially with your first pregnancy. I am a little more comfortable with it this time around. All the lifting was also a big concern for me, but I just always make sure I have plenty of help. 

    Like you, I told work immediately the first time and that made me things a lot easier. I think that was a good idea. I haven't told them yet this time because I'm waiting until my appointment next week, but I will tell them after that. Best of luck to you! :) 

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  • MaryJane459MaryJane459

    imageAbeja1226:
    I went into a shingles room and was exposed the day after I found out I was pregnant.  It's only dangerous if you never had the chicken pox (which I did as a kid).  As for other isolation rooms, I go in all of them.  People at the beach, YMCA, gym, etc have MRSA and we could be colonized without even knowing it.  In school they taught us that when there's a danger to pregnant women, they put a sign on the door.  I wouldn't worry too much, if you follow the safety precautions you should be fine.  

     

    My Doctor told me the same thing about shingles. I'm sure I would have been fine going in those rooms, but I was a little paranoid and luckily had other therapists I could switch with. 

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  • MamaMel2307MamaMel2307
    I'm also pregnant for the first time and work as an RN in a rural hospital. Unfortunately because we are a small hospital there is usually only one RN and one to two LPNs on my shift so if there was any kind of emergency it would be difficult for me to avoid going into certain rooms. I don't plan on telling my co-workers until I'm a little further along unless a situation arises where I feel it would be unsafe for baby if I cared for a certain patient/entered a room.
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  • xmarygracexxmarygracex member

    I'm an ER nurse. I avoid all patients actively on chemotherapy or have some sort of radioactive implant, any airborne isolations, and use universal precautions when coming in contact with feces, rashes, lesions, or wounds. I mask up when my patient has a fever or flu-like symptoms just for my sake.

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  • Abeja1226Abeja1226 member
    imageMaryJane459:

    imageAbeja1226:
    I went into a shingles room and was exposed the day after I found out I was pregnant.  It's only dangerous if you never had the chicken pox (which I did as a kid).  As for other isolation rooms, I go in all of them.  People at the beach, YMCA, gym, etc have MRSA and we could be colonized without even knowing it.  In school they taught us that when there's a danger to pregnant women, they put a sign on the door.  I wouldn't worry too much, if you follow the safety precautions you should be fine.  

     

    My Doctor told me the same thing about shingles. I'm sure I would have been fine going in those rooms, but I was a little paranoid and luckily had other therapists I could switch with. 

    I also had a positive varicella titer to show that I did in fact get the virus when I was little, if I didn't know for certain I wouldn't go in there.  I will definitely avoid airborne precaution rooms like tb or flu and what PP said about radioactive implants.   

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