Crazy Work Schedule/Healthcare field

Re: Crazy Work Schedule/Healthcare field

• melc91 member

  January 2020

  I'm wondering the same thing! I work 10+hour  days if I'm lucky. And I have on call periods where I could be called out in the middle of the night and work for 12+ hours... (Happened on the 23rd) I was miserable and so stressed. I don't want to tell my bosses yet. But I think come Monday I'll have too because work is so hard right now... Just exhausted.
  
  What would be the plan for you if you tell them? Modified hours ? ...I'll likely be admin work. Which will be boring. But all I want is to sleep and have this baby grow healthy! 
  
  The struggle ...

  Report1 Reply
• Loading the player...
• tara4910 member

  January 2020

  @runnermom04 @melc151 I’m a nurse and I worked in the PACU when I was pregnant with my DD. I worked 10-12 hr shifts and after a really brutal 15 hr night I ended up telling my director I wasn’t willing to work that long/late any more. I was probably 20 weeks and just physically too exhausted and didn’t feel safe taking care of patients. My work said “okay” and made sure I only had 8 or 10 hr shifts from then on, but I didn’t really give them an option. I sort of just said I can’t do this anymore it’s not safe for me or the patients. I don’t have any advice for 24 hour shifts, but I’m sorry that sounds so exhausting. 
  
  I also had to tell some of my co-workers I was pregnant earlier than I wanted to - around 6 weeks - because I didn’t feel comfortable restraining combative patients as they were waking up from anesthesia. 
  
  It’s really hard to work in healthcare while pregnant. It’s physically demanding and you don’t always get to take breaks when your body tells you to.  Remember to advocate for yourself and let your doctor know if you really need to cut back because they can prescribe light duty if your job is too physically straining. 

  
  

  Report2 Reply
• RedBaramid member

  January 2020

  I worked third shift as a caregiver for DD adults through my first pregnancy, and it was pretty rough, but I managed. I was lucky in the sense that most nights everyone slept through the night but I still had rough ones. I was also the first face they saw in the mornings to get up and ready, and sometimes that made me a not so favorite person. My standard shift was 13 hours at the time and around 32 weeks or so my doctors and I agreed that I should really only work 10 hours tops. Combative clients were the scariest part, and when I would have to occasionally fill in at sites where I was less familiar with the folks living there was very scary sometimes and I did get to the point at about 25 weeks where I told my supervisors that I was no longer willing to fill in at other sites where I wasn't as familiar with the people who lived there.
  
  My best advice is to be open with your doctor about what your career has you doing and to remember to advocate for yourself. Some companies sadly see pregnant employees as a drain sometimes and you've gotta stand up for yourself. I've sadly seen they will try to take advantage of your situation especially if they know you need the job for the health insurance.

  
  

  Report3 Reply
• gardengnome103 member

  January 2020

  I'm a NICU RN and I have been working 4-5 12 hour shifts (random mix of days/afternoons/nights) and I can't wait until I can cut back to only 3 per week. I'm 8 weeks along and honestly can't tell if most of my symptoms are pregnancy related or work related. I know plenty of nurses and doctors (who do 24 hr shifts) who have survived, but I'm expecting it to get pretty miserable toward the end. 

  Report3 Reply
• laurenaward member

  January 2020

  I'm a pharmacist and also terrified. Working 13 + hour shifts and not sitting down once with no food breaks is going to be tough. My friends who are pharmacists basically said prep quick snack foods to take and get a good pair of compression socks. As it gets further along I'll try some ideas and see. Fingers crossed 

  Report1 Reply
• tyrion_ member

  January 2020

  @laurenaward I did 4 10 hour days (M-Th) with my first. I had a bag I carried of Larabars, raisins, almonds, Gatorade, water and bananas with me and would shove mouthfuls in while I was walking between patients. And compression socks are very necessary!  

  Report1 Reply
• older1sttime_mom2b member

  January 2020

  Hi all, I am aworking in a stressful healthcare position as the RN in charge of nursing services and clinical outcomes at a large dialysis center. My work days start at 5 am and I'm out of bed at 3:30 am. Usually not home before 5pm at the earliest. If I was still in hospital, I'm not sure how I'd cope, one of the things I like about my current job is that I can generally pee whenever I want. To those ladies working more than 12 hours, kudos to you I'm not sure how you do it! 
  
  My main concern at my job is frequent and prolonged bending without ergonomic solutions.
  

  Report2 Reply
• gardengnome103 member

  January 2020

  I already wear compression socks daily, but I just bought new ones to wear as I'm sure my current ones are well worn and pretty stretched out 

  Report0 Reply
• jocieplus5 member

  January 2020

  The healthcare field is soooo exhausting, especially when you're pregnant. With my first 3 pregnancy I worked 3-4 12hr, overnight shifts a week. And I worked up until I was 37 weeks each time. I got so burnt out! My husband worked day shift so I would take little cat naps when the kids were napping but I pulled a lot of 24hr+days just because I had to. It was miserable and I finally got way to burnt out, I actually gave my notice with my 3rd and got done right before he was born. I've been a stay at home Mum for 3 years and honestly, I don't think I'll ever not be tired again. It wore me out so bad. We are due with baby #5 in August and I've mentioned going back to work just for the social aspect but I physically can't, not right now at least. 
  

  Report0 Reply