I am nearly 8 weeks pregnant following our first and only round of IVF after TTC for 6 years and one MMC 2 years ago.
I am a nurse practitioner on a very busy orthopaedic ward. Last week I was told the government advice was to not be in work for 12 weeks. New update and phone call from boss today saying that only high risk is 3rd trimester and that I should come to work and work within a limited role.
The role is not the problem I have, as I just would not participate in a task if I felt it was putting me at risk of anything (covid19 aside) and I will have a pregnancy risk assessment.
My daily role is.....
Hour long meeting with 20 plus people.
Ward round with 4-6 people seeing numerous patients.
Back to the shared office with other practitioners, doctors and nurses, physios etc staying at the computer.
Then doing things such as bloods, reviewing unwell patients etc
My problem is that I will come into contact with a hundred people in one day.
I really dont want to be there knowing how far we have came to get this far. My partner is going mad. He has been told to come home from work due to my high risk and my stop son having asthma.
My questions really are......
Is anyone else in this situation?
Do I have a right to say I'm not coming in??
Thanks ladies xx
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Florencenightingale
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Just wanted to say congrats to you, and I absolutely understand you wanting to do *everything* to keep your little one safe!!
I thought the first trimester is usually the most vulnerable time, no??? As far as I had read a few days ago, they have basically no data on the impact on the first 2 trimesters, but it seems to be relatively safe for 3rd trimester pregnancy from the small amount of data they have. So basically the opposite of this new guidance?? Makes no sense to me.
Gosh, I'm so sorry you are being put in this position. Honestly, personally I would say the stress and anxiety are too much with the pregnancy. Get yourself signed off if that's what you need, but it's a personal decision ofc. Not sure how that would affect your job or financially. Best of luck hun xx
Hi love. The government advice is to ALL pregnant people, not just those in the third trimester. You definitely have a right to say you're not coming in! In fact, the government is advising it! I wouldn't be going in....
Hey Florencenightingale....Im not sure if you have seen this page or not from the Royal College of Gynaecologist. You may have to get signed off by your GP as it does look like they are recommending you just use the correct PPE. Sorry you must be worried sick!xx
Q7. What is the advice if I am a healthcare worker and pregnant?
Advice for pregnant healthcare workers before 28 weeks gestation
If you are in your first or second trimester (less than 28 weeks pregnant), with no underlying health conditions, you should practise social distancing but can continue to work in a patient-facing role, provided the necessary precautions are taken.
You should avoid, where possible, caring for patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus infection. If this is not possible, you should use personal protective equipment (PPE) and ensure a thorough risk assessment is undertaken.
Some working environments, such as operating theatres, respiratory wards and intensive care/high dependency units, carry a higher risk for all pregnant women of exposure to the virus and all healthcare workers in these settings are recommended to use appropriate PPE.
Advice for pregnant healthcare workers after 28 weeks gestation, or with an underlying health condition
If you are in your third trimester (more than 28 weeks pregnant), or have an underlying health condition – such as heart or lung disease – you should avoid direct patient contact. You should work from home where possible, avoid contact with anyone with symptoms of coronavirus, and significantly reduce unnecessary social contact.
We encourage employers to seek opportunities for pregnant healthcare workers in their third trimester to work flexibly in a different capacity, to avoid roles where they are working directly with patients.
Whatever gestation of your pregnancy, you should discuss your individual circumstances with your local Occupational Health department.
The evidence base for this new virus is growing rapidly and, as and when new information emerges, the Government and professional bodies will update the guidance.
I was in the same boat. I part manage a care home and was so unsure of what was going on last week. I self isolated. Then the full guidance came out......
I’m not in contact with hundreds of people and if I was I would ask for another job role as per guidance. I’m happy to be at work now knowing the full guidance and re access when I’m 28 weeks.
I’m really sorry to hear this 😔 i’m an Occupational Therapist at an NHS hospital and and 5 and a half weeks pregnant after our second round of ivf. I’m keen to go back and do what i can but my manager is ADAMANT i’m not to come back at all because of all we’ve been through she sees me as high risk being in the hospital - even in the office, and has given me strict orders to stay at home.
Im bored but so so lucky i’m being thought of like that. It seems like it can be managers discretion, and im sorry your manager isnt as supportive.
Sunshine92 you got a very good manager. I wish mine was like yours. I work on a high risk ward, with my underlying conditions, no one has asked me to self isolate.
Sorry for my ignorance. If you are 20 weeks or 21 weeks, are you in your 3rd trimester? I’m asking because a girl where I work, has been asked to self isolate for 12 weeks. I got SLE and RA, on immune suppressant. I haven’t been told to self isolate. 🤔
Of course you have a right and anyone can choose not to come to work when it comes to pay however it maybe different but you have a right to say you can’t come in due to health reasons even if it wasn’t this pandemic!
Oh !if it was me I’d tell them I’m not coming let them attempt to sack you .you won’t get fired anyway after 12 weeks not with all this going off. surley you can take unpaid leave in or request other work .it would be hard to get the advice you need too as citizen advice would probably be closed I’m so sorry you are in the predicament!if it was me though I’d have to put my baby first I didn’t go to work this Sunday as I work with the public and felt like I was putting myself at risk they weren’t offering me any precaution face masks just a small hand sanitizer and pack of tissues I just called in sick and thought if this new rule didn’t come in where I’m now not allowed to work I would have requested more protection it’s not worth the £9.50 an hour when you think of the lives you could be damaging I’ve got 3 kids at home x
Hiya, Working Families has legal advice on this topic. They say:
If you are pregnant and your work exposes you to a significantly higher risk of COVID-19 than you would be exposed to in the ‘outside world’ (i.e. in your day-to-day activities), then your employer should suspend you on full pay if there is no work that you can do from home. This would apply for example if you are a frontline NHS employee, a pharmacist or are working in a particularly busy supermarket. Health & safety law says that if your workplace poses a significantly higher risk to you and your baby’s health than you would be exposed to in the ‘outside world’ (your day-to-day activities), your employer has to:
1. Temporarily adjust your working conditions to remove the risk; or if that is not possible
2. Offer you suitable alternative work (at the same pay) if available; or if that is not possible
3. Suspend you from work on paid leave for as long as necessary to protect your health and safety, and that of your unborn child.
I am also in similar position. I am 10weeks and 5 days pregnant and I work in a hospital. I have managed to work from home. I think if they get super short staff I would be called as a last resort. If you did work from home, is their things you can do? I am currently reviewing 80 risk assessments (which obviously isn’t fun but does mean I can wfh) and reviewing incidents among other various things. I don’t think they have enough data for early pregnancy so you really do need to think about yourself and tell your manager how much this is causing stress and see if they will let your wfh or get paid sick pay? I know not ideal but better than worrying everyday. I sometimes feel bad for working at home but you have to do what is right and your baby (I keep reminding myself this) x
Hi. Thanks for your reply. Theres not really anything I can do from.home..I've even suggested I can do admin work for other departments. But they have said at the minute as we are a low risk ward then it's safe.
I've been in today and havent been near any patients but even my colleagues have been sitting close to me etc and dont seem bothered. Ive had a migraine all day so think I'll be calling in sick tomorrow anyway. I'm just hoping the government guidelines change asap xx
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