Weddingbee boards

At about 10 weeks pregnant I started a new job on night shift. I had been working days during my orientation and was totally fine. Since starting nights I've been sick non stop, throwing up at work, migraines and lots of dizziness especially in the morning. I spend my days off trying to recover but I just can't get used to this :( I am the only nurse on the floor when I work so I am alone with no one to help me if I need it, and no one else to respond to emergencies if I'm in the bathroom getting sick, which worries me.

My midwife wrote me a note saying I shouldn't be working overnights because of my severe symptoms and I brought it into work because they told me I'd need a note to request to change shifts. I didn't hear anything for a week until I finally called and was told I needed a more specific note. I got them the new note and was also getting calls every day like "we need proof your doctor is refusing to give you a chest x-ray" (to prove I don't have TB) and "we need proof you're immune to varicella". I was kind of upset by this because someone could have told me upon hiring me what immunizations and stuff I needed, but they didn't so all my missing paperwork was discovered when I requested the shift change and needed to be handed in before they could talk to HR about me I guess?

Another week went by and I called to see if there was any news and I was told that human resources was deciding and she'd check her email and call me back. I never got a call back (which is fine, I know I'm not the only priority there) and was very sick yesterday and had to call out :( I absolutely HATE calling out and this is my second time doing it. I'm just at the end of my rope with what this is doing to my body. My husband sees how sick I am, I throw up so much I get nosebleeds and broken blood vessels in and around my eyes, and he is begging me to stop working this shift. I know MS is just part of pregnancy but forcing yourself to stay up all night while you're sick and need rest is not. I feel like my body is telling me this isn't right. I don't know if I should call again and see if she ever found out yesterday or if I should just leave her alone because I called out.

I don't want to lose my job or seem like a lazy whiner but this is seriously affecting my health. My mom thinks I just need to eat saltines and tough it out, but she never got sick during her pregnancy and never worked nights. Gahhh!! I just don't know what to do at this point :(

Hmm, this is all news to me. I was told that HR would read my request and doctor's notes and decide if it was a "justified shift change" and then administration would get back to me. I called and left a message for the DON to call me back, if she hasn't heard anything I'll tell her that I would like to call HR myself. When I originally asked what kind of a note I needed the DON called HR and they said a midwife's note was as good as a doctor's note. It's very specific about what symptoms I'm having and honestly I'm surprised they would want someone that sick on a floor alone without help.

Thanks for all your input, so far all I've gotten is "you just need to tough it out" haha

@MissGreen: Thanks, I knew I would need a PPD or chest x ray because that has always been required, but once I told them I was pregnant I was told "okay, say no more we don't need anything." I think the person was just confused about what documentation I needed. This is the first job that asked me for a varicella titer actually... Good to know the one I just had drawn will be valid for a long time thanks :)

ETA: haha especially coming from my mother who's worked day shift her whole life with weekends, holidays and summers off.

I'm so sorry and I would be furious, too. As a fellow mama to be who got severly sick until week 18, I feel your pain. For me, nights were also my worst time, and at least I was able to sleep through most of it. You need to listen to your body and HR NEEDS to get back to you right now. Making you wait and repeatedly ask is wrong.

And as a side note, aren't those "suggestions" from family like "eat saltines" and "just don't think about it" fun? UGH! Feel better soon and I hope the job stuff gets situated ASAP for you.

Thanks so much! That is how I am 100%, ok during the day but sick at night (I guess it's morning somewhere right?) and when I work I'm also very sick for the next day or two. BUT good news, I called a whole bunch and the ball is rolling :) Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be in bed at night yayyyy!!!