Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

funkyfish — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:49:52 GMT

Don't forget that the recovery area is a waste gas risk, prob more so than theatre.

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

zookeeper — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:29:32 GMT

Hi I am 17 weeks pregnant. I monitor anaesthetics but only patients that are tubed. No gassing down any patients. My work have been great. I don't do X-rays or clean the machine etc. when handling certain drugs I wear gloves. I don't lift heavy bags of food or Dogs. My work are slowly getting around to do a risk assessment on me. Congrats Sarah xx

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

Rachel B — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:20:12 GMT

on of the girls i work with has recently gone on her maternity leave, (i say recent it was a couple months ago now!) and she basically did whateveryone else said, monitored anaesthetics when tubed just not is masked or gassed down! we also didnt let her lift any heavy dogs (only the tiddley handbag kind of ones!) and yeh some drugs she wasnt allowed to handle, i think it was mostly steroids and hormonal drugs? though not 100% on that.

Congratulations by the way hope everything goes smoothly for you, the time passes so quick!

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

wilkoannie — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 21:21:47 GMT

Hi bonnie Congratulations Just to say I monitored everything that was tubed. Anything that was masked I stayed away. I pretty much did everything, you will need to be careful with handling certain drugs and obviously lifting but mostly everything else I just carried on as normal. Oh and X-rays I avoided. Good luck xxx

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

Bonnie Reay — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:32:01 GMT

Great thanks for all your replies I feel much happier and reassured about monitoring tubed ga's now. Thanks bonnie

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

Alana Dent — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:04:32 GMT

As long as intubated animals have appropriate tube sizes, cuffed where required - The risk will be minimal. However, these practices should be in place for all staff, not just pregnant ones.

No gassing down or masking should be carried out.

heavy lifting, bouncy/boisterous animals and x-rays to be avoided!! As well as wearing gloves for handling cat trays and all medications.

Congrats tho!!!

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

Selena Carnell — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:38:34 GMT

I monitored ga all the way through my pregnancy, my employers were very good about not letting me lift anything more than a cat, and also made sure I was well out of the way when X-rays were being taken. I don't see any risk with well scavenged ga's

Re: Vet nurse -Pregnancy risks, should I avoid assisting any anaesthetics?

Steph Worsley — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:41:39 GMT

Firstly Congrats

I think it has to be an open and frank discussion with you and your bosses regarding what they want and what you are willing to do. As a note our pregnant nurses haven't avoided much at all....our theatre nurses still monitor the anaesthetics they would have done and still assist in theatre (we have active scavenging and as long as the correct tube is used the risk as far as I am aware is minimal)

heavy lifting/restraint of crazy dogs is avoided where possible but we are lucky that we have a big team really.

cat faeces should be being handled with gloves anyway and good hand hygiene should be being followed so risk should already be at a minimum.

This should help you as well

http://www.caw.ac.uk/downloads/Pregnancy-in-veterinary-practice.pdf