Pumps & work

[Twitchy]

Hello,

Bit of an odd one here... I've just gone back to work after maternity leave during which I got a pump (yay!!!)... but the question's been asked about where i will do a set change etc if I need to - I work in essentially an office, with a load of (mostly male) engineers - whilst I frankly don't care who sees me do a set change, I don't want to unsettle people unnecessarily & in fact it's already been suggested that i will need to be discrete about changes (!!!!). The only options are the toilet (which I have flat out rejected - not clean enough!), and there is a general cloakroom (tiny, full of muddy sweaty cycling / running gear the guys have worn on the way to work, yuk!). Otherwise I will have to walk across site to occ health - fine except for the various electromagnetic, radiation, RF coms etc etc potential hazards that the H&S people are worrying about! I have suggested that i will be happy to just use an empty conf room (sit with my back to the door etc) but they still seem a bit unnerved by the whole issue -I was just wondering what everyone else does?

Also does anyone else work in an environment where NDT inspections / processes etc are routine & how do they get around the potential problems with the pump being sensitive to radiation etc?

Sorry if this is a bit random! 😱

Thanks!

 

[Cate]

I just used to change my set sitting at my desk...nobody ever said a word. Mind you, I never told anyone about my pump really other than my boss, who promptly left (I assume this wasn't linked... )

 

[Sugarbum]

Gosh are you back to work already?? Where did the time go?!

Ive only ever needed to do a set change once at work in the year and half Ive had it.

Whenever you get down to one bar, just check your amount in units left and change before work if you think you may go low. I wouldnt necessarilly go to work with less than 20 units on the chugger.

Take an extra of everything to work just in case.

Radiation I dont know about, we have XR machines and I have opted out as I know they are dangerous with the high force magnets. Each day I have to go through a standing body scan metal detector about 20 times or so which are low level magnets and fine (like airport scanners). We have hand wand scanners as well which tbh Im not a fan of as they hold it right over the pump so depending on who is doing the body search I will try and opt out.

If you are subjecting to searching rub down or body scanners I would seriously consider taking a trip to your security head and getting a letter of exemption written for you to pull out whenever necessary. I was really anxious about all these issues to start off with it but they were fine when I had explained. They took a picture of it and recorded the serail number and called the company to check what I had told them was true.

I think what you will find hon is that you really wont need to do a set change very often at work. Also the great thing about pumping is covered sharps if you do, fantastic.

Hope the return to work is going smoothly! 🙂

 

[Jennywren]

Luckily so far i havent had to do a change at work , although always have a change just in case 😉 Im really lucky i work in a childrens early years centre that also runs training courses so i have a pick of rooms 😱 I think out the two i would go for cloakroom rather than the toilet 😱

 

[rossoneri]

Although I largely agree with Sugarbum that you can normally arrange to not do the change at work I am reluctant to lose the last few units in order to do the switch before I leave for work so sometimes end up making the change at work - BTW I don't believe there is nothing wrong with losing the last few units, I think it is just my Northern waste not want not mentality coming to the fore! 😉

I also think it is worthwhile doing it at least once in the work environment anyway so that you know that you can do it there if the need for a change comes along unexpectedly.

When doing the change at work I tend to go into a meeting room to do it, timing it to happen when it is quiet and I am unlikely to be disturbed. I would do at least part of it at my desk but all the noise from the pump's persistent beeping when a change is happening make this a little too impractical. Still it has never been a problem. 😎

 

[shiv]

I work at a hospital and do them discreetly in the staff room if I need to. It only takes a few seconds to insert a new cannula, then all I need to do is prime the tubing which nobody notices or cares about. I take out the old cannula discreetly (my tunic style top helps to hide it!) and chuck all the necessary bits into a sharps bin as I walk past.

 

[Twitchy]

Thanks everyone! I've had to re-prime the line at my desk already (noone seemed to notice or care, phew!) & checked the canula a few times as it's been really sore the last day or so (baby has a good kicking leg!). To be honest, I'm starting to conclude that I probably could do a full set change (reservoir & all!) at my desk without people noticing much, thankfully engineers can be quite 'focussed' on what they're dealing with lol! Thanks for your thoughts / advice. 🙂

 

[bigpurpleduck]

A set change would be a bit awkward at work for me, too.

When I started pumping I was told under no circumstances to go more than 3 days without changing the set, because of risk of infection, etc, and that I should change the reservoir every time I change the infusion set. I never use a full reservoir in 3 days - in fact, I only just use half of it. So I never get an alarm telling me I'm running low.

Because of this, I only ever need to change the set every 3 days. So I change it just as I get home from work (before my dinner bolus, 'cos then within a couple of hours I'll know for sure whether it's worked or not). This means I've never changed at work. I don't even bring sets with me to work, although I probably should 😱

P.S - I must point out that I always have a novorapid pen & needles in my bag, just in case the set were to fail. But I've never needed it yet 🙂 (Cue no delivery alarm...)

 

[tracey w]

Although I always carry spares i would only envisage needing to do a set change if absolutely necessary. It would only be if i didnt think it was working properly not because of running out. You can easily check how much you have left and if in doubt do before work.

I have occasionaly changed a canula at work but so far not needed to change full set.

I always do before or after work. I also carry my humalog pen and if necessary would probably use that before doing a set change at work.

I dont think it should be of major concern and as long as you are happy i would just tell your colleagues and then change it at your desk if this is where you feel most comfortable.

 

[Purple]

I usually either do it at my desk or venture off to the first aid room if things are a bit hectic. I work in an open plan office but I hide in the corner behind two rather large monitors so I'm not exactly on show.

I tend not to worry too much about what others think as it keeps me alive and therefore is required this, in my opinion, renders any comments about how unpleasant it may be for others to watch invalid. Most of the time people are curious and I'm happy to chat about it. Infact, I don't recall anyone having a problem with it so far...