Nurse who delivered stillborn baby blames her employer

A nurse at South Nassau Communities Hospital has filed a federal discrimination complaint against the Oceanside institution, alleging that despite complaints, a supervisor there repeatedly assigned her to tasks that were harmful to her unborn child.

The nurse, Tracy Andriano, 33, said that as a result, she delivered a stillborn girl in January after 25 weeks of pregnancy.

"I felt like my heart was ripped out," said the Wantagh resident, who filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last week. She still works at the hospital, but with recovering surgical patients. The complaint alleges pregnancy bias and a hostile work environment.

The hospital said it couldn't comment on the case because it hadn't been served with papers. But it vowed to investigate the matter. "We have a strict anti-discrimination and harassment policy here," said Paul Giordano, vice president of human resources.

Andriano, who found out she was pregnant last year, said she she was told by her doctor to avoid X-rays. She that said she informed her supervisor right away, but that she was frequently assigned to procedures that involved radioactive seeds.