Need advice: graduating in May and newly pregnant - what to do?

[secondfiddle]

I'm graduating from my ADN progam in May, and I'm 7 weeks pregnant right now. This is my first pregnancy and was quite the surprise, but we are happy (despite the somewhat bad timing!) I was planning on trying to get a year of nursing under my belt before getting PG.

I am trying to figure out the best way to approach taking a job after school. I am due on Sept. 25. Although money would be a bit tight, we could have me stay home and study for boards and start work after I have the baby and feel ready to start working. Or, I could take a job right away and try to get 3-4 months of experience under my belt before the baby assuming all is healthy in the later stages of this pregnancy.

The clincher is that I do not want to return to work full-time once I have the baby. I am trying to decide if I should take interviews and mention nothing about the pregnancy (I am not showing, of course) - this is the suggestion of my nursing instructors. Or, whether I should be open about it and tell employers that I would like to return part-time or PRN after the baby. OR, whether I should just postpone work entirely until I pop this thing out! My fear there is that I'll technically be a new grad then and I'm sure will be expected to work full-time for at least 3-6 mos.

Any suggestions on this topic would be great - especially from those who may have been in this situation or have friends who have. Thank you!

[secondfiddle]

jov, thanks for the advice! I agree with what you said, and that has actually been my decision - I have an interview coming up next week. I am going to interview as I would have normally and give myself a chance. I guess the question to myself will be whether I decide I want to take the job when they send out offers. AND whether I should tell them of my situation at that time (when I've already been offered the job).

My husband and I are now sort of leaning toward me not working at all until after the baby is born, so I'm wondering if would be possible to defer a job offer when, and if I get one. This is such a confusing situation - I have to say that it takes a lot of the happiness out of the pregnancy for me (Doesn't help that I'm nauseous 24/7).

[niccikatie]

I was in your exact position (well, I guess not exact, my due date was Sept 26th, LOL!) but my advice may not be all that helpful. I didn't work until dd was almost two (I graduated in May 04). We were moving out of state so I did not interview for any jobs prior to graduation. HOwever, I would have been honest about the fact that I was pregnant AFTER a job offer and would have not said anything about my plans for after the baby.

ETA: ONe piece of advice I got from numerous pople was to take the NCLEX when I normally would have taken it if I were not pregnant and to take it before the baby was born. This was excellent advice! I took my boards in August 04 and passed on my first try :) Good Luck!

[kgrands]

Hi everyone,

New question: What do you do if you're pregnancy is showing (like 5-6mths) when you're supposed to be going on interviews? I graduate in August. What are the chances that I'll be able to ge a position while having a visible pregnancy?

Thanks for the advice.

-katie

[RN and Mommy]

Who said that MRSA is a teratogen?

I am also pregnant and my doctor said that MRSA patients are fine, just maintain your isolation requirements.

[TXNurseBSN]

Being a new grad is very stressful. Being pregnant (especially for the first time) is pretty stressful. My advice......take your NCLEX right away while the info is fresh. Worry about work after the baby is born if money is not a huge issue.

Last year, I graduated in May, started work in July, by August was pregnant. Too much stress, no breaks, 12-14 hour days. I started bleeding, so I left and got a job as a school nurse. If I didn't need the money so bad, I would have waited until after the baby (which will be here in 21 days).

[rockermom]

Hi guys, I realize that this is an older thread, but maybe someone can help me! I graduate in May, and am due in September. Double yay!! I plan to take the NCLEX asap and not work until a few after I deliver, say November. Although I will begin working well after graduation, I assume that I will still be considered a new grad (right?) - so, will I be able to receive the standard orientation that everyone else does? I just don't want to miss out on anything! I am so excited about everything I could wet my pants!! I have faith that it will all work out, but the planner in me needs to know what to expect! Thanks!

[love-d-OR]

You are considered a new grad for the first job after graduation (newly licensed). So, if you are saying you will not work util after the birth of your child, then you will be considered a new grad, even if you graduated months before your first job. Congratulation on both graduating and the pregnancy, you must be overwhelmed with all the beautiful things going on in your life right now!!! Enjoy...

[changeofpaceRN]

Wow this sounds like me but a year and a few months off! First off, congrats on the news- kids are awesome IMO! 2nd.. I'll suggest you take it one step at a time. Studying for the NCLEX, taking it, then interviewing gets pretty stressful even when you aren't pregnant!

I graduated in Dec. I planned on taking the boards in Jan but between baby kicks, sickness and not sleeping well, I pushed it off until the end of Feb. He was due in April. My husband and I decided that it wouldn't be good for me to be on my feet and new at 8 months pg. I ended up having a rather difficult pregnancy and wouldn't haven been able to work anyway (that was just my situation, I know plenty who worked up until the day they delivered) After the baby was born, I waited 4 weeks before I started applying. I secured a job within a week and started working when the baby was 6 weeks old.

I know you got plenty of great ideas in other posts.. I wanted to tell you my story and what I ended up doing as this recently happened to me! Good luck and make sure to tell your teachers so they keep you away from certain patients while in clinicals!