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by Tealeaf72

Hi,

I hope someone might be able to offer me some advice... I am feeling very disappointed lately and feel nursing is going to be an uphill battle for me due to competing goals in my life.

I am in my mid thirties and recently married. Due to my age, my husband and I want to try to have kids as soon as possible. We don't want to have to put this off several years in case we run into problems and for various other reasons.

I also am trying to make a career change into nursing. I have been taking pre-requisites and have been doing well. I spoke to the admissions people at Mass Bay and just asked them what happens if you become pregnant while in their program, assuming that a nursing program that has mostly women in the program would make accomodations for someone who was pregnant if they were doing well in the program.

I was told that I would have to leave the program and it would be difficult to get back in. She said very difficult, not impossible, but due to the competitiveness much less likely.

I feel so discouraged. Are all nursing programs like this? I thought of all professions this would be one that would be understanding of the fact that life sometimes happens along the way. I have never heard of such a thing before. They said that it was due to you not being able to perform the clinical duties. I had hoped in these situations they would work around this and allow you to do duties that still allowed you to work in a nursing capacity but with less physical risk etc.

Is it unreasonable to expect this from a program? This is very important to me.... but so isn't having children.

The earliest program I could even attempt to get into would be fall 2008 for a full time program or spring 2008 or spring 2009 for a 3 year part time program... assuming my grades were excellent.

This is going to put me at around 38 or maybe even 39 before i could finish a program... and we want to have more than one child.. Never mind knowing whether you will end up with fertility issues that delay things even more.

Does anyone have any advice for me? The other thing I thought of is trying to get pregnant now, have a child and go to school with a baby. This doesn't sound like a very fun idea either... although I know many of you women have struggled though this and gotten through...

Does anyone have any advice, or any thoughts on other Mass. RN programs that might be a little more understanding? I have a bachelors degree already and was going to do an ADN RN program. Seems to be very few accelerated Nursing programs around, and I wasn't sure that was a route I wanted to go or not.

Thanks for your help.

[RENAISSANCE RN]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

I know that other colleges do not have this policy. I sent you a PM.

[ReeseRN]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

good luck whatever you end up doing.

sounds like your heart is set on both.....having a baby and being a nurse.....so I say go for it and YOU CAN DO IT!

(I did)

[Chaoticdreams33]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

One of my classmates just had a baby. Throughout her pregnancy she had to get letters from her doc saying what she was able/allowed to do and it was pretty much everything. She didn't have a problem keeping up to speed with us in clinical. But I mean, you don't get any leave and if you miss more than a few days of clinical you could fail so, luckily she has a very supportive family that helps her out a lot with the baby. She had her baby on a weekend and came back to school for clinical orientation the following Wednesday. She's a tough cookie though.

Another classmate is pregnant and has decided to take a year off after last semester. So she is going to come back next year for her last semester. In a way that sounds harder. But it's her first baby so I don't blame her.

And BTW I think it's BS that they would make you leave the program.

[cardiacRN2006]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

Originally Posted by Tealeaf72

This is going to put me at around 38 or maybe even 39 before i could finish a program... and we want to have more than one child.. Never mind knowing whether you will end up with fertility issues that delay things even more.

Fertility issues can happen at any age.

Perhaps schedule a visit with your GYN to run some easy blood tests just to see where you are at fertility wise.

[morte]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

the last i read on fertility issues was there is a significant decrease at age 27, nursing you can learn at 40/45.....it is unlikely that you would easily become pregnant at that age.....sometimes we just cant have it all........

[cardiacRN2006]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

Big decreases at age 30, and again at age 35!

A while ago I posted on a similiar thread that I would rather be a mother and have a hard time with nursing school, then be a nurse and having a hard time trying to conceive.

I basically had a ton of women saying that age is no longer an issue, and that they've all had babies after 30 so it's no big deal. My little opinion was squashed.


I've been actively trying to have a baby for 29 cycles. So I can tell you that the earlier you try, the better chances you will have. Infertility sucks beyond belief.


To the OP. In addition to the blood tests that you can ask your GYN about (to be done on the 3rd day of your cycle), can I also recommend a book for you to read? It's an easy read, for sure. "Take charge of your fertility".

http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-.../dp/0060950536

To get an idea of if you are having problems with ovulation, and to understand your body.

[Lynn44meadow]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

I'm 37 and am finally going to nursing school next fall (but don't start my first nursing course until Jan 08). I originally applied in 2004 and then got pregnant with my 3rd and decided to put it off for a few years. I have my Masters in another field - but am bored with my current work and really want to switch to nursing. So - I'll be 40 by the time I graduate! I've gone back and forth on this so many times - I know how hard the decision is. But I read a quote from someone else (on this board I think) that said "You only see the obstacles when you take your eyes off the goal" and boy is that true (especially with 3 kids!). I'm petrified of going through nursing school with 3 kids (7,4 and almost 2) - I'm afraid I'll be a stressed out, short-tempered Mom and I don't want to be. But I have finally figured out that I need to do it now and we'll just make it work. Thank goodness I have a supportive husband - otherwise this wouldn't work.

From what I've heard (my sister is in her clinical rotation right now) doing the nursing program while pregnant would be very hard and I knew I couldn't do it. But I'm sure there are others who could. Good luck! I hope you figure out what is just right for you!

[kiyatylese]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

I our nursing school there were always 3-4 girls pregnant. My friend had her baby on a friday, and she came back to school on Monday. You can do anything, if you set your mind to do it.

[esokane]

Re: need advice please....pregnancy & nursing programs

I graduated from NECC and there were 3 students in my graduating class who delivered while in school. They all had to make up clinical before the end of the semester, but they were able to do both. One student was able to switch from day to evenings after she had the baby for day care reasons. There are programs out there that will work with you...so don't be discouraged!