[AdonaiLoveable]

Hello everyone,

I am currently in the final semester of my BSN program. At graduation in mid-May, I'll be almost six months pregnant (first time pregnancy). I am seeking advice for how to handle my job search. I am interested in working in a critical care unit such as MICU or SICU, and I know that most of my local hospitals have nurse residency/intern programs lasting about 3 months that train new graduates for these positions.

It seems that it would be better for me to actually begin working after my baby arrives in late August/early September. I'm not sure that anyone would want me to begin when I'm already six months along.

Should I wait to submit resumes and interview until after my baby comes? Or would it be better to initiate my job search now and try to negotiate a start date for after the baby born...or perhaps negotiate job duties that I could do while pregnant, then begin training for ICU after baby comes?

Also, I am wondering how much time off people have taken after giving birth?


All comments welcome!

Thanks,

Adonai

[IffaRN]

Hello there

I was also 6 months pregnant (first pregnancy too!!)when I graduated. During our last quarter, a nurse recruiter from a local hospital gave us a talk on applying for jobs. I asked her straight-up what chances are of getting a job at this stage of my pregnancy. She didn't give me a straight answer because that would be work-related discrimination but all she said was that I should stay home and look after the baby and take some time off. Needless to say that my chances are almost zero!!! She did mention that since most new graduates have to go through a residency program, it would be disruptive to them for a new employee to take time off when they are newly trained or in the middle of training..

Anyways, I have also heard from my professor that one of her friend's daughter got a job when she was 5 months pregnant and the hospital was aware of her pregnancy and hired her anyways. So it really depends on where you apply but from the majority that I have heard... most employers are not too keen on hiring someone who is very pregnant.

My daughter is now 4 months old and I am going back to work part-time next week.. Personally I am glad that I didn't start a job immediately after graduation. I was able to relax during my last trimester and enjoy my time with my daughter. If you could afford it, take the time off and go on the job hunt when u are ready.


GOOD LUCK

[AdonaiLoveable]

Thank you for sharing your story, IffaRN. I appreciate it. I think I'd like to do what you did and simply do the job search once baby is already here and I taken off the time I need with the baby. I think If I do the job search after the baby comes, I'll be right on schedule to do the job applications/interviews along with the class of students graduating in December. There are many nurse residency programs starting in January/February that are designed for those grads and I'll be right along with them.

Thanks, again!

Adonai

[vermonster]

Hello All!

I am five months pregnant. I too am wondering about the job search. I actually graduated last August, was married at the end of September and just passed the NCLEX last week. I have sent out some resumes but I wonder what my chances of being hired right now are. At the very least I am hoping that I can get a job set up for next September-I sort of feel bad about it because I feel like I will be a whole year behind the rest of my class but..oh well..I mean if someone wanted to hire me now I would take it but I understand the point about it being disruptive to the training.

Anyone else have experience with this-let me know.

Katie

[twinmommy+1]

do the job search now, don't wait. I just had my baby, going to start work on monday, and had the job a month before he came along. just make sure they know when you want to start working.

[AdonaiLoveable]

Thank you for your tip too, Twinmommy+1. I actually went ahead and put in 3 applications and have 2 job offers. I'm meeting with the two job offers next week to discuss how I might train around my pregnancy/birth of baby and when I'll start work and all of that. I think I'm putting too much into this and it will work out. I need to be concentrating on finishing all my classes in 46 days and get my NCLEX-RN prep underway.