I need some advise. I just passed my Boards and will start my new job as an RN on med/surg in a small hospital on Monday. And I also just found out that I am pregnant. Probably around 6 weeks or so. So here's my dilemma....when do I tell my new employer? My very first day of orientation is Monday....can they deny me employment now? I think it would be safest to tell them ASAP, but I am afraid of losing my job- I was so excited to get it. I have to fill out a health form and one question is "do you have any health-related restrictions? Please explain", and on the bottom it states "I understand that employment can be denied if I do not meet the health requirements for the job." So this worries me.... also, I will mainly be working nights.....is that going to be okay?
We have been trying for quite a while for another baby and I am happy to be pregnant, but the timing is slightly inconvenient now.... any advise would be greatly appreciated!!
Congrats! I was in the same situation. I graduated last May and found out I was pregnant 2 days after graduation. I got hired in August and didn't tell my manager I was pregnant until after my 90 day probation period. Our company policy stated that I just needed to tell my boss 30 days before I needed to go on leave. Everyone was really understanding and supportive. Good luck!
Thank you girls sooo much for your replies. I think you are all right, I should probably not jump the gun and tell them right away, especially since I haven't even been to the doctor yet.
But I am still concerned about potential risks, like the TORCH infections- i know I am immune to varicella zoster (had chicken pox as a child and my titer was drawn recently & showed immunity)- so do I not need to worry about patients with shingles?
How about CMV and Herpes- are you generally safe if you practive good handwashing, follow standard and disease specific precautions etc.? Or are those not as common to come across anyway?
I don't consider pg a medical condition requiring any special consideration. Unless you plan on using your pg to avoid pulling your weight at work, literally and figuratively, I don't see any reason to mention it.
However I hate to be the black and white, tell it like it is person, but I think you should tell them. Lying and not telling them re a condition that will become obvious will not look good in your employers' eyes at all. And you ARE going to have to take time off, any way you look at it.
Just out of interest, you didn't think about all this when you were trying to conceive that you may possibly get pregnant and have to work this into your job?
My old boss used to get this all the time when she was hiring CNs/CNSs - some would lie saying they weren't pg, and obviously the lie would be found out. It used to frustrate her so much, because she said she would rather they were up front about it all, it doesn't necessarily mean you won't get the job.
Personally, I would not be very impressed if you knew and then didn't say anything, and waiting 3 months will make the situation worse.
Actually, as the charge nurse in a busy NICU, I would rather have you say something than risk getting assigned something that you shouldn't have. Why...because once I have made out that assignment, and your preceptor has chosen that assignment, for me to go back and rearrange things right at the beginning of the shift, when maybe people have already received report, well that is a pain the butt. That is just my personal opinion. Then at least your preceptor and I could work out assignments that give you the best orientation experience and not have to worry about you being exposed to things you should be.
lillisa_87
1 Post
Congrats! I was in the same situation. I graduated last May and found out I was pregnant 2 days after graduation. I got hired in August and didn't tell my manager I was pregnant until after my 90 day probation period. Our company policy stated that I just needed to tell my boss 30 days before I needed to go on leave. Everyone was really understanding and supportive. Good luck!