Brand new nurse 11wks pregnant going for 2nd interview please help?

[megan215, LPN]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newly licensed LPN and I've been looking for work like crazy (who hasn't right?), anyway I must've filled out between 80-100 apps over the passed couple weeks. So far I only have 1 employer who seems interested. It's an orthopedics and sports medicine office about 40 min from my home. I've looked closer but none of the closer places seem interested. I had my 1st interview with the orthopedic office on Friday and it went very nicely. They're creating a position for a pain management nurse, there will be a pain management physician starting next year but they want to train the nurse early so that she can get the Dr better acquainted with everything. I'm really interested in starting this position and I'm honestly shocked (happily) that I've been called in to shadow the other nurses for a while then do a second interview immediately afterwards. I feel like I may possibly be offered the position at the end of it all. This would be my very 1st nursing job ever so to think it may be in a specialty field is exciting and a bit overwhelming. Like I said in the title, I'm 11 weeks along. I really want this job and if they could let me work until I deliver or until my Dr says I can't go that far from my hospital and save this position for me until 6 weeks after baby gets here, I want to be here long term. I haven't been offered a job yet but I just want to be prepared as to how it all may go. Should I accept the offer then reveal it or should I wait until I'm obviously showing? There's no shortage of nurses like the schools would have us all believe otherwise I would already be working at least one of 100s of places I applied to.... but I digress.

What should I do? I didn't say anything at the 1st interview because naturally I want this job. I understand that being pregnant can be a hassle when it comes time to deliver but they could've hired worse. They could hire someone better too but still... I want this job and I have had a healthy pregnancy so far, just like with my first child. With him I had no complications at all. I'm not obviously showing yet so I could go passed the 90 day probationary period unnoticed maybe. please some one give me some advice. I'm also new to this site so if I've made any mistakes or posted on the wrong board please forgive me. Thank you.

[mrsboots87]

Legally they can't ask, ad you dot have to tell them until you need work accommodations. It is hard to prove discrimination if they use it against you so keep it to yourself. I wouldn't say anything until you've been there for a little bit. Then they can see how you work. Being pregnant can be a burden toward the end, but too bad. You need to work just like everyone else so don't let it hold you back. HR or your boss may or may not be irritated that you withheld that info, but if they've already seen you workin and you do well, it will be easier. And who knows, they may be family friendly and not care.

Straight up... keep it to yourself. Your medical conditions are your business... until they require accommodations... at which point you bring it up. Think about it... from what you describe, it would be a real hassle for them to have you bail out for a couple of months early on. There is no shortage of qualified new grads out there... don't give them any reason at all to bypass you in favor of someone else.

[megan215, LPN]

Hi guys!! Thanks so much for your input:) I've had some of the same thoughts going through my head, I don't want to lose the opportunity for this position simply because I'm pregnant. Its discrimination that they would chose not to hire me on the base that I'm pregnant, knowing they love me now and they have no clue. And music in my♥, I feel the EXACT way you do. There's def no shortage of new grads. This is literally the only place that has called me out of the 100+ applications I've put out so I'm holding onto this for dear life. If for nothing else, to have some nursing experience on my resume. I do plan on keeping it to myself for as long as possible. Its an office so I'm expecting some tension after the news is out.... if they allow me to return I'm hoping it'll all have died down by then. I just want to focus on putting in 100% quality work so that they see me as an asset and not a liability like mrsboots87 says. Hopefully it all works out. Thanks so much!!!

[RNlove17]

I passed the nclex in january of this year, start my first nursing job in March (hated that unit), found out I was pregnant in april, interviewed for my current job/was offered the job in July and and was officially hired in August (i'm a school nurse now - love it). I did NOT tell them I was pregnant until all the papers were signed and I showed up my first day. Lol surprise! (and yes i am currently 9 months pregnant and about to go on leave)

It's illegal to discriminate against a pregnant woman and you do NOT have to tell them. Your medical conditions, including pregnancy, are not their business at an interview anyway. Wait until you are officially hired to say anything. And honestly, most employers don't care, especially if you come back relatively soon after baby. It's not like employers in the US have to pay anything for your maternity leave anyway so it doesn't affect them too much.

[megan215, LPN]

Thanks RNlove17 it's nice to know that I'm not alone and that I'm not seen as an idiot or irresponsible or anything like that... but let me ask you this: being that the position is new and its being "made" to accomodate the new Dr coming in feb. Does it seem totally inconvenient for me to be there long enough to train the Dr then have to leave for 6wks? Its a mid sized specialist office and there's only this one opening. So there won't be anyone to take my place while I'm gone and that makes me nervous to tell. I could see if I was gonna be a nurse with the same responsibilites butnim.not sure it'll be that way. However this will be my firat job and idk how things work there. I'll know more after I shadow the other nurses. So maybe (hopefully) they're just adding a nurse to lighten the load and we all know how to do each other's jobs in case something like a pregnancy or an emergency comes up?? I'm probably thinking too much into it but I like to be prepared. Thanks for sharing your story.