confused

liberated847 · Dec 12, 2014

I am just graduating and I have loved nursing school! And I really want to get out there and be a nurse, but I am pregnant with our first child and I am not sure what to do? Does it hurt me to not work for a little while so I can be home with my baby?

It won't hurt you. You have the best reason to explain the gap on a resume. Enjoy your new baby :)

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 12, 2014

I disagree with the previous post. It will effect your career. The longer you wait to get that first job and make that transition from student to professional, the harder it will be to find a high-quality first job. If you get stuck in a low quality first job after a long absence from nursing, that combination may be difficult to recover from.

However, that doesn't mean you should take a little time off. It just means that you have to weigh how much career risk (or set-back) you are willing to experience in exchange for how much time home with your new baby. What do you mean by "a little while?"

1 month off is definitely nothing

3 months off would probably have little or no impact on your job chances

6 months off would probably make it harder to find a good job and you would probably have to make a compromise about the job you "settle for"

1 year off would probably hurt your chances of getting lots of jobs and significantly limit our career options at that point

Those are just rough estimates based on the job markets in most places. Of course, you will need to investigate the job market in YOUR area, also considering what you want from your career. What types of jobs will you be wanting? Are those easy to get in our town? Or is there a lot of competition for those types of jobs? etc.

I suggest talking with a few people who know your local job market very well. Perhaps your school can help hook you up with such a person.

You also need to consider your finances. Will you have student loans to pay back? How much interest will they accrue while you take time off? How will that effect the total amount you will have to pay back over time? Will you be able to make the payments if you then have trouble getting a good job for a while? etc. Do yourself and your baby a favor and don't put your family in a horrible financial situation.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

maryen · Dec 12, 2014

I was in a very similar situation. I found out I was preggers a week before I took my boards for LVN. I already had a position lined up at SF General( this was way back in 1991) I passed my boards, got my license and started my position. I only worked 6 months and then I took time off. My baby was born with Down Syndrome and very serious congenital heart defect. To make a long story short, I ended up taking 5 years off to be with her and give her the best start possible in her development. When I went back to work, I was hired with a Hospice provider and they were fine with my 6 months and explanation of gap. Then I moved into Home Care and most recently one on one school nurse for medically involved students.

I am not sure from your post if you already have your license or not and I don't know what your career goals and other variables like where you are located but I have never had any issues for taking time out to raise my family or only working part time. For me nursing as been very flexible.