Graduating and Pregnant

Nurses General Nursing

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I am graduating from my BSN program in December and will be 13 weeks pregnant then with a due date of June 15th. I am very concerned about the direction to take. Could someone who has been in the same situation help me out. I expect to take the boards in Feb. Ideally, I would like to work in Critcal Care but my concerns are:

1. There will be only 3-4 months between my boards and my delivery date, will a cirtical care position be too rough on my health

2. If I opt for a less stressful unit,, will that be a hindrance for me to pursue critical care in the future

3. Should I tell the recruiter that I am pregnant before they hire me.

Please advice. Thanks

Any bedside nursing job now days is going to be physically demanding. Only you and your body can decide what your body can take.

Do not tell the recruiter that you are pregnant. That is not their business and it is against the law to ask that. They will find out soon enough when they review your applications for health/life insurance during orientation. If you tell them up front, be aware that you may be discriminated against and lose the job. But HR and NMs are highly trained to ensure that although the true reason they did not hire you was the pregnancy, they will make it so you cannot prove it. Managers do not like to hire someone who is going to go on maternity leave shortly after they are hired as this interferes with both the orientation process as well as staffing.

Im not sure that im good for advice but i came across your post and wanted to say :balloons::balloons::balloons::balloons:CONGRADULATIONS:balloons::balloons::balloons::balloons::w00t:on both graduating soon and your little bundle of joy hang in there you will figure things out

I can appreciate the situation you are in. My situation (briefly): took NCLEX in January, started working in February, baby born in September of same year. I CHOSE to tell my potential NM that I was pregnant. I felt comfortable with him, I wanted to be up front (to prevent further trust issues down the road). I was geniunely interested in my nursing position (cardiac telemetry stepdown). Needless to say, I got the job. Working was difficult. I was tired all the time (did I mention my children are 13 1/2 months apart - - 2 and 1). Orientation was okay but I was crabby at times. I got through it; got off orientation, went on maternity leave, came back and did fine. I was worried I would have to go back on orientation for fear of forgetting everything but I did fine.

My only concern for you other than the effects of stress while being pregnant is be careful with your health insurance. Because I wasn't a full-time employee for 1 year, I didn't have any time PTO so I didn't get a paycheck. Which in itself isn't that bad BUT if you do not "work" the full-time hours you were paid for then ALL of your benefits are held - - - AKA your health insurance, which could be mean you pay full price for certain things. So make sure DH/SO covers you.

GL!

Cynthia

I was pregnant when I got my first job. So far along that it was obvious. It did not hinder me from getting the job. And when I asked about it, they just said, "We don't mind giving you a job as long as your doc says that you are physically able to do it."

Your body will tell you what you are capable of doing. I was always put off on bed rest due to pre-term labor, but I have had several friends who do bedside nursing right up until their due date.

Hi:

I was in the same situation when I first graduated. Though I didn't have to, I decided to tell potential employers that I was pregnant. It was solely a issue of trust, I personally did not feel right withholding that information. I did get hired on.

While pregnant, you could try getting hired on in a different field of nursing and then pursue critical care once your done your mat. leave, this avoids or at least minimizes the dispruption of orientation and what not. I simply mean this for your benefit rather the employers, I would think it hard to orientate, deliver, and be on mat leave for a year and then return back to work with little experience.

Otherwise, best of luck in your decision, and congratulations!!! You are going to meet the most wonderful little person who will make your life an absolute joy (on the most part:))

Specializes in Dialysis.
Hi:

I would think it hard to orientate, deliver, and be on mat leave for a year and then return back to work with little experience.

you get a year for maternity leave??

fancee free,

We just do 3 months here in the U.S. So, it's not that big of a break. Which is too bad, I think.

At least the part of Canada I live, mat. benefits and leave is one year. This was changed from six months worth of benefits a few years back. You only get about

55% of your income with a max. allowance of $1600 per month.

Maria22, what is the case where you live?

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