Pregnancy and work

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Family, primary care.

Hello everyone;

so I am now getting closer to my 8 wk. I have not felt well since day one. I am not longer working because my husband got relocated and we moved to another state. In the mean time I have felt quite awful. This is my first pregnancy. I have 2 job offers, but I'm tempting not to take those because of how I feel. I am not fucntioning to my 100% I'm weak everyday, I vomit 2-3 x a day. Etc... My question is: since I only have 3 months of actual RN experience (ER), I wonder if I don't get a job at all during my pregnancy and wait until my baby is born I wonder if anyone would hire me... :(

what should I do? Part of me says to wait a few more weeks to see if I regain myself and try to pursue a job... But the job I was offered this past week for a small urgent clinic pretty much calls me to be the only nurse in the premise and the charge nurse... I have no doubt I can do that... If I was functioning to my 100% capacity. My biggest fear is to let down my employer by me being sick everyday. Somedays I don't have the strength to get out of bed, my husband is the one who cooks the very little meals I can eat... Anyways, does anyone relate to this? I am open to any advice.

Thank you so much!

If you get a job you must show up for your job. Your employer is trusting you to be reliable (and well enough to work). You can wait until after your first trimester maybe? But then you'll work for 3ish months until you take leave.

Its unfortunate you left your ED job after 3 months. If you leave a new job after 3ish months that may really shoot too many holes in your resume (so to speak).

Specializes in Family, primary care.

Thanks for the advice.

My husband is active military and I had no choice than to move with him 5 states across, it is not like I could just stay there and wait for a year, for I have no family in that town.. long story.

I totally understand the 3 month thing... is hard. how do we explain ourselves? one would think that having military orders would be enough excuse for an employer to accept. Going trough a difficult time right now, I wouldn't mind to wait until I am better and give my all at my job.. In the mean time I will definitely do a lot of prayer for what it seems almost imposible for me, it is all possible for my God.

Maybe I need to focus in the fact that my child should be the most important thing for me right now, and the job would take care of itself later.

Specializes in geriatrics.

I've worked with many nurses who worked up until 2 weeks before delivery. While everyone is different, if you already know that you're not feeling well then don't accept a new job. Your manager and your co-workers will expect that you are showing up for work and functioning as usual.

My husband was in the military until he retired. Employers can view military spouses in many ways. Some loathe hiring us because "we may up and move" others love us because of our varied experience

Don't count on anything. Just tell the truth when asked why you were at your job for only three months.

Perhaps you should be looking for clinic/office work (better hours for when you feel like death warmed over at 0500) and may be more family friendly if you choose to work after the birth.

Specializes in Pedi.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you worked for 2 months before you moved. You want to not work until after your baby is born and you (presumably) take a full maternity leave. So when you are ready to return to work, you will have 2 months of experience and then a year of nothing? In this economy, I'm not so sure potential employers wouldn't throw that resume in the circular file right away...

Personally, I think I'd stay home and get ready to be a mommy. And if I had my druthers . . . .I'd stay home once my kiddo arrived.

You sound like you are young and if you keep up with the education you need to renew your license, you can always get back in the work force when your child is in school.

Did you discuss with your husband before you got married about what you wanted to do once you had children? Would he be ok with being the breadwinner? Could you guys budget so that you wouldn't have to go back to work?

I returned to school in my late 30's when my kids were all in school. It is do-able to simply wait if you want.

Sorry you are feeling so poorly. That nausea/vomiting can be difficult. Wishing you the best!

I just thought of a friend who worked for a year and then had her first child. She and her husband were working for her father on a ranch and they made the decision to have her stay home. They both work on the ranch and their two kids grew up helping as well and learned to farm, they had their own horses, they played musical instruments and were in a band.

She has kept her nursing license all these years and didn't go back to working in a hospital.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here. Lots of choices.

Specializes in Family, primary care.

Yes, I am always honest up front. definitely thats what I am looking for a clinic office type of job. I still have faith that in the few weeks i may feel much better. I love nursing and I don't want to stop being current, I am afraid to lose the career I worked so hard to accomplish, meaning my degree. I am not the kind that has a degree just because it looks nice in a wall... I am a nurse by heart, and I can't wait to prove myself that I can last for a long time in a good decent job. I hope my dreams come true, all that is holding me back right now is not feeling well.

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