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Discussion

Help please! Need advice re: switching to med/surg and timing pregnancy

Hi all!

I am a fairly recent new grad who has spent one year in the main OR (right out of nursing school) and the next year in an outpatient clinic setting where I am now (fast paced cardiac clinic). Although I am still not sure what specialty area I will end up in, I am definitely wanting to make the switch over to the hospital on a med/surg unit so that I can learn the foundations I missed out on since i started right in the OR after graduation (and didn't need to do IV's, hang/distribute meds, admit/discharge, etc.). I am VERY nervous about the switch since I will be basically starting as if I was a brand new RN (as far as floor skills go, etc.). This is something I definitely want to do soon- not only for learning skills, etc., but also for financial and scheduling reasons as well (switching to 3 12's instead 5 days/wk where I am now). However, my husband and I are no spring chickens and have been putting off starting a family for awhile and have decided we need to start very soon to try to get pregnant for the first time. My main question is:

For those of you in med-surg and/or those of you who have experienced pregnancy while working on the units, would you recommend making the switch now and transitioning (which I anticipate will be very stressful during my first year of learning on the job in general) while being pregnant the majority of the first year on the unit.....OR....do you think it would be smarter to remain where I am now and start brand new med-surg once I return from maternity leave with a newborn? (which would mean brand new baby, new schedule, and stressful new job all at the same time?!)

I know either time to switch would be challenging, I just want to make the right decision since I know it will be anxiety provoking and stressful to start a new area of nursing brand new as it is, then adding either pregnancy or a newborn into the mix will be tough. If anyone can offer any advice I would really appreciate it!!! I am really stressing out about the right thing to do- for myself, my career, and our new family hopefully soon.

Help!! =) Thank you so much in advance for any wisdom you can offer.

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    Have the baby then switch. Your schedule is pretty regular and set now, and you're used to it. Swapping to a new job, new hours, nights, weekends 12s, irregularity would suck while pregnant for me.

    I'd rather do the pregnancy first, and look after maternity leave for a hospital position. Of course just my

    .02

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    • Author

    Thank you for your response, Melizerd! I really appreciate it. That makes sense, I guess I just look at it both ways and think with a new baby (1st one and I will have No clue what I'm doing lol) maybe getting the new job and new schedule down before throwing a brand new baby into the mix would be a little easier, so then I'm set with at least that by the time a new baby is here.... instead of trying to get used to a new job, new schedule (and I'm sure I'm going to be having to study a ton Outside of work since I feel like I'm starting from scratch) with a new baby and completely changed life at home... but then again I'm terrified of being tired, hormonal, and overwhelmed during pregnancy with trying to get ready for a new baby and then having to do something new and scary, while on my feet all day (and really stressed) as a new RN on a unit, so what you said totally makes sense as well. When I look at it both ways each has its pro's and con's of when to make the move....:eek::sarcastic::arghh:

  • Quote
    Have the baby then switch. Your schedule is pretty regular and set now, and you're used to it. Swapping to a new job, new hours, nights, weekends 12s, irregularity would suck while pregnant for me.

    I'd rather do the pregnancy first, and look after maternity leave for a hospital position. Of course just my

    .02

    I have to agree. Not because I have been pregnant while working on the floor, but adjusting to working on a busy med-surg floor can be rough. The pace is hard, the responsibilities are hard, and there's a lot of adjusting. On top of that, being pregnant is exhausting (mine is four now, but being pregnant was a pretty tiring experience, and there's a lot of adjustment with that), not to mention the adjustment when the baby actually arrives and becomes a part of the family and home dynamic.

    If you're established now, it would probably be less stressful to have the baby, get established with how that's different, and then jump into something new when dynamics are a bit more stable and you won't be as easily overwhelmed.

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