I was denied a maternity leave.

[StephMatousek]

I'm a vocational nursing student at a trade school and was denied a leave of absence due to pregnancy. I won't even be put on a waiting list! Failed students have priority over me to re-enter the program! I ended the term with an 88%, my financial obligations are taken care of, and my obgyn even had written a letter to the school requesting I be able to take off the next term. The school said that I would be terminated! Does anyone have an experience similar to this, or possibly information that would help me appeal the school's decision to terminate me because of pregnancy? Also, does anyone in their opinion believe this is considered an act of discrimination? PLEASE reply. I really don't want to have to start all over again in another program.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

If I were you I would NOT post that handbook including the name of your nursing school!!! That definately will NOT go over well with your school!!!!

[Princess_M83]

Hmmm, didn't think about that but since it is readily available to anyone who happens upon the site I am not sure it would be a problem but just to be safe. :doh:

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Hmmm, didn't think about that but since it is readily available to anyone who happens upon the site I am not sure it would be a problem but just to be safe. :doh:

See, this is what I was concerned about...they treat pregnancy the same as any other short-term disability.

The school, apparently, doesn't really care about scheduling make-ups...which is a shame b/c I don't think these are good policies to have. Instructors, you can bet, will miss if they are sick and schedule make-ups accordingly.

To expect someone to not have an infectious illness throughout the program, in my mind, is unreasonable.

However, as long as they are consistent, unfortunately, they can do this.

[elisabeth]

My program allows students to leave for a semester if they are experiencing a hardship of some sort. People have left due to family illness, pregnancy, spouse losing job, etc. The program then readmits them to the same semester they were in when they left. One of my classmates in first semester was repeating first semester with us because with 2 weeks of clinical left in her original first semester, she was riding her bike, fell off and broke her wrist. She had to repeat all of 1st semester, but they did let her return.

I think it's unfair that this person is not able to hold off a semester until her pregnancy is over. It's much more fair the way my program handles things, I think.