New BSN Grad- Help!

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Ok, I'm new to this forum, so... Hello everyone! :) I am experiencing somewhat of a dilemma. I guess one could call it that. I'm a recent (May 2012) BSN grad, so it's been four months since graduation. I obtained my nursing license in my home state in July and got an additional license for a neighboring state in August. Technically, I've only been applying for jobs for two months since I began my search in July. So far I've had two interviews and have not been chosen for either. I have no experience as an RN, and actually no job experience at all really (I'm 22 years old). I didn't work in high school nor college, so my resume is blank. My husband and I have been together for six years, married for one. I want a baby and so does he. We could support a child with just him working, but here's my question: would it be a bad idea for my career as a registered nurse to become pregnant before I find a job? Being a new grad, I'm finding that it is more difficult to find a job than they act like it is in nursing school. Would I decrease my chances even more so by being pregnant? The answer in my mind is "yes," but I would like some other people's point of view. Here's the other side to this dilemma.. No one is calling me wanting to interview me. If I keep applying for jobs and nine months pass and employers still aren't calling me to interview, then I could have already had a child by then and this wouldn't even be an issue... Obviously I can't know what will happen. I could get a job tomorrow, and then again, it could take many, many more months before someone finally gives me a chance. Any words of wisdom? Thanks so much! :)

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Specializes in ER psych.

I think it would be best if you waited to have kids. You're only 22, don't use your baby maker just yet. You need a job first. The fact that you have no past experience, coupled with 9+ months off (if you get pregnant), is not going to look good to a future employer. In that time period, you won't be using any of your clinical skills. Wait until you have a solid job, become preggo, and then your employer should have some sort of time off policy/coupled with the state's disability policy, you may get a few months off. I see it all the time at my job with the young nurses.

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Thanks for your reply! My original plan was to graduate, find a job relatively quickly, work for 6 months to a year and then try to get pregnant. I had no idea it would be this hard to find a nursing job. I guess that's why I was contemplating changing my original plan. It just feels like no one is going to give me a chance.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

IMO, I would hold off on kids if possible while you at least get your career established. It's easier to get back into nursing with at least a couple of years under your belt, than to try to break into nursing a few years after your graduated with zero experience in the meantime. At least with prior experience, it's easier for you to get part-time or per-diem work, which is what you may want to do anyway after the baby arrives.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

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Do y'all know the amount of time it usually takes a new grad to get hired? I know everyone and everywhere is different, but what's an estimated norm in y'all's opinion?

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Do y'all know the amount of time it usually takes a new grad to get hired? I know everyone and everywhere is different, but what's an estimated norm in y'all's opinion?

Roughly a year.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

The average appears to be 6-12 months. Yes, location makes a big difference in it: in more rural parts of the country you may be picked up right away, whereas in major metropolitan areas (which are often flooded with new grads) searching for a year or more seems to be the norm. So does where you want to work: everyone wants acute care, so competition for those jobs is much tighter than for non-acute care or community settings.

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I live in a rural area and am applying for any and everything.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Honestly with the job market being the way that it is right now you should wait. Even though it is illegal your chance of not being hired would increase by your being pregnant. Anyway you're only 22... Not old enough (imo) to have kids. Live some.

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Specializes in ER, Med Surg.

I just graduated in May 2012 and I had started applying in March. I don't have any previous health care experience and it took until July to get a job.

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Do y'all know the amount of time it usually takes a new grad to get hired? I know everyone and everywhere is different, but what's an estimated norm in y'all's opinion?

This can vary depending on your location and how agressive you are being in your search.

If you want to start having a family now, go for it; but just know that everything gets a bit harder on that end before you are established somewhere. So it all depends. Of course this must be totally you and your spouse's decision. It can be done. I mean resident physicians get pregnant and make it work.

Play the video in your mind of different work scenarios, job searching, and pregnancy as well as post-pregnancy. Really work hard to visualize as many scenarios as possible and what you "gut value" is telling you. For me, I was married young and had a baby while I was in college PT, but I also worked a number of part-time positions. It was challenging at times, but parenting often is, regardless of age. If I hadn't had kids when I did have them, for me, the opportunity would of been lost b/c of problems in pregnancy as well as with a disorder that caused some trouble for me.

So, if you got pregnant now, would you stop looking for nursing positions?

But I will tell you that I am reasonably sure that I didn't get a research position b/c I was pregnant, and I was upfront about it. Of course that will never be noted anywhere--the reason why they didn't hire me. But to see the PI's point of view, it would have entailed some level of interruption and problems in his time-sensitive research. I mean it's illegal; but there are lot of folks that don't get hired for illegal reasons. How would you prove it? Even if there was a way that you could, that road would be hard, b/c they are careful, and the burden of proof is on you.

Just weigh everything out carefully. Do what you think is best for you and your spouse. You also have to ask yourself about what you will do with the baby while you are interviewing, if you had not gotten a position sooner. I mean it's a similar situation as when you work, but it can make the whole process tougher.

Around where I live, it can take new grads a good 60 to 100 applications/resumes before they find something. It may take you more or less, depending on the variables for where you live.

But really, are they going to hire predominantly men so that they don't have to worry about female nurses getting pregnant? Will they only begin to hire infertile nurses?

Just know that when you start showing or if you offer the information, illegal or not, you may not get the position. What if, God forbid, you do get pregnant and have problems with the pregnancy? You shouldn't; b/c you are of a young and strong age for having a child; but what if?

If you had to plan a surgery that could leave you recuperating for > 6 weeks, would you put it off?

Only you can make this determinations for your life.

Good luck.

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I have seen this too often. First off, do you have substantial income, perhaps emergency funds? Does your husband have a well paying job? Do you have a reliable supportive family? I have seen this go two different ways with my friends and colleagues.

1. Married young and have child early, Mom is a full-time stay-at-home mom and unable to find any nursing jobs in this growing nursing "shortage." They don't have that much money. Dad is the only breadwinner. And no one is taking care of little Johnny if Mom does get a job, plus her lack of motivation after all the time taking care of Johnny. (This situation is not to say it's impossible. It is DOABLE, but causes undue stress to an already stressful career, provided you even land a job in the first place.)

2. Married young and have child early, Mom has Grandma/Grandpa/Other Family take care of little Johnny. They do have a few funds. Dad is working and Mom is close to obtaining her job. Soon enough, Mom gets hired. (This situation requires vigorous planning, steady income, and structural family support. I have seen some success with this route.)

But the best overall route I've seen the most success from is this:

3. Graduated. Married. Got a job. Both worked for a few years. New (or used) car(s). Maybe a house or upgrade in living arrangements. Possible move. Got enough funds for baby and future. Found a sitter (family, hired, or mom/dad takes break from work for a few years) Johnny comes out. (This situation I've seen had the most success out of all 3 routes I've compared. Sure, they waited a few years to have kids, but it wasn't like they were waiting until they were into their 30's or 40's. And even then, it's not bad to have a child during those years either.)

I say, take your time and think this through. Follow your heart and what your mind tells you to do. You're young (I'm younger though ;]). You have a whole lifetime ahead of you. Plan it through and see it to the end. Live with no regrets. Good luck!

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