New Grad Nurse and New Mom

Nurses New Nurse

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I feel lost? 

I graduated with my RN 2020, got my license two months after my graduation while I was pregnant and enrolled in my BSN during pregnancy and finished shortly after I gave birth. I have zero nursing experience! Everything up until this point has been clinical based. I have clinical experience as a CNA, MA, LPN, & RN. yes it been a long time in the making LOL. I'm 24, I did everything school wise, but never worked. (Yes, I have been very fortunate- my parents just wanted to make sure there was no reason to quit or delay school. School has always been top priority in my house) 

ANYWAYS. 

My baby is now four months old, and I have the opportunity to be a stay at home mom until my baby is a year. However, I feel as though I'm losing what I know, and I can bet my skills are building some rust. Im just scared at this point. I used to have this plan- and now courses has changed, and the confidence I once had in myself in being a good nurse has long gone...

I guess the point of this post was to ask these questions:

- is it manageable to work as a new grad/mom?

- what are recommended settings?

- what can I do in the mean time to brush up on my knowledge or skills?

- is per diem work even possible? (being that I'm a new grad with zero work experience)

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Specializes in ICU, OB/Pediatrics, Education.

Congratulations on the birth of your little one! I will jump right to your questions:

-Yes it is manageable. Especially if you find the right nursing family to join. It won't always be easy. There can be tears shed of exhaustion and discomfort as you slowly let your feet plant on the ground; and of missing your baby. You can definitely do it, though.

-What setting do you desire? You may not have a laundry list of options but look around to see what is out there. Find something you are passionate about, find a great manager, find a good team, find a unit you feel supported in as a new grad (you may not get all these in one)

-Find some CEU options, they can be costly depending on where you look. Review your nursing notes, review your patho book-I know, way overwhelming so take it easy until you find where you plan to work or get accepted into. You will learn a lot on the job itself. There's so much you don't know until you are there doing it. 

-It can be but it's rare. Many units hire you FT then after a couple years of experience, allow you to drop to a PT or per diem status, if a position is available. You will at least need orientation to the hospital and the unit FT for a specified number of weeks (depending on care area)

I wish you the best of luck!

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23 hours ago, TKL said:

Congratulations on the birth of your little one! I will jump right to your questions:

-Yes it is manageable. Especially if you find the right nursing family to join. It won't always be easy. There can be tears shed of exhaustion and discomfort as you slowly let your feet plant on the ground; and of missing your baby. You can definitely do it, though.

-What setting do you desire? You may not have a laundry list of options but look around to see what is out there. Find something you are passionate about, find a great manager, find a good team, find a unit you feel supported in as a new grad (you may not get all these in one)

-Find some CEU options, they can be costly depending on where you look. Review your nursing notes, review your patho book-I know, way overwhelming so take it easy until you find where you plan to work or get accepted into. You will learn a lot on the job itself. There's so much you don't know until you are there doing it. 

-It can be but it's rare. Many units hire you FT then after a couple years of experience, allow you to drop to a PT or per diem status, if a position is available. You will at least need orientation to the hospital and the unit FT for a specified number of weeks (depending on care area)

I wish you the best of luck!

Thank you so much for responding and sharing insight! I feel relieved? I don't know, I just feel as though you helped me buckle down and really organize my thoughts and next steps. ?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

As a mom,  I can say if you can, put the baby first. They grow up faster than we can imagine and you will look back with no regrets, spending less time working and more time being a mommy.

My kids are grown.  I have been where you are. I had a baby and that sidelined my progression in my career just a little......

How I did it was, I exchanged baby sitting with a friend to cover work. I watched her daughters, she watched my kids.

Try to go "per diem" and that way you can work when you have a person to watch your baby. Yes it can be done; but you will have to go through orientation first and that takes 8-12 weeks of full time work.

If you don't think you can do that, then like said above me, get CEUs and keep current.

Your family will grow and move away; jobs will always be there!

Congratulations on your new baby!

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15 hours ago, SmilingBluEyes said:

As a mom,  I can say if you can, put the baby first. They grow up faster than we can imagine and you will look back with no regrets, spending less time working and more time being a mommy.

My kids are grown.  I have been where you are. I had a baby and that sidelined my progression in my career just a little......

How I did it was, I exchanged baby sitting with a friend to cover work. I watched her daughters, she watched my kids.

Try to go "per diem" and that way you can work when you have a person to watch your baby. Yes it can be done; but you will have to go through orientation first and that takes 8-12 weeks of full time work.

If you don't think you can do that, then like said above me, get CEUs and keep current.

Your family will grow and move away; jobs will always be there!

Congratulations on your new baby!

thanks so much for your response, that's what my mother had told me too. to enjoy the process of being a mom and my career will always be there. your response along with the other persons response has definitely given me a more organized idea of what my next approach should be. ?

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